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{{Short description|American businessman and industrialist}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name = William Plankinton
|name = William Plankinton
|image = Wm Plankinton 1909.jpg
|image = Wm Plankinton 1909.jpg
|image_size = 225
|image_size = 200
|caption = Plankinton c. 1905
|caption = Plankinton c. 1905
|birth_name =
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1843|11|7}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1843|11|7}}
|birth_place = [[Allegheny, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|birth_place = [[Allegheny, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|1905|3|29|1843|11|7}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|1905|4|29|1843|11|7}}
|nationality = American
|occupation = Businessman and industrialist
|occupation = Businessman and industrialist
|spouse = Mary Ella Woods
|spouse = Mary Ella Woods
Line 15: Line 15:
|relatives = [[Elizabeth Plankinton]] (sister)
|relatives = [[Elizabeth Plankinton]] (sister)
}}
}}
[[File:1909 Postal Telegraph Cable Company stamp.jpg|thumb|upright 0.8|Postal Telegraph stamp 1909]]
[[File:John Plankinton and William Plankinton mansions in 1886.jpg|right|thumb|upright 1.3450|Line drawings of the mansions of John Plankinton (left) and William's (right), by James Smith Buck about 1886{{sfn|Buck|1886|p=178}}]]
⚫
'''William Plankinton''' (November 7, 1843 – April 29, 1905) was an American businessman, manufacturer, and industrialist. He followed in his father's footsteps in the meat packing and meat processing industry.


Plankinton was associated with the Milwaukee museum, public library, industrial exposition and Chamber of Commerce. As a businessman he was a banker. He was implicated in a scandal of fraud and embezzlement, for which he was sued.
⚫
'''William Plankinton''' (November 7, 1843 – March 29, 1905) was an American businessman, manufacturer, and industrialist. He followed in his father's footsteps in the meat packing and meat processing industry. As a businessman he was associated with the Milwaukee museum, public library, industrial exposition and Chamber of Commerce. He was also a banker.


== Early life ==
== Early life ==
Plankinton was born in [[Allegheny, Pennsylvania]], on November 7, 1843.{{sfn|Historical Society|1906|p=139}} He was the son of [[John Plankinton]] and Elizabeth Bracken Plankinton. While he was still a baby his parents moved to [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin Territory]]. He received his early education in the Milwaukee public schools. After graduating from high school he attended a college in Milwaukee.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}}
Plankinton was born in [[Allegheny, Pennsylvania]], on November 7, 1843.{{sfn|Historical Society|1906|p=139}} He was the son of [[John Plankinton]] and Elizabeth Bracken Plankinton. While he was still a baby his parents moved to [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin Territory]]. He received his early education in the Milwaukee public schools. After graduating from high school, he attended a college in Milwaukee.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}}


== Career ==
== Career ==
Plankinton was employed by his father after he graduated from the Milwaukee college. He soon became a partner in his father's pork and beef packing company. He helped to establish branches in Chicago, Kansas City and New York.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}} The firm became known in 1893 as the Plankinton Packing Company when the Cudahy brothers moved their operations south to a site just outside of Milwaukee.{{sfn|Apps|2015|p=210}} Plankinton's main competitors were the meat packing companies of Chicago.{{sfn|Bowman|1948|p=175}}
Plankinton was employed by his father after he graduated from the Milwaukee college. He soon became a partner in his father's pork and beef packing company. He helped to establish branches in Chicago, Kansas City and New York.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}} The firm became known in 1893 as the Plankinton Packing Company when the Cudahy brothers moved their operations south to a site just outside of Milwaukee.{{sfn|Apps|2015|p=210}} Plankinton's main competitors were the meat packing companies of Chicago.{{sfn|Bowman|1948|p=175}}


