Henry Probasco

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Henry Probasco

Henry Probasco (born July 4, 1820 in Newtown (Connecticut) , † October 25, 1902 ) was an American businessman and art collector.

Life

Henry Probasco was a son of Peter Probasco and his wife Anna, geb. Lott. Another son, Richard Probasco, was born in 1824. Henry Probasco spent the first years of his life and school in Philadelphia . In about 1830 the family moved to Warren County , Ohio and in 1834 to Cincinnati . Peter Probasco worked there at E. F. Seybold and Company , which manufactured and sold iron goods. In 1835, Henry Probasco joined Tyler Davidson's hardware store. In 1840 he married his first wife, Julia Carrington, a daughter of Abijah Carrington and half-sister of his employer Davidson. This first marriage was childless.

With his marriage, Probasco became a business partner of his previous superior. Within the next six years, Tyler Davidson & Company experienced a rapid boom and developed into the largest hardware store in Cincinnati. In 1851, Probasco had a sandstone shop built - which was a novelty - that far surpassed anything previously existing in Cincinnati and was a great success: three years later, income had quadrupled.

Tyler Davidson died in 1865 and a few months later Probasco sold the business to Lowry, Perin & Company's longtime partner, Lowry, before embarking on an extensive tour of Europe. He did not return to the United States until late 1867.

In early 1886, Henry Probasco's first wife died. In 1887 he married Grace Sherlock, the eldest daughter of Thomas Sherlock, Esq., Who gave him their daughter Grace in 1888 and their son Henry Probasco Jr. in 1890. gave birth. The son died in childhood in 1901, the daughter later married the banker John Jay Rowe. The year of his second marriage brought Probasco financial losses that forced him to live more modestly and to accept a post as inspector of Spring Grove Cemetery, where he was also buried.

Cultural interests and honorary positions

Henry Probasco had a variety of interests. A member of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History, founded in 1870, as well as the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and Horticultural Society, he imported plants from around the world. He also put together an interesting library and manuscript collection and built one of the best art collections in the country. He was also involved in the public library, St. Luke's Hospital, the cemetery where he was later to be buried, and the Cincinnatis orphanage. At times he was the mayor of Clifton.

Henry Probasco's book collection is now cared for by the Newberry Library in Chicago . Probasco lost the art collection again during his lifetime, presumably out of financial distress: On January 6, 1887, the New York Times reported on the sale of the Probascos painting collection by the American Art Association. The value of the collection, which consisted mostly of paintings by foreign artists, was put at between $ 100,000 and $ 200,000. The author of the article expressed his general disappointment that Probasco did not bequeath the paintings to the Cincinnati Art Museum , as he had apparently originally intended . Probasco's financial situation was only discussed insofar as his imminent second marriage to his daughter "of one of his wealthy Clifton neighbors" was mentioned.

The cottage

During an eight-month stay in Europe in 1856, Henry Probasco got to know the country houses of successful businessmen on this continent and decided to buy such a property as well. Between 1860 and 1865 his country estate "Oakwood", which was built by William Tinsley and furnished by Gustave Herter , was laid out in West Cliff Lane in Clifton, Ohio . The property was 20 acres and the whole operation cost Probasco about $ 500,000. Probasco chose a combination of limestone and sandstone for his house, which was a novelty in house building at the time, but then found many imitators.

Fountain

The Tyler Davidson Fountain

From his trip to Europe in 1866/67, Probasco brought home plans to donate a fountain to the public in Cincinnati. He had already discussed the idea with his brother-in-law during his lifetime. It had taken shape in the royal bronze factory in Munich and Probasco had dealt with Kaulbach and August von Kreling to plan a fountain that was as beautiful as it was practical. The execution was then the responsibility of Ferdinand von Miller's foundry . On October 6, 1871, the fountain, dedicated to the late Tyler Davidson and costing over $ 100,000, was inaugurated. The actual costs exceeded those originally assumed many times over. The City of Cincinnati contributed financially by redesigning what was then called Probasco Square, where the fountain was placed, for around $ 50,000. To this day, the Tyler Davidson Fountain , also known as Probasco Fountain , is one of the landmarks of Cincinnati, as is Probasco's former home, "Oakwood".

Henry Probasco donated another, more modestly designed fountain made of granite and bronze to the city of Clifton.

Roads and ship

The "Henry Probasco"

In Cincinnati, Probasco Court and Probasco Street are named after Henry Probasco. In addition, the Henry Probasco was named after Henry Probasco, a paddle steamer that sailed the Cincinnati St. Louis - Memphis (Mississippi) route . The Probasco sank in November 1873 after it ran aground in poor visibility on a sharp rock that was part of the so-called Grand Chain. The passengers could be saved, but the sinking of the ship resulted in an insurance dispute.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. nytimes.com (PDF)
  2. nytimes.com (PDF)