The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-11-17


New York, Nov. 13.-Henry Willard.
the railroad magnate and financier,
died at his summer residence at
Dobbs Ferry.
Mr.. Willard had intended to return
to New York about the middle OF
last month, but his condition was then
SO precarious that his physicians ad-
vised him to remain at his country
home until he should have gained.
more strength. A week ago he
caught heavy cold, and since then
his condition had been gradually
growing worse. Two physicians bad
been with him constantly for week
past.
Henry Wizards Career.
Henry Willard was born Heinrich Hill.
Epr 7ss HIS Theodor
father Of Julius Hilgard. who became
superintendent Of the United States coast
led mgration of the ssa family W. 5a
ther, Gustav, was in the judicial service
Of the Bavarian government. and ended
judge of the supreme court at Munich.
in Zweibrucken. Phalsbourg and Speyer,
but in October, 1858. broke off his uni.
yersity studies. and set out for the United
States. intending to join the colony of MS
relatives at Belleville. His fathers oppo'
sition to this step made him borrow the
surname Of French schoolmate at Phals-
| burg, and he became Henry Willard
Arriving at Belleville, he became news
paper reporter, and continued In the pro-
| fession until 1868. During these years he
served as legislative correspondent In
Indiana and Illinois, political reporter,
| reporting the Lincoln-Douglas debates
the Chicago convention, which nominated
AS Lne0W war rne eorrespondentp % The % papers h.
| served in this period were the Cincinnati
| Commercial, the New York Herald. the
Chicago Tribune, and the New York Trip.
| une, and part OF the time he was at the
| head of news bureaus at Washington
| Early in 1881 Mr.. Willard acquired the New
| York Evening Post and the Nation.
In January, 1866, In Boston, he married
Fannie, the only daughter of VIM. Lloys
| Garrison In 1865 he was chosen secretar,
Of the newly-founded American Socia
ters in that city, and did not finally relin
Quish the post until 1871.
1t was In the latter year that, Will.
his railroad career. He formed connec
tion with Frankfort and Berlin bankers
and. in 1873, returned to the United States
property Of the Oregon & California Rail
road Co.. and the Oregon Steamship Co
being made president in 1875, He acted a
Railroad Co. and, later bought up tn
bonds of the road. He became intereste
In the Oregon Steam Navigation Co. an
tho Oregon Railway and Navigation Co
of which he became president, and the
formed the Oregon & Transcontineta
! with which he merged the two other com
, panies to a so-called blind pool with tn
Northern Pacific, being chosen presiden
| of the latter company.
A few years later the companies
! which he was interested became so ir
volved that there was a collapse, in whic
Mr. Willard suffered very heavily. Re
! turning to Germany he formed new finar
cial relations which enable him to rt
. pair his fortune and, coming back to thi
country, he started in once moro as a car
italst. In 1890 he purchased. from Thoma
, Edison. his electrical manufacturing II
e terests, and with the Edison Lamp Co
J Of Newark. N. j., and the Edison work
G at Schenectady, N. Y, as a basis organ
. ized the Edison General Electric Co.
6 which he became president, serving
X that capacity for about two years.
: October 1889, he became chairman of tt
c | Northern Pacific board of directors, b,
{ the panic of 1888 again occasiOned the 10:
y of most of his fortune, and led to h
d withdrawal from railroad management.
= Mr.. Willard, when he died. was SUI
d rounded by the members of his fam
e ly, including Mrs. Willard and his tw
!, sons. Oswald and Harold Willard. Il
had been unconscious for two day