⚫
Plankinton helped found and organize several companies, including the Milwaukee-based [[Johnson Controls#History|Johnson Electric Company]].<ref name=WSJ4_11_1985>{{cite news |last=Martin|first=Chuck |title=Johnson Controls a model for future |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58154095/ |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |location=Madison, Wisconsin|date= April 11, 1985 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> He founded and was part owner of the Western Portland Cement company in [[Yankton, South Dakota]].{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}} Plankinton held several public offices and was a director of the Milwaukee museum, the city public library, and the Milwaukee industrial exposition.{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}} He was also associated with Layton art gallery and the local Chamber of Commerce.<ref name=WisSociety>{{cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=Ny:True,Ro:0,N:4294963828-4294963805&dsNavOnly=N:1220&dsRecordDetails=R:CS4410&dsDimensionSearch=D:%22William+Plankinton%22+,Dxm:All,Dxp:3&dsCompoundDimensionSearch=D:%22William+Plankinton%22+,Dxm:All,Dxp:3 |title=Brief biography of John Plankinton, a meat packer and businessman|website=Historical Essay of Plankinton, John (1820–1891) |date=22 January 2015 |publisher= Wisconsin Historical Society|access-date=January 29, 2017 }}</ref> Plankinton was one of the financial backers of the [[Postal Telegraph Company]] that involved telegraph lines in Wisconsin and Michigan.<ref name=TON12_17_1895>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Postal Telegraph Co. |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58152064/ |newspaper= The Oshkosh Northwestern |page=2|location=Oshkosh, Wisconsin|date= December 17, 1895 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>
Plankinton helped found and organize several companies, including the Milwaukee-based Plankinton electric company and the Johnson electric company. He founded and was part owner of the
⚫
Western Portland Cement company in [[Yankton, South Dakota]]. Plankinton held several public offices and was a director of the Milwaukee museum, the city public library, and the Milwaukee industrial exposition. He was also associated with Layton art gallery and the local Chamber of Commerce.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}}<ref name=WisSociety>{{cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=Ny:True,Ro:0,N:4294963828-4294963805&dsNavOnly=N:1220&dsRecordDetails=R:CS4410&dsDimensionSearch=D:%22William+Plankinton%22+,Dxm:All,Dxp:3&dsCompoundDimensionSearch=D:%22William+Plankinton%22+,Dxm:All,Dxp:3 |title=Brief biography of John Plankinton, a meat packer and businessman|last= |first= |date= |website=Historical Essay of Plankinton, John (1820–1891) |publisher= Wisconsin Historical Society|access-date=January 29, 2017 |quote=}}</ref>


Plankinton became vice-president of the Plankinton Bank in 1891 upon [[John Plankinton|his father]]'s death.<ref name=BankFailure>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=CLOSED ITS DOORS |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672098// |newspaper= Wichita Beacon|location=Wichita, Kansas|date= June 1, 1893 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> He was involved with settling the affairs when the bank failed in 1893.<ref name=succumbed>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Finally Succumbed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672168// |newspaper=Sedalia Weekly Bazoo |location=Sedali,Missouri |date= June 6, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=indicted>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Many Indicted |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672382// |newspaper=Logansport Reporter |location=Logansport, Indiana |date= July 13, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=BankUnder>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Bank Failure / The Plankinton Bank at Milwaukee Suspends |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672608// |newspaper=Parsons Daily Sun |location= Parsons, Kansas |date= June 2, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=BigBankFails>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= The Big Bank Closed / The Plankinton Institution Fails at Milwaukee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8673098// |newspaper= Scranton Republican |location= Scranton, Pennsylvania|date= June 2, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>
Plankinton became vice-president of the Plankinton Bank in 1891 upon [[John Plankinton|his father]]'s death.<ref name=BankFailure>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=CLOSED ITS DOORS |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672098// |newspaper= Wichita Beacon|location=Wichita, Kansas|date= June 1, 1893 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> He was involved with settling the affairs when the bank failed in 1893.<ref name=succumbed>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Finally Succumbed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672168// |newspaper=Sedalia Weekly Bazoo |location=Sedali,Missouri |date= June 6, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=indicted>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Many Indicted |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672382// |newspaper=Logansport Reporter |location=Logansport, Indiana |date= July 13, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=BankUnder>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Bank Failure / The Plankinton Bank at Milwaukee Suspends |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8672608// |newspaper=Parsons Daily Sun |location= Parsons, Kansas |date= June 2, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> The bank crisis involved a scandal of fraud and embezzlement in which Plankinton was implicated.<ref name=ChicagoChron8_15_1897>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= May yet have to pay |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58186207/ |newspaper= The ChicagoChronicle |location= Chicago, Illinois|date= August 15, 1897 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> He was sued to pay back all that was owed to the depositors and creditors.<ref name=MRMICR7_22_1893>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= A Judge at the bar |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58127165/ |newspaper= Montreal River Miner and Iron County Republican |location= Hurley, Wisconsin|date= July 22, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=PDD9_26_1894>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= To arrest F.T. Day |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58128570/ |newspaper= Portage Daily Democrat |location= Portage, Wisconsin|date= September 26, 1894 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=TON8_9_1899>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Plankinton sued |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58130713/ |newspaper= The Oshkosh Northwestern |location= Oshkosh, Wisconsin|date= August 9, 1899 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>

