Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1905-05-17
Wealthy Pfilanthropist Passes Away
Full of Years and RcnOrS
HEAD OF AMERICAN TOBACCO co.
The Founder OF the Duke Branch Of
The American Tobacco Company
Dies at Durham in the s5th Year of
His Agc-His Three Sons and Other
Relatives Were Present When the
End Came.

Durham. n. c., Special. Washington
Cuke, founder of the Duke branch of
The American Tobacco Company. father
Of j. B. Duke. president of that COM
pany. and philanthropist. who directly
and indirectly gave more than mil
lion dollars to Trinity College. died
Monday afternoon at o'clock. His
death was no surprise. For several
weeks he had been close to deaths
door. and Sunday afternoon began to
sink rGpidly. All Sunday night it was
expected ;hHt the next minute would he
his last. Mo.day morning he WAS weak
and sinking. When he passed away. his
three sons. b. L.. b. ~, and J. B.
Duke. with other relatives. were gath
cred by his bedside. He was in the S5th
year OF his age. He was part of the his
tory of Durham. and his death he's cast
gloom over the entire city.
Through Mr.. Duke and his influence.
there has been given to Trinity Col
iege. million dollars or more. His
first great gift was when the college
was moved here in 1891. when he gave
S150,000 ether gifts followed. until
his personal gifts amounted to more
than half-m.llion dollars. His sons
and other relatives added to these
gifts until the amount is now more
than a million dollars One gift OF
100000 from the deceased. opened the
doors OF Trinity and other State col
leges to women
Some time ago he divided large
part OF his wealth among his relatives
1t is learned that the greater part of
the wealth went to B. n. and j. B.
Duke. In addition to these gifts. he
gave to each OF his grandchildren.
some eight or ten in number. $50 900
each.
Practically all factories in this COM
munity closed upon hearing of the
death of Mr.. Duke Other business
houses will be closed when the funeral
takes place. 1t is supposed that the city
officials and business men in general
VIII join to do honor to the man who
has done so much for the town OF Dur
udIn anu the state.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
Born on December 20. 1920. Wash
ington Duke would have been 50 years
or age had he lived until December
OF THIS wear. He was the last OF his
Immediate family. which was a large
one. and spent all his life in this sec
ton OF the State. He came from New
England stock. but his father spent
most OF his life in this State the fam
lily having been identified with the af-
Ia1rs OF this section since colonial DAYS
Ihe deceased was one OF nine chill
dren. six boys and three girls. and uD
until he had passed middle life they
were people not used to the great lux
uries of life brought by wealth. but
had to struggle like all of the early
settlers OF this State and section. for
the material things of life 1t was
under conditions OF this kind that
washington Duke and his brothers and
sisters came into this life. These ear
ly surroundings taught that frugality
and developed the strong. positive
character and self-reliance that in later
life made him the great man that he
was. Beginning life with absolutely
nothing save a strong character and
powerful will: his education being that
he learned from nature and between
the plow handles on a poor farm in
Orange county (now Durham), he re-
turned from the struggle OF the Civil
| War, to a poverty stricken section OF
the country. his only assets being char
acter, poverty and family to support.
In the forty years that now intervene
between the present and that strug-
gle. he has builded name that is
known around the world and accumu-
lated wealth that he has used to besis
lated wealth that he used to bless
! and nobler.
The Funeral Of Mr.. Duke.
Durham. Special. -. All Durham
paused Wednesday to pay honor to the
memory of Washington Duke. All
business activity ceased and during
the time that the funeral was on,
thousands of people gathered at Main
Street Methodist church and in that
vicinity end at Maplewood Cemetery
to pay last respect to the memory
| OF the deceased Never before in the
| history OF Durham has there been
such an outpouring OF the citizenship
to pay honor to- the memory of man
A conservative estimate is that 15.-
COO people were at the cemetery and
along the line followed by the process
! sion. The cemetery and that vicinity
was IA block OF humanity thousands
not being able to get within the hearing
OF the voices OF the speakers.
The procession was OF such length
that almost n half-hour was required
| for it to pass IL given point. All We
hicles of public nature and most OF
the private COnvevapces in the citV