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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Lounge > Non-Civil War Books, Movies, Music, etc. > John D. Rockerfeller and Henry Flagler |
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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Lounge > Non-Civil War Books, Movies, Music, etc. > John D. Rockerfeller and Henry Flagler |
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| John D. Rockerfeller and Henry Flagler | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13th, 2010 06:56 am |
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1st Post |
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susansweet3 Member 
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I am reading a book called Last Train to Paradise which is about Henry Flagler and his railroad down in the Florida Keys. It starts with a Hurricane in 1935 that killed 600 men including many WW1 vets who were working on the railroad on one of the keys. Goes to prove you can connect anything to the Civil War in less that six degrees of speratation I was reading about Flagler and came on this paragraph "The onset of the Civil War proved a boon to Flagler who though he opposed slavery saw no reason to go to war over such matters." . . . "Flagler stayed home to tend to business , encouraged in his decision by Rockerfeller and others in their circle who felt that the war was a distanct and wastefull distraction ." Sorry to have distracted you Mr. Rockerfeller . Seems he and Flagler made quite a bit of money on the war though.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13th, 2010 07:49 am |
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2nd Post |
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Texas Defender Member 
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susan- Regarding Henry Flagler, while he became a very rich man, he did not gain this wealth as a result of the Civil War. During that time, he operated a salt mining company, but when the demand for salt dropped when the war ended, his company was bankrupted. But perhaps in that capacity he contributed more to the society than he could have by joining the military. Flagler met John D. Rockefeller as a result of being in the grain business, which Rockefeller was in before going into oil. Flagler helped Rockefeller with financing as a result of his ability to borrow money from rich relatives. Flagler ended up in Florida because of the illness of his first wife. He built a famous hotel in St. Augustine. He expanded his holdings in the hotel business and prospered. He got into the railroad business as a means to transport people and freight to support his hotel ventures. Eventually, this was extended south and promoted foreign trade. I think that Flagler has to be given a lot of credit for promoting the development of commerce in large areas of Florida, as well as building infrastructure. No doubt this created opportunities for other Floridians. Flagler Museum - Henry Flagler Biography
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13th, 2010 07:55 am |
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3rd Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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I don't disagree with what you are saying about Flagler TD. Just that quote in the book got to me . All the other points mentioned are in the book Last Train to Paradise. There would be no Disneyworld with out Flagler leading the way to developing Florida. It was the Rockerfeller quote that really got me that "the war was distant and wasteful distraction" No big deal to them men were dying in the war. Just let's make money on it but not join in and fight.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14th, 2010 03:19 pm |
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4th Post |
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Old North State Member
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Thanks for an interesting history lesson from Susan and Texas Defender. Sometimes one thinks of Florida as having no history before Disneyworld, etc. etc. Rockefeller managed very well to remain outside of the hottest political problems of the time and many others were like him. When the soldiers returned from the CW, they often found that those who stayed at home, minding their own businesses, had become financially well-off during the war. The soldiers were at a real disadvantage and had to work doubly hard to catch-up. On the other hand, the pensions which the Federals (and some Confederates) were able to get in their old age may have been partial payment for their services. There were several major recessions in the decades after the War and many of those who had stayed home during the war had lost much of their wealth in those subsequent decades. They had no pensions for support in their old age. Of course, those like Rockefeller had enough to make it through all economic downturns and still come out with great wealth.
____________________ "While we live we will cherish, protect and defend her." |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14th, 2010 11:36 pm |
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5th Post |
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susansweet3 Member
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Old North , you are welcome. I have in the recent past been given a tour of Florida by a friend . A Civil War tour. St. Augustine has Civil War history as does the battlefields of Olustee and Natural Bridge. Small Battlefields but still another Battlefield . It was here the Color Troops showed that they could fight. I bought a really nice book on Florida in the Civil War at St. Augustine . We used it to find some of the places to visit. Now the discussion is next year going to the Dry Tortugas to see where Mudd was held prisoner after he was convicted of aiding John Wilkes Booth . I am really excited about this . Susan
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