Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-26
Last of ,Philanthropic Dukes
Expires After Life of Giving

Tributes to family whose gifts to
the cause of education and social i'm
provement seldom have been rivaled in
the history of the world are paid in
newspaper comment on the death of
Benjamin N. Duke of North Carolina
the last of the famous trio of his name.
Reciting the history of the Dukes. the
Asheville Times recalls: "Washingt-n
Duke was the thrifty and canny founder
of the Duke tobacco dynasty. His son,
James B., was the man who consolidated
the Duke fortune with other capital,
and as the directing head of the Ameri-
can Tobacco Co. played for time with
millions on an international chessboard
Of finance. 1t was the other son, Ben
Jamin, who first of the three gave his
interest to higher education in North
Carolina. And SO it was largely through
Benjamin Duke that the Duke family
today has a record of having made
gifts to education not equaled more
than twice in the history of the world.
But for the Dukes, Trinity
College might have remained small
college. James Duke followed
his fathers footsteps and his brothers
influence as benefactor of Trinity and
Duke. Benjamin never forgot his first
enthusiasm for the cause
Discussing the loss that is involved in
the death of the last of these great con-
tributors to public welfare, the Newark
Evening News states mr.. Ben is
dead; Mr.. Buck died in 1925; Durham,
N. c., sits desolate at her crossroads.
Fo- Benjamin N. Duke, whose life ended
thic WnoE
his younger brother, who was a Jersey
man for a good part of his life, did,
Jointly and severally. more for their
home city and the State of North Caro-
lima than any other two citizens that
notable Commonwealth ever fathered.
1t is significant that for Durham Ben
Jamin Duke was never anything but Mr..
Ben A nickname like that denotes
affection and respect. Mr.. Ben was
not as rich as Mr. Buck but in pro-
portion to his means he gave to his
city and State its noblest benefactions.
Mr.. Buck gave something like $75, 000,-
600 to Duke University, but Mr.. Ben
gave continuously and with wise selec-
tons where his money should go to do
the most good. He studied the need for
each individual donation and made it
fruitful. The hand of the Duke family
is all over Durham"
X X X X
"The Dukes put Durham on the world
map" declares the Brooklyn Daily
Eagle, with the further comment on
their careers: Both of these sons dis
pensed vast amounts in gifts to charity
and education The family total of
such contributions is estimated at $780,
100000. To better social conditions in
cities and on the farms. to educate all
classes, to expand the use of white coal,
or water power. for the encouragement
of unaffiliated manufacturers, to render
aid to churches of different denomina-
lions and to create great university
were worthy ambitions Worthily real
lied. 1t is said that at one time Ben
jamin N. Dukes fortune was more than
$50 100000, but that 1t has been in great
measure scattered by his philan-
thropies."
I'm his DEATH" says the Norfolk
Ledger Dispatch, North Carolina and
the South at large have lost son who
turned back through his philanthropies
much OF the wealth that was originally
found in the tobacco fields of his native
State. Mr.. Duke followed and elab-
Grated on the ideas of life his father,
Washington Duke, utilized in building a
fortune that he passed on to his sons,
who in turn carried on, and in later
years endeared themselves to North
Carolina by substantial ALLEGATION of
funds and securities that have brought
Duke University into the forefront
of American educational institutions,
placed Gulford College on q sound