Friedrich Weyerhäuser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Friedrich Weyerhäuser
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| Born | November 21, 1834 Nieder-Saulheim, Grand Duchy of Hesse
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| Died | April 4, 1914 (aged 79) Pasadena, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Chippiannock Cemetery Rock Island, Illinois |
| Nationality | German–American |
| Other names | Frederick Weyerhaeuser |
| Known for | Founder of the Weyerhaeuser Company |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Elizabeth Bloedel |
| Children | John, Elise, Rudolph, Frederick, Apollonia, Charles, Margaret |
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Friedrich Weyerhäuser (born November 21, 1834 – died April 4, 1914) was a very successful German-American businessman. He started the Weyerhaeuser Company. This company owns many sawmills, paper factories, and huge areas of forest land. Friedrich Weyerhäuser became one of the richest Americans ever. People called him the "timber-king of the Northwest" because he owned so much forest.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to America
Friedrich Weyerhäuser was one of 11 children. His family lived in Nieder-Saulheim, a small town in Germany. They made a living by farming on a 15-acre farm and a 3-acre vineyard.
Childhood and Education
Friedrich started school when he was six years old. At age eight, he began helping his family on the farm. When he was 12, his father passed away. Friedrich then had to stop most of his schooling to help support his family.
Journey to the United States
In 1848, there were many changes happening in Germany. Because of this, some of Friedrich's family members moved to western Pennsylvania in the United States. They wrote exciting letters back home about how good things were there.
In 1852, when Friedrich was 17, he also moved to the United States with some family members. They arrived in New York City in July. Then, they traveled to Pennsylvania and settled in North East.
Starting a Business Career
Friedrich first worked in a brewery for two years. He decided to leave this job because he felt a brewer "often becomes his own best customer." After that, he worked on a farm for one year.
Moving West and First Job
Friedrich had some money from his family's farm sale in Germany. This allowed him to move further west to find new chances. In 1856, he arrived in Rock Island, Illinois. He started working on building the Rock Island and Peoria Railroad.
Soon after, he got a job at a sawmill called Mead, Smith and Marsh. He began as a night fireman. He quickly moved up to tallyman, then yard manager, and finally salesman.
Becoming a Business Owner
The company sent Friedrich to manage a new lumber yard in Coal Valley. His yard did very well, but the company itself had money problems. Friedrich used his savings to buy the business. This is how he started his own company.
Building the Timber Empire
Friedrich Weyerhäuser teamed up with his brother-in-law, Frederick Denkmann. They formed the Weyerhaeuser-Denkmann Lumber Company. Together, they started buying parts of many other timber companies. Sometimes they bought most of a company.
The Weyerhaeuser Syndicate
Friedrich became the main person in what was called the "Weyerhaeuser Syndicate." This was a large group of lumber businesses. It was said to have almost 100 partners. Friedrich was the connection between all of them.
In 1872, he created the Mississippi River Boom and Logging Co. This group managed all the logs that were moved on the Mississippi River.
Expanding to the Pacific Northwest
In 1900, Weyerhäuser bought 900,000 acres of forest land in the Pacific Northwest. He bought this land from a man named James J. Hill. This is when he started the Weyerhäuser Timber Company.
He also owned parts of many other factories. One of these was Potlatch, which later became Potlatch Corporation. He also had interests in the Boise Cascade Corporation. Today, the Weyerhaeuser Company is still one of the biggest sellers of timber in the world.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1906, the government looked into the lumber industry. They wanted to see if there were any unfair business practices. Weyerhäuser did not let this attention bother him.
Family Life
Friedrich Weyerhäuser married Sarah Elizabeth Bloedel on October 11, 1857. They had seven children together: John P. Weyerhauser, Elise (Weyerhauser) Bancroft Hill, Margaret (Weyerhauser) Jewett, Apollonia (Weyerhauser) Davis, Charles A. Weyerhauser, Rudolph M. Weyerhauser, and Frederick E. Weyerhauser.
Giving Back to His Community
In 1904, Friedrich built a music hall in his hometown of Saulheim, Germany. This was his way of thanking the community.
Friedrich Weyerhäuser was buried in his family's mausoleum. It is located in Chippiannock Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1978, he was honored by being added to the U.S. Business Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Friedrich Weyerhäuser para niños
