Hermann Oelrichs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hermann Oelrichs
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| Born | June 8, 1850 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Died | September 1, 1906 (aged 56) Aboard SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Atlantic Ocean
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| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Hermann Oelrichs Jr. |
| Parent(s) | Henry Ferdinand Oelrichs Julia Matilda May |
| Relatives | Charles May Oelrichs (brother) |
Hermann Oelrichs (born June 8, 1850 – died September 1, 1906) was a very successful American businessman. He was known for being a millionaire and working as an agent for a big shipping company called Norddeutsche Lloyd.
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Hermann Oelrichs' Early Life
Hermann Oelrichs was born on June 8, 1850, in Baltimore, Maryland. His father, Henry Ferdinand Oelrichs, was born in Germany. His mother, Julia Matilda May, was born in Washington, D.C..
Hermann had two brothers, Charles May Oelrichs and Henry Oelrichs. His family came to America from Bremen, Germany, around 1830. Hermann went to Yale University and was part of the rowing team there.
Hermann Oelrichs' Career and Business
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Hermann Oelrichs had his own company, Oelrichs & Co. This company became the main agent in the U.S. for the Norddeutsche Lloyd shipping company. This meant his company helped manage the ships and cargo for Norddeutsche Lloyd in America.
Oelrichs was also involved in politics as a member of the Democratic Party. He was active in New York City politics. Later, he moved to San Francisco, California. After the big earthquake in 1906, the Oelrichs family helped rebuild San Francisco. They were part of a group called the Committee of Fifty.
In the 1890s, the Oelrichs family bought a large property in Newport, Rhode Island, called Rose Cliff. Hermann's wife hired a famous architect named Stanford White to build a new house. The new mansion, called Rosecliff, was finished in 1902. It cost about $2.5 million and looked like a famous building in France called the Grand Trianon at Versailles.
Hermann Oelrichs' Family Life
In 1889, Hermann Oelrichs met Theresa Alice Fair, also known as "Tessie." She was the daughter of U.S. Senator and millionaire James Graham Fair. They met while playing tennis in Newport. They got married a year later, in 1890.
Tessie's younger sister, Birdie, married William K. Vanderbilt II. His family was very famous and wealthy. In New York, Hermann and Tessie lived in a large house at 1 East 57th Street.
Hermann and Tessie had one child:
- Hermann Oelrichs Jr. (1891–1948). He served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He married Dorothy Haydel in 1925.
Hermann Oelrichs passed away on September 1, 1906. He was on a ship called SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in the Atlantic Ocean. His body was brought back to the U.S. and buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City.
Hermann Oelrichs: A Sportsman
Hermann Oelrichs loved sports. He was especially passionate about polo. Many people say he was "the man who brought the first mallets, polo balls and shirts into the United States." This means he helped introduce the game of polo to the U.S.
He was also the first president of the U.S. Lacrosse Association. He was also a director at the New York Athletic Club.
