Lewis Ginter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lewis Ginter
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| Born | April 4, 1824 |
| Died | October 2, 1897 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Tobacco business, real-estate developer, military officer, banker, philanthropist |
| Known for | Allen & Ginter, Jefferson Hotel, Ginter Park, American Tobacco Company |
Major Lewis Ginter (born April 4, 1824 – died October 2, 1897) was a very important businessman and helper in Richmond, Virginia. He was born in New York City. Lewis Ginter became very rich from his many businesses. He was one of Richmond's wealthiest people, even though he was very humble.
He helped build the famous Jefferson Hotel and the Ginter Park neighborhood. Ginter also gave a lot of money to charities and people in need, often without telling anyone. He played a big part in helping Richmond recover after the American Civil War. He loved the city very much and once said, "I am for Richmond, first and last."
Contents
Early Life
Lewis Ginter was born on April 4, 1824, in New York City. His parents were John and Elizabeth Ginter. His father owned a grocery store but died soon after Lewis was born. A few years later, his mother also passed away. Lewis was then raised by his married sister, Jane Ginter Arents.
Life in Richmond
Starting Businesses
In 1842, when he was 18, Ginter moved to Richmond, Virginia. He opened a shop selling small items and toys. He had visited Richmond before with an uncle. Soon, Ginter started selling "house furnishings."
In 1853, he began selling wholesale goods to stores in towns and the countryside. By 1860, his nephew, George Arents, joined his business. Their company was known as the largest seller of notions and linens in the South. Ginter traveled across the United States and Europe to find good products. He made a lot of money before the American Civil War began. To protect his wealth, Ginter bought large amounts of tobacco, sugar, and cotton. He stored them in warehouses in Richmond.
Military Service
Even though he was from the North, Ginter supported his new home in the Confederacy. He bought Confederate bonds and did not collect money owed to him. When the war started, he volunteered to gather supplies for the Confederate troops in Richmond.
In 1862, he joined the Confederate Army as a commissary officer. He had the rank of Major. His leaders praised him for his brave actions during the war. This earned him the nickname "The Fighting Commissary." Major Ginter served under famous generals like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. People in the South called him Major Ginter long after the war ended.
Major Ginter was in Richmond when the city was taken over. He retreated with his army group. He was present when General Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House. He returned to Richmond a few days later.
New York Experience
When Major Ginter returned to Richmond, the city was in ruins. His warehouses with tobacco and sugar were destroyed by fire. However, his cotton was safe. Since there were few business chances in Richmond, he sold his cotton. Then, he moved back to New York City to work in banking.
He joined a company called Harrison & Company and had great financial success. But his good fortune did not last long. In 1869, a big financial crisis called "Black Friday" happened. Ginter had to use all his personal money to pay off his company's large debts. He lost all his wealth again. After this, Ginter sold tobacco for a Richmond tobacco seller named John F. Allen. In 1872, Ginter decided to return to Richmond, where living was more affordable.
Back in Richmond
Tobacco Business
In 1872, Major Ginter teamed up with John F. Allen to start John F. Allen & Company. They made chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and some cigars. Ginter encouraged the company to be the first to make cigarettes using mild, local tobacco. This tobacco was grown in Virginia and North Carolina.
In 1875, their company was the first in the South to focus on making cigarettes. At first, young women hand-rolled the cigarettes in their factory. These cigarettes were not very popular in the South, where men preferred chewing tobacco. Around 1880, the company changed its name to Allen & Ginter.
Ginter's "Richmond Gem" cigarettes became popular in London first. His agent, John Morgan Richards, helped sell them as a new foreign product. Allen & Ginter also made cigarettes with "Turkish" tobacco. Their brands included "Richmond Straight-Cut No. 1" and "Our Little Beauties."
In 1881, with more competition, Ginter started using James Bonsack's new cigarette rolling machine. By 1888, Allen & Ginter had over 1,000 workers. Their cigarette production grew from 100,000 per month to 2,000,000 per day! The company opened offices in London, Paris, and Berlin to meet demand.