Loans made by the bank to Frank A. Lappen and his companies totaling almost $300,000 precipitated the crisis.<ref name=BigBankFails>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= The Big Bank Closed / The Plankinton Institution Fails at Milwaukee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8673098// |newspaper= Scranton Republican |location= Scranton, Pennsylvania|date= June 2, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=TAC6_10_1893>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= A Broken Bank|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58185845/|newspaper= The Appleton Crescent |location= Appleton, Wisconsin|date= June 10, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=GBPG7_13_1893>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Under Arrest / Officers and Directors of the Plankinton Bank indicted |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58187427/ |newspaper= Green Bay Press-Gazette |location= Green Bay, Wisconsin|date= July 13, 1893|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> Lappen was summoned to court to testify about his failure to pay back creditors $750,000, but disappeared to Mexico and could not be extradited.<ref name=ChicagoTrib7_13_1893>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= All Found Culpable / Plankinton bank officers and Lappen are indicted |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58186025/|newspaper= Chicago Tribune |location= Chicago, Illinois|date= July 13, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> [[Philip Danforth Armour]], the Chicago meat packer businessman of [[Armour and Company]], was reported to have given $600,000 in gold to help the Plankinton bank pay back those it owed money to.<ref name=TLT6_2_1893>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Its Doors are Closed / The Plankinton Bank of Milwaukee suspended|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58186549/ |newspaper= The Leavenworth Times |location= Leavenworth, Kansas|date= June 2, 1893 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>


== Personal ==
== Personal ==
On 26 April 1876, he married Mary Ella Woods, of [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], and they had two children.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}} He lived next door to his father in a [[William Plankinton Mansion|mansion]] on Grand Avenue in Milwaukee given to him by his father as a wedding gift.{{sfn|Buck|1890|pp=178–179}}<ref name=AthleticTicketOffice>{{cite web |url=http://digitalmarquette.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p128701coll6/id/1823/rec/2 |title=Exterior view of the main entrance to the William Plankinton Mansion while it served as Marquette University's Athletic Ticket Office, circa 1945 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2016 |website=Raynor Memorial Libraries|publisher=Marquette University |access-date=February 1, 2017 |quote=}}</ref>
On 26 April 1876, he married Mary Ella Woods, of [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], and they had two children.{{sfn|Watrous|1909|p=20}}{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}} He lived next door to his father in a [[William Plankinton Mansion|mansion]] on Grand Avenue in Milwaukee given to him by his father as a wedding gift.{{sfn|Buck|1890|pp=178–179}}


