John I. Beggs

John I. Beggs
John Irvin Beggs (September 17, 1847 – October 17, 1925) was an American businessman. He was associated closely with the electric utility boom under Thomas Edison. He was also associated with Milwaukee, St. Louis, Missouri, and other regional rail and interurban trolley systems. Beggs is also known for developing modern depreciation techniques for business accounting and for being one of the early directors of what became General Electric.
Youth
Beggs was born in Philadelphia on September 17, 1847, the son of James and Mary Irvin Beggs. Both of his parents were of Scottish descent but had emigrated to the United States from Northern Ireland.
His early life was spent around Philadelphia. After his father died when he was seven years old, Beggs worked to support of his mother in a brickyard, as a cattleman, and butcher.
Education
As a young man Beggs taught accounting and handwriting in the Bryant & Stratton Business College in Philadelphia. He went to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the age of 21 to work for Mitchell & Haggerty Coal Company as an accountant. He then worked selling real estate and fire insurance in Harrisburg. Beggs joined the Masonic fraternities at Harrisburg and maintained his membership until his death.
Electric light industry
When the electric light industry was in its infancy, Beggs assisted organization of the Harrisburg Electric Light Co. He built and managed its plant which was "the first commercially successful electric light plant in the United States". Beggs’ interest in electric lighting arose because he was head of the building committee of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church and wanted to electrify the church to save on the cost and cleanup of candles. This church became the first in the world to be wired and to use light bulbs instead of candles.
He was married in Harrisburg to Sue Elizabeth Charles, who died March 14, 1902. They had one child, Mary Grace Beggs.
On account of his success in Harrisburg as an electric plant manager, he was called by J.P. Morgan to New York City in 1886 as manager of the Edison Illuminating Company of that city. He remained in New York for about five years during which time he built two electric stations. Pearl Street provided electricity for the first time to Wall Street's stockbrokers.
He worked closely with Thomas A. Edison and consequently became one of that small group known as Edison Pioneers. Beggs was one of the Illuminating Company Directors. He was also a Director at the Detroit Edison Board meeting when Henry Ford first met Edison and first pitched his idea for the automobile startup to those venture capitalists present.
Career
From New York he went to Chicago as Western Manager of Edison Company where he remained until the Edison Company was merged with the Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form what is now the General Electric Company.
The North American Company, which had just been organized, had acquired an electric lighting interest in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Beggs went to Cincinnati in charge of these interests. The North American Company shortly afterward acquired the electric railway and lighting companies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and for several years, Beggs divided his time between these cities. In 1897, the Cincinnati interests were sold and Beggs moved to Milwaukee to devote his time to the utilities there.
In 1903, The North American Company began to acquire electric lighting interests in St. Louis, Missouri. Beggs first visited St. Louis as an advisor, and then began to divide his time between the two cities. At one time, Beggs was president of the St. Louis electric lighting company, the gas company, and the street railway company, as well as president and general manager of The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company.
While Beggs was President of the Milwaukee Companies he built the Public Service Building in Milwaukee. His funeral services were conducted in its auditorium by the Employees' Mutual Benefit Association. He also constructed the systems of interurban railways radiating from Milwaukee.
By 1911 Beggs had acquired a controlling interest in the St. Louis Car Company. He resigned from the Milwaukee companies and moved to St. Louis. He still maintained many business connections in Milwaukee and spent time there, although his residence was in St. Louis.
Beggs Isle
In the spring of 1911, Beggs purchased and named Beggs Isle in Lac La Belle, at , near Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He developed it into a summer residence for himself and his daughter's family. Beggs turned this island into a botanical garden bringing in exotic plants. Egyptian papyrus plants were trained to last through the long Wisconsin winters. Beggs would purchase large commercial grade fireworks for their Fourth of July celebrations.
In 1915, he invested in water power in northern Wisconsin and began to spend more time in that state, although still residing in St. Louis. In 1920 he was again elected president of The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Co., which position he still held at the time of his death.