Allen & Ginter continued to do well until they joined with other companies in 1890. They formed the American Tobacco Company. Ginter was offered the job of president but said no. He remained a director until he died.
Real Estate Development
Major Ginter had lived in Richmond for many years, but he bought his first home in 1876. He invited his sister, Jane Arents, and three of her daughters to live with him. In 1891, he finished building a large mansion at 901 West Franklin Street. This building is still known as the Ginter House today.
Ginter was inspired by new neighborhoods he saw in Australia during business trips. Starting in 1888, Ginter and John Pope began buying large areas of land north of Richmond. They planned to build a fancy neighborhood with streetcar access. They bought part of a large farm and turned it into their own country estate. Ginter's Westbrook house was made bigger and had a private barbershop. It even had a one-lane bowling alley!
Ginter and Pope divided the land into plots for homes. They added many special features, like fresh water wells, sewer lines, and crushed stone roads. They also extended the Richmond Union Passenger Railway, which was the first large electric streetcar system in the country. This neighborhood, called Ginter Park, attracted the Union Presbyterian Seminary. It later became part of the City of Richmond. Ginter also helped start other nearby neighborhoods. He created the Lakeside Wheel Club in 1895 and Lakeside Park in 1896.
Always wanting to improve Richmond, Major Ginter hired famous architects in 1892. He wanted them to design a world-class hotel called the Jefferson. About 5 to 10 million dollars were spent building the hotel before it opened on October 31, 1895. It was immediately called one of the best hotels in the country.
Ginter asked a sculptor to create a life-size statue of Thomas Jefferson. It was made of marble and placed in the hotel lobby. The hotel also had exotic palm trees, old treasures, special baths, and electric elevators. For a short time, there were even alligators in the lobby fountain! The Jefferson became a symbol of Ginter's dedication to Richmond. It also showed how Richmond was growing after the war.
John Pope
While working in New York City after the war, Ginter met John Pope. Pope was a messenger boy who delivered packages to Ginter's company. Pope was born in New York City in 1856. His father was a shoemaker, and Pope started working at age 14 to help his family. Ginter later hired Pope to work in his tobacco business in New York. When Ginter moved back to Richmond, he brought Pope with him as his helper.
They started a strong partnership that lasted their whole lives. Pope became Ginter's trusted business partner. He held many important jobs, like Vice President of Allen & Ginter. He also led other companies. When the American Tobacco Company was formed, Pope became its vice-president. Like Ginter, Pope was involved in helping others and preferred to stay out of the public eye.
Ginter and Pope remained close friends and shared a home. Pope died in 1896, which made Ginter very sad. Pope was buried in a special tomb in Hollywood Cemetery that Ginter had planned for himself. People said Pope had "the most ardent affection" for Major Ginter. Ginter's obituary said he "never pointedly sought" the company of women.
Death
The death of his close friend John Pope made Ginter very upset. Ginter also had diabetes. His health quickly got worse, and he became bedridden at his Westbrook estate. After two months of being very sick, Ginter died on October 2, 1897.
His funeral was one of the largest in Richmond's history. About a year later, his remains were placed in a private mausoleum (a special tomb) in Hollywood Cemetery. It overlooked the James River.
Legacy
When Major Ginter died, he had become one of the richest people in the South. His strong commitment to Richmond can be seen in his big investments in real estate and businesses. Most notably, he was very generous. Even when Ginter traveled, he would order things from Richmond to support local businesses.
His will included gifts to almost every charity and public place in the city. The rest of his money went to his relatives, including his niece, Grace Arents. She continued her uncle's generous work. Arents turned the Lakeside Wheel Club into a farm. Later, she arranged for it to become the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. She also helped build St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and St. Andrew's School. She built playgrounds and gave money to many schools and hospitals. In 1897, a Richmond newspaper praised Ginter. It called him "one whose public spirit and broad charity have made his name familiar and honored throughout this city, which he loved so well, did so much to build up and beautify."
Images for kids
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Ginter mansion at 901 West Franklin Street, Richmond
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Lewis Ginter's mausoleum at Hollywood Cemetery