== Later life and death ==
== Later life and death ==
Plankinton died in Milwaukee on April 29, 1905.{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}}{{sfn|Chilton|1905|p=1608}} The cause of his death was [[pneumonia]], which he had suffered from for three months prior.<ref name=suffered>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The News in Brief |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8679233// |newspaper=Marengo Republican-News |location=Marengo, Illinois |date= May 5, 1905|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}}}}</ref><ref name=pneumonia>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Latest News in Brief |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8676961// |newspaper=The Tiller and Toiler |location= Learned, Kansas|date= May 5, 1905 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=DeathNotice>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Deaths of the Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8679051// |newspaper= Los Angeles Herald |location= Los Angeles, California|date=April 30, 1905 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> Plankinton left an estate valued at approximately $4 million to his only heir, William Woods Plankinton.{{sfn|West|1918|p=18}}<ref name=millions>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Plankinton Engaged to Milwaukee Girl |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8680150// |newspaper=The Racine Journal-Times|location= Racine, Wisconsin |date=April 29, 1936 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>
Plankinton died in Milwaukee on April 29, 1905.{{sfn|Wilson|Fiske|Dick|1915|p=997}}{{sfn|Chilton|1905|p=1608}} The cause of his death was [[pneumonia]], which he had suffered from for three months prior.<ref name=suffered>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The News in Brief |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8679233// |newspaper=Marengo Republican-News |location=Marengo, Illinois |date= May 5, 1905|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}}}}</ref><ref name=pneumonia>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Latest News in Brief |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8676961// |newspaper=The Tiller and Toiler |location= Learned, Kansas|date= May 5, 1905 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref><ref name=DeathNotice>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Deaths of the Day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8679051// |newspaper= Los Angeles Herald |location= Los Angeles, California|date=April 30, 1905 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> Plankinton left an estate valued at approximately $4 million to his heirs.{{sfn|West|1918|p=18}}<ref name=millions>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Plankinton Engaged to Milwaukee Girl |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8680150// |newspaper=The Racine Journal-Times|location= Racine, Wisconsin |date=April 29, 1936 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> His widowed wife received a third and his children split the remainder in equal shares that included the widow.<ref name=TLCT5_3_1905>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Wm. Plankinton has left no will |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58131442/ |newspaper=The La Crosse|location= La Crosse, Wisconsin |date=May 3, 190 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref> She died September 7, 1908.<ref name=WifeDeath>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Mrs Plankinton Dead |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8680505// |newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette |location=Green Bay, Wisconsin |date=September 8, 1908 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>
His wife died September 7, 1908.<ref name=WifeDeath>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Mrs Plankinton Dead |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8680505// |newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette |location=Green Bay, Wisconsin |date=September 8, 1908 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}} }}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 40: Line 43:


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Apps|first=Jerry|title=Wisconsin Agriculture: A History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M1hjCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT210|date=17 August 2015|publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society Press|isbn=978-0-87020-725-9}}
*{{cite book|last=Apps|first=Jerry|title=Wisconsin Agriculture: A History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M1hjCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT210|date=17 August 2015|publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society Press|isbn=978-0-87020-725-9}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Bowman|first=Francis Favill|title=Why Wisconsin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JeJCAAAAIAAJ|year=1948|publisher=F.F. Bowman}}
*{{cite book|last=Bowman|first=Francis Favill|title=Why Wisconsin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JeJCAAAAIAAJ|year=1948|publisher=F.F. Bowman}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Buck|first=James Smith |title=Pioneer History of Milwaukee|url=https://archive.org/stream/pioneerhistoryof04buck#page/178/mode/2up/search/William+Plankinton|year=1890}}
*{{cite book|title=Milwaukee Under the Charter: Volume 4 – From 1854 to 1860 Inclusive|last=Buck|first=James Smith|year=1886|publisher=Milwaukee News Co.|url=https://archive.org/details/pioneerhistoryof04buck}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Chilton|first=|title=The Iron Age|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GOYcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1608|year=1905|publisher=Chilton Company}}
*{{cite book|last=Buck|first=James Smith |title=Pioneer History of Milwaukee|url=https://archive.org/stream/pioneerhistoryof04buck#page/178/mode/2up/search/William+Plankinton|year=1890}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Historical Society|first=|title=Society at Its 34th Annual Meeting Proceedings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RaE-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA139|year=1906|publisher=State Historical Society of Wisconsin.}}
*{{cite book|last=Chilton|title=The Iron Age|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GOYcAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1608|year=1905|publisher=Chilton Company}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=Watrous|first=Jerome A.|title=Memoirs of Milwaukee County|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DRUrAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA20|year=1909|publisher=Western Historical Association}}
*{{cite book|last=Historical Society|title=Society at Its 34th Annual Meeting Proceedings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RaE-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA139|year=1906|publisher=State Historical Society of Wisconsin.}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last=West|first=|title=The Northwestern Reporter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wj45EBPsmwIC&pg=PA18|year=1918|publisher=West Publishing Company}}
*{{cite book|last=Watrous|first=Jerome A.|title=Memoirs of Milwaukee County|url=https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmilwauk01watr|page=[https://archive.org/details/memoirsofmilwauk01watr/page/20 20]|year=1909|publisher=Western Historical Association}}
*{{cite book|ref=harv|last1=Wilson|first1=James Grant |last2=Fiske|first2=John|last3=Dick|first3=Charles |title= Encyclopedia of American Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rYUZAQAAIAAJ&pg=PT996|year=1915|publisher=Press Association Compilers}}
*{{cite book|last=West|title=The Northwestern Reporter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wj45EBPsmwIC&pg=PA18|year=1918|publisher=West Publishing Company}}
*{{cite book|last1=Wilson|first1=James Grant |last2=Fiske|first2=John|last3=Dick|first3=Charles |title= Encyclopedia of American Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rYUZAQAAIAAJ&q=Plankinton&pg=PT996|year=1915|publisher=Press Association Compilers}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
Line 60: Line 64:
[[Category:American manufacturing businesspeople]]
[[Category:American manufacturing businesspeople]]
[[Category:American industrialists]]
[[Category:American industrialists]]
[[Category:19th-century American businesspeople]]

