Henry Morgan Tilford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry M. Tilford
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| Born | June 14, 1856 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Died | December 3, 1919 (aged 63) New York City, U.S.
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| Resting place | St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo Episcopal Church Cemetery, Tuxedo Park, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Isabelle Weart Giles
(m. 1885) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | John Boyle Tilford Catherine Hunt Curd Tilford |
| Relatives | Katharine Mortimer (granddaughter) John Jay Mortimer (grandson) |
Henry Morgan Tilford (born June 14, 1856 – died December 3, 1919) was an important oil businessman. Many people see him as the founder of what is now the Chevron company.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Henry Morgan Tilford was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 14, 1856. His father, John Boyle Tilford, was a banker. He started the First National Bank of Lexington. Henry had several brothers and sisters.
Growing up, his family lived next door to famous people like Henry Clay. Henry went to school in the South. Later, he moved to New York City with his father and brothers.
Building an Oil Business
Henry Tilford started a company called Bostwick & Tilford with Jabez A. Bostwick. This company owned barges and a large oil refinery. Their main office was in Manhattan, New York.
In 1887, John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company bought Bostwick & Tilford. After this, Henry Tilford became the head of Standard Oil's operations on the West Coast. This part of the company was called Pacific Coast Oil Company. It later became Standard Oil of California, which is known today as Chevron.
After working on the West Coast, Tilford returned to New York. He bought a large mansion in Tuxedo Park, New York. He also held important roles in many Standard Oil companies. He was president of Central Oil Company of Denver and president of the Standard Oil of Ohio. He was also vice president of the Standard Oil Company of New York. He was a director in almost all of Standard Oil's smaller companies. By 1907, Tilford owned a lot of shares in the company.
Tilford retired in 1911. However, in 1917, he rejoined the company's board of directors. He passed away in 1919.
Personal Life
On November 12, 1885, Henry Tilford married Isabelle Weart Giles. They had three daughters:
- Isabelle Tilford (1887–1956), who married David Wagstaff.
- Katherine Hunt Tilford (1890–1970), who married Stanley Grafton Mortimer.
- Annette Tilford (1900–1946), who married Amory Lawrence Haskell.
Henry Tilford died on December 3, 1919, at his home in Manhattan. He was 63 years old. He was buried in Tuxedo Park, New York. His estate was worth a lot of money. He left most of it to his family.
After his death, his wife, Isabelle, remained very active in society. She was known as an important figure in Tuxedo Park for many years. She passed away in 1941.
Notable Descendants
Henry Tilford had many grandchildren. Through his daughter Katherine, he was the grandfather of Katharine Mortimer. She was the grandmother of the famous actress Brooke Shields. He was also the grandfather of John Jay Mortimer, a well-known financier.
In Popular Culture
Henry Tilford was reportedly the inspiration for the 2007 American movie There Will Be Blood. This drama film was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It starred Daniel Day-Lewis. The movie was inspired by Upton Sinclair's novel Oil!. It tells the story of an oilman looking for wealth during the oil boom in Southern California. A made-up version of Henry Tilford is played by David Warshofsky in the film.
