Elias Disney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elias Disney
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Disney in 1913
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| Born |
Elias Charles Disney
February 6, 1859 Bluevale, Province of Canada
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| Died | September 13, 1941 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | Canadian, American |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse(s) |
Flora Call
(m. 1888; died 1938) |
| Children | Herbert Arthur Disney Raymond Arnold Disney Roy Oliver Disney Walter Elias Disney Ruth Flora Disney |
| Parent(s) | Kepple Elias Disney Mary Richardson |
| Family | Disney |
Elias Charles Disney (born February 6, 1859 – died September 13, 1941) was a Canadian-American businessman. He worked in construction and tried many different jobs. Elias Disney is most famous for being the father of Roy and Walt Disney. These two brothers went on to create The Walt Disney Company, which is known worldwide.
Contents
Elias Disney's Life Story
Early Years and Family Roots
Elias Disney was born in a small village called Bluevale in Canada. His parents, Kepple Elias Disney and Mary Disney, had moved there from Freshford, County Kilkenny in Ireland. They came to Canada when they were children with their own parents.
Elias was one of nine children in his family. His father owned a farm and tried different ways to earn money.
In 1878, Elias moved to California with his father. They hoped to find gold, but instead, his father bought a large piece of land in Ellis, Kansas. Elias tried to grow oranges there, but it didn't work out.
Starting a Career and Family
Elias worked on his father's farm until 1884. Then, he left to find other work. He got a job in a railroad workshop. One of his co-workers there was Walter Chrysler, who later became famous for cars. Elias also helped build a railroad line through Colorado.
After his railroad work, Elias tried to be a professional fiddle player in Denver. When that wasn't successful, he returned to his father's farm.
His sister, Annie, became a teacher in Ellis. Elias sometimes filled in for her. This is how he met Flora Call, one of Annie's students. Elias and Flora fell in love.
After Flora finished school, her parents moved to Akron, Florida. Elias followed them because he wanted to be with Flora. They got married in Akron on January 1, 1888. Their marriage license was the very first one issued in Lake County.
Elias and Flora then moved to Daytona Beach. They managed a hotel for a short time. Their first son, Herbert, was born in December 1888. Elias also worked as a mailman in Kissimmee, Florida, which is now close to Walt Disney World. He tried growing oranges again in Kissimmee, but it was not successful. In 1890, they decided to move to Chicago.
Life in Chicago and Building Homes
In Chicago, Elias worked in construction. He helped build things for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This big event might have inspired his son Walt later on.
Elias also bought shares in the O-Zell Company. This factory made jelly and apple juice. His son Walt Disney worked there before joining the Red Cross during World War I.
By 1892, Elias had built a house for his family in Chicago. Their three youngest children were born there. On June 24, 1893, their son Roy Oliver Disney was born. Elias wanted to name him Columbus, but Flora chose Roy. They picked Oliver for his middle name after seeing a lumber truck with "Oliver Lumber Company" written on it.
Around 1900, Elias became a busy building contractor. He built houses, owned them, and then sold them. He also built the Saint Paul Congregational Church. This church was opened on October 14, 1900. Elias was one of the church's leaders, and his wife, Flora, managed its money.
Moving to a Farm in Missouri
Elias worried about his children growing up in Chicago. He wanted a safer place for them. So, on March 5, 1906, he bought a 40-acre farm near Marceline, Missouri. He paid $3,000 for it.
The farm had apple, peach, and plum trees. It also had fields for grain. They had pigs, chickens, horses, and cows. By 1907, the Disneys even had a telephone!
Elias encouraged other farmers to join a group called the American Society of Equity. This group helped farmers get better prices for their goods.
However, Elias's older sons, Herbert and Raymond, didn't like farm life. They moved back to Chicago in 1908 to find jobs.
Later Moves and Newspaper Routes
The family sold the farm on November 28, 1910, because Elias became sick with typhoid fever and pneumonia. They rented a house in Marceline for a while. In 1911, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri. They rented a house there until they bought their own home in 1914.
On July 1, 1911, Elias bought a newspaper delivery route for The Kansas City Star. His sons, Roy and Walt, helped him deliver newspapers. They delivered to hundreds of homes every morning and evening. Elias also delivered butter and eggs from a farm in Marceline to his newspaper customers.
Elias sold the newspaper route on March 17, 1917. He had been investing in the O-Zell Company in Chicago since 1912. He moved back to Chicago in 1917 to work more closely with the company.
He retired from managing the company in 1920 and moved back to Kansas City. He was listed as a carpenter again. By 1921, he moved to Portland, Oregon, where his son Herbert lived.
Elias Disney's Family and Legacy
Elias Disney married Flora Call on January 1, 1888. They had five children:
- Herbert Arthur Disney (1888–1961)
- Raymond Arnold Disney (1890–1989)
- Roy Oliver Disney (1893–1971), who helped start The Walt Disney Company.
- Walter "Walt" Elias Disney (1901–1966), who also helped start The Walt Disney Company.
- Ruth Flora Disney (1903–1995)
Elias was a member of the Congregational Church. His son, Walt, was named after a minister from that church, Walter Parr. Elias believed in fairness for workers and would often discuss these ideas with people. He also loved playing the fiddle and would invite other musicians to his home.
Elias Disney passed away on September 13, 1941, in Los Angeles at the age of 82. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
See also
In Spanish: Elias Disney para niños