Latest revision as of 10:30, 22 July 2023

William Plankinton
Plankinton c. 1905
Born(1843-11-07)November 7, 1843
Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 29, 1905(1905-04-29) (aged 61)
Occupation(s)Businessman and industrialist
SpouseMary Ella Woods
Children2
Parent(s)John Plankinton
Elizabeth Bracken Plankinton
RelativesElizabeth Plankinton (sister)
Postal Telegraph stamp 1909
Line drawings of the mansions of John Plankinton (left) and William's (right), by James Smith Buck about 1886[1]

William Plankinton (November 7, 1843 – April 29, 1905) was an American businessman, manufacturer, and industrialist. He followed in his father's footsteps in the meat packing and meat processing industry.

Plankinton was associated with the Milwaukee museum, public library, industrial exposition and Chamber of Commerce. As a businessman he was a banker. He was implicated in a scandal of fraud and embezzlement, for which he was sued.

Early life

[edit]

Plankinton was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, on November 7, 1843.[2] He was the son of John Plankinton and Elizabeth Bracken Plankinton. While he was still a baby his parents moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory. He received his early education in the Milwaukee public schools. After graduating from high school, he attended a college in Milwaukee.[3][4]

Career

[edit]

Plankinton was employed by his father after he graduated from the Milwaukee college. He soon became a partner in his father's pork and beef packing company. He helped to establish branches in Chicago, Kansas City and New York.[3] The firm became known in 1893 as the Plankinton Packing Company when the Cudahy brothers moved their operations south to a site just outside of Milwaukee.[5] Plankinton's main competitors were the meat packing companies of Chicago.[6]

Plankinton helped found and organize several companies, including the Milwaukee-based Johnson Electric Company.[7] He founded and was part owner of the Western Portland Cement company in Yankton, South Dakota.[4] Plankinton held several public offices and was a director of the Milwaukee museum, the city public library, and the Milwaukee industrial exposition.[4] He was also associated with Layton art gallery and the local Chamber of Commerce.[8] Plankinton was one of the financial backers of the Postal Telegraph Company that involved telegraph lines in Wisconsin and Michigan.[9]

Plankinton became vice-president of the Plankinton Bank in 1891 upon his father's death.[10] He was involved with settling the affairs when the bank failed in 1893.[11][12][13] The bank crisis involved a scandal of fraud and embezzlement in which Plankinton was implicated.[14] He was sued to pay back all that was owed to the depositors and creditors.[15][16][17]

