The Fast-Paced World of Squash: A Racquet Sport with Rich Origins and Harkness Connections Squash is a dynamic and fast-paced racquet sport with a fascinating history that stretches back to the early 19th century. Its origins lie at Harrow School in the United Kingdom, where students created a new twist on the traditional game of rackets. As a former member of the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to play Court(Royal) Tennis, Squash and Rackets. One of my fe

Bide-a-While, Bar Harbor, ME A Standard Oil Fortune Summers in Maine As principals in the formidable Standard Oil trust, the Harkness family occupied a rarified position within America’s Gilded Age aristocracy. For this new class of industrial magnates, wealth was not merely accumulated; it was performed on a national stage. Elite summer resorts like Bar Harbor, Maine, served as crucial venues for this performance—places where families of immense fortune could solidify their

Junius Morgan "Salutation" estate on West Island (Dosoris) The Harkness family has some understated connections to the famous Gold Coast...

Rebekah Semple West married William (Bill) Hale Harkness in 1948. Bill was 46 and his new wife Rebekah was 31 years old. Rebekah had two...

Did the Gilded Age witness the presence of Robber Barons? Certainly, much like the current era. The term "robber baron" emerged in the...

Ned Harkness, similar to myself, enjoyed golf and fishing, although I no longer actively fish. For many Scotsmen, finding solace near...

David Sinton Ingalls. The US Navy's only flying ace of World War I, with six credited victories - the first ace in U. S. Navy history. The book "Millionaires' Unit" recounts the story of a group of young, privileged men who risked everything to fight in World War I. Driven by a sense of duty and schooled in heroism, they were determined to be the first to join the conflict, even before America's official involvement. At the heart of their journey was the Yale flying club, wit

Harkness House, Temple Beth El can be glimpsed to the left - from the collection of the New York Public Library Photos and all details...

The Flagler and the Harkness fortunes combined were very significant. After all, they represented approximately 32% of the whole of...

One of my favorite places on this earth is Scotland - more specifically, St. Andrews, Scotland. Ned Harkness held on to his Scottish...

Florence Harkness Severance, the only daughter of Stephen V. Harkness and his second wife, Anna M. Richardson Harkness. Harkness made his...

Bellevue's historic First Congregational Church aka "Harkness Memorial Presbyterian" is located on Southwest Street next to the Mad...

All the names and relationships in the Flagler and Harkness families can certainly get very confusing. This is a reference you can use to...

Florence Harkness was the daughter of Stephen V. and Anna Harkness. She was a compassionate and independent woman dedicated to charitable...

The last time Henry Flagler visited Bellevue was in October 1903 with Will L. Harkness. It had been quite a while since Henry had come...

Myrtle was born in Kansas in 1877, the daughter of Lamon V. Harkness. She developed a passion for horses living and working at Walnut...

Harry Stephen Harkness was born in Kansas on July 17, 1880, to Standard Oil heir Lamon V. Harkness. In 1918, Harry also commissioned the...

Charles W. Harkness Charles William Harkness (December 17, 1860 – May 1, 1916) was the son of Stephen V. Harkness. Charles was born in Monroeville, Ohio . His parents were Stephen V. Harkness (1818–1888) and the former Anna Marie Richardson (1837–1926), his father's second wife. He was the brother of Edward Harkness, a noted philanthropist, and half-brother of Lamon V. Harkness. He was a cousin of William L. Harkness. His early education was in Cleveland at The Brooks Milita

Stephen Vanderburgh Harkness (1818-1888) was an Ohio-based American businessman. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Standard Oil, serving as a "Venture Capitalist" alongside John D. Rockefeller, Sr. Harkness continued to contribute to Standard Oil's success as a director until he passed away. His involvement in the company was originally facilitated by his stepbrother, Henry M. Flagler. Early life Stephen was born on November 18, 1818, in Fayette, New York, to

There have been a few times in this Harkness/Flagler journey that have surprised me. This is a great example of that: For a number of years, my wife and I have made a summer trip up to Newport, RI to escape the summer heat in South Carolina. Often, we have stayed at the Ivy Lodge, a beautiful Gilded Age "cottage". (If you love Gilded Age history, I highly recommend visiting Newport and staying at the Ivy Lodge ) Ivy Lodge, Newport, RI More Ivy Lodge Images here: https://ivylo