Beggs was a member of the Executive Committee of the North American Company. He also devoted much time to the First Wisconsin National Bank in which he invested. During his last decade he directed the construction of the second largest paper mill in the country; engineered the reorganization of the J. I. Case Plow Company, arranged to finance a hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. and conducted a large Florida real estate transaction.
Director and Officer
At the time of his death, Beggs was an active director or officer of 53 companies, including:
North American Edison Company, Director (Now General Electric)
The North American Company, Director, Member of Executive Committee
The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company, Director, President, Member of Executive Committees
Wisconsin Gas & Electric Company, Director, Vice-President
Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Director, Chairman Executive Committee
St. Louis Car Company, Director, Chairman of Board
J. I. Case Plow Works Company, Inc., Director
Southern Improvement Company, Director, President
First Wisconsin National Bank, Milwaukee, Director, Member of Executive and Finance Committees
First Wisconsin Company, Milwaukee, Director
Grand & Sixth National Bank, Milwaukee, Director, Member of Executive and Finance Committees
First National Bank in St. Louis, Director
Milwaukee Northern Railway Company, Director, President
Wisconsin Traction, Light, Heat & Power Company, Director, President
Peninsular Power Company, Director
North American Utilities Investment Corporation, Director
West Kentucky Coal Company, Director
United Railways Company of St. Louis, Director
Wisconsin Securities Company, Director, Member of Executive Committee
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Director
Menominee & Marinette Light & Traction Company, Director
Wisconsin Railway, Light & Power Company, Director
Land & Sea Investment Company, Baltimore, Director
Oil Transport Company, Baltimore, Director
Wisconsin Power, Light & Heat Company, Director
Wisconsin River Power Company (Hydro-Electric), Director
Southern Wisconsin Power Company (Hydro-Electric), Director
Northwestern Casualty & Surety Company, Director, Member of Executive and Finance Committees
The Newport Company, Director
Milwaukee Coke & Gas Company, Director
Globe Electric Company, Director, President
Globe Real Estate Company, Director, President
Wisconsin Real Estate Development Corporation, Director, President
Grand & Sixth Building, Inc., Director, President
Central Utilities Securities Corporation, Director, President, Treasurer
Midland Oil, Gas & Refining Company, Director
Lane Oil Producing Company, Director
Johnson & King Coal Company, Director, President
Raven Mining Company, Director
American Granite Company, Director, President
Shotwell Manufacturing Company, Director
East Coast Development Company (Florida), Director, President
Louisiana Pulp & Paper Company (Bastrop, LA.), Director, President
Frankenberg Refrigerating Company, Director
Prescott & Northwestern Ry. Company, (Prescott, Ark.), Vice-President
Montana Railroad Company (Clarksville, Ark.), President
President Apartment Hotel Company (Atlantic City), President
Legacy
He died in Milwaukee on October 17, 1925, at the age of 78. He was buried in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Edison and Beggs remained friends throughout their lifetimes. On Beggs' 75th Birthday Celebration on Beggs Isle, Edison presented Beggs with a large grandfather clock and a signed photograph addressed "To my hustler friend, (signed) Thomas A. Edison".
At the time of his death, he had an estimated net worth of over $20M. He passed this fortune to his grandchildren: Robert Paxton McCulloch (1911–1977), Mary Sue McCulloch, "Suzie Linden" (1913–1996), and John Irvin Beggs McCulloch (1908–1983).
Filmography
The Trolley at East Troy - 1986 documentary, directed by Louis Rugani.
See also
East Troy Electric Railroad
Edison Pioneers
References
Further reading
In Memoriam, John Irvin Beggs (1926), 49 pages, with Photo
Watertown History Annual 2: Hometown Series of Publications, By Ken Riedl, William F. Jannke III, pages 13-19
External links
Biographical sketch from Wisconsin Historical Society
1847 births
1925 deaths
American technology chief executives
American energy industry executives
American financiers
American people of Scottish descent
20th-century American railroad executives
American real estate businesspeople
Edison Pioneers
People from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Businesspeople from Milwaukee
People from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Businesspeople from Philadelphia