Loans made by the bank to Frank A. Lappen and his companies totaling almost $300,000 precipitated the crisis.[18][19][20] Lappen was summoned to court to testify about his failure to pay back creditors $750,000, but disappeared to Mexico and could not be extradited.[21] Philip Danforth Armour, the Chicago meat packer businessman of Armour and Company, was reported to have given $600,000 in gold to help the Plankinton bank pay back those it owed money to.[22]

Personal

[edit]

On 26 April 1876, he married Mary Ella Woods, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and they had two children.[3][4] He lived next door to his father in a mansion on Grand Avenue in Milwaukee given to him by his father as a wedding gift.[23]

Later life and death

[edit]

Plankinton died in Milwaukee on April 29, 1905.[4][24] The cause of his death was pneumonia, which he had suffered from for three months prior.[25][26][27] Plankinton left an estate valued at approximately $4 million to his heirs.[28][29] His widowed wife received a third and his children split the remainder in equal shares that included the widow.[30] She died September 7, 1908.[31]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Buck 1886, p. 178.
  2. ^ Historical Society 1906, p. 139.
  3. ^ a b c Watrous 1909, p. 20.
  4. ^ a b c d e Wilson, Fiske & Dick 1915, p. 997.
  5. ^ Apps 2015, p. 210.
  6. ^ Bowman 1948, p. 175.
  7. ^ Martin, Chuck (April 11, 1985). "Johnson Controls a model for future". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ "Brief biography of John Plankinton, a meat packer and businessman". Historical Essay of Plankinton, John (1820–1891). Wisconsin Historical Society. 22 January 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "Postal Telegraph Co". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. December 17, 1895. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  10. ^ "CLOSED ITS DOORS". Wichita Beacon. Wichita, Kansas. June 1, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  11. ^ "Finally Succumbed". Sedalia Weekly Bazoo. Sedali,Missouri. June 6, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  12. ^ "Many Indicted". Logansport Reporter. Logansport, Indiana. July 13, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  13. ^ "Bank Failure / The Plankinton Bank at Milwaukee Suspends". Parsons Daily Sun. Parsons, Kansas. June 2, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  14. ^ "May yet have to pay". The ChicagoChronicle. Chicago, Illinois. August 15, 1897 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  15. ^ "A Judge at the bar". Montreal River Miner and Iron County Republican. Hurley, Wisconsin. July 22, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  16. ^ "To arrest F.T. Day". Portage Daily Democrat. Portage, Wisconsin. September 26, 1894 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  17. ^ "Plankinton sued". The Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. August 9, 1899 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  18. ^ "The Big Bank Closed / The Plankinton Institution Fails at Milwaukee". Scranton Republican. Scranton, Pennsylvania. June 2, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  19. ^ "A Broken Bank". The Appleton Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. June 10, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  20. ^ "Under Arrest / Officers and Directors of the Plankinton Bank indicted". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. July 13, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  21. ^ "All Found Culpable / Plankinton bank officers and Lappen are indicted". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. July 13, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  22. ^ "Its Doors are Closed / The Plankinton Bank of Milwaukee suspended". The Leavenworth Times. Leavenworth, Kansas. June 2, 1893 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  23. ^ Buck 1890, pp. 178–179.
  24. ^ Chilton 1905, p. 1608.
  25. ^ "The News in Brief". Marengo Republican-News. Marengo, Illinois. May 5, 1905 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  26. ^ "Latest News in Brief". The Tiller and Toiler. Learned, Kansas. May 5, 1905 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  27. ^ "Deaths of the Day". Los Angeles Herald. Los Angeles, California. April 30, 1905 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  28. ^ West 1918, p. 18.
  29. ^ "Plankinton Engaged to Milwaukee Girl". The Racine Journal-Times. Racine, Wisconsin. April 29, 1936 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  30. ^ "Wm. Plankinton has left no will". The La Crosse. La Crosse, Wisconsin. May 3, 190 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  31. ^ "Mrs Plankinton Dead". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. September 8, 1908 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.

Sources

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