John J. Raskob photographs

Transcription

1 248 Finding aid prepared by Laurie Sather, Last updated on July 28, Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department

2 Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...4 Scope and Contents... 4 Administrative Information... 5 Controlled Access Headings...6 Collection Inventory... 7 Durant building construction photographs... 7 Archmere renovations images... 8 Portraits and snapshots... 9 Audio Page 2 -

3 Summary Information Repository Hagley Museum and Library: Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department Creator Raskob, John J. (John Jakob), Title John J. Raskob photographs Call number 248 Date circa , bulk Extent 2 linear feet General Physical Description 34 photographic prints : 11 x 14 in. or smaller. 1 photographic print : b&w ; 8 x 17 in. 566 photographic prints : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. 1 negative : b&w ; 4 x 5 in. 17 glass negatives : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. 1 painting : watercolor ; 48 x 66 cm. 1 item. 3 phonograph records. 1 sound cassette : analog. Language English Abstract John Raskob ( ) was a financial executive for the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. and General Motors, and builder of the Empire State Building. The collection primarily consists of construction progress photographs of the Durant Building in Detroit, Michighan in 1919 and There is a small set of images of a renovation at Raskob's Archmere estate in 1916, and a few portraits and snapshots of Raskob. - Page 3 -

4 Biography/History John Raskob ( ) was a financial executive for the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. and General Motors, and financier of the Empire State Building. Raskob was born in Lockport, New York, on March 19, 1879 to Anna Frances (Moran) Raskob (dates unknown) and John Raskob ( ). He was educated in the area's public schools. After holding a number of positions as a stenographer and secretary, he went to work for The Johnson Company of Lorain, Ohio, in August The Johnson Company had been recently purchased by Pierre S. du Pont ( ). Two years later he became Pierre S. du Pont's private secretary, and when du Pont became treasurer of the DuPont Company on March 4, 1904, Raskob became his special assistant. In August 1911, Raskob became the assistant treasurer of the DuPont Company. During the 1910s Raskob played an increasingly active role in the DuPont Company's major subsidiaries. In 1913, he became director of DuPont Fabrikoid Company. The next year he was named treasurer of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Company. In 1915, he became secretary and treasurer of the Christiana Securities Company. Later that year he became a director, treasurer, and member of the Finance and Executive Committee of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. When Pierre du Pont began to acquire control over the General Motors Corporation, Raskob also became a director of G.M. Raskob was a director of the General Motors Acceptance Corp. from 1919 to 1929 and vice president for finance of the DuPont Company from 1918 to During the 1920s Raskob became active in Democratic Party politics and from 1928 to 1932 served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He was an important financial backer of Governor Alfred E. Smith ( ) when he ran for president in After the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt ( ) in 1932 Raskob became a prominent opponent of the New Deal and two years later was a founding member of the American Liberty League. In 1930 he became vice president of Empire State, Inc., which operated the Empire State Building. During the post-war years he was active in Catholic charities. In 1945 he formed the Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities in Delaware. John J. Raskob died on October 15, Scope and Contents The collection primarily consists of construction progress photographs of the Durant Building in Detroit, Michigan in 1919 and There is a small set of images of a renovation at Raskob's Archmere estate in 1916, and a few portraits and snapshots of Raskob. - Page 4 -

5 The collection has been arranged into four series: Durant Building construction photographs; Archmere renovations images; Portraits and snapshots; and Audio. The Durant Building construction photographs series is a group of over 500 photographs by the Manning Bros, commercial photographers, which documents the construction of the Durant Building (later the General Motors Building) in Detroit, Michigan, from 1919 to The building, designed by Albert Kahn ( ) and completed in 1923, was the largest office building in the world when built. Originally named for William C. Durant ( ), the structure was renamed the General Motors Building following Durant's ouster in Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, the building became the property of the State of Michigan and was renamed Cadillac Place in The Archmere renovations series is a set of glass plate negatives and prints which document building improvements at Archmere, Raskob's home in Claymont, Delaware, on the Delaware River, in This group also includes several interior and exterior views of Woodsedge, the estate that occupied the site before Archmere was built. The Portraits and snapshots series consists of portraits and other photographs of John J. Raskob. These include several photographs of Raskob with Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York whose Presidential campaign he heavily supported and views of Raskob voting in the 1928 Presidential election. There are also unidentified family photographs; a group portrait of Catholic clergy members at Archmere; and a watercolor sketch of the Raskob tomb (1926) by the Harrison Granite Company. In addition, there are three photographs of a General Airplanes Corporation Aristocrat monoplane owned by Aero Supply Manufacturing Company in which Raskob held a financial interest. The images show the monoplane outfitted as a flying salesman's sample case: displays of the company's aircraft hardware were attached to fuselage panels. A press release dated October 14, 1929 is included. The Audio series contains one cassette tape consisting of three advertisements and three phonograph records of brief news stories. Administrative Information Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department Finding aid prepared by Laurie Sather, Access Restrictions Access restricted; please contact staff in advance of research visit at askhagley@hagley.org for instructions on how to apply for access. - Page 5 -

6 Controlled Access Headings Subject(s) Durant Building (Detroit, Mich.) Office buildings. - Page 6 -

7 I.. Durant building construction photographs Collection Inventory I.. Durant building construction photographs. Folder Basement foundation, 1919 October Birdseye views, 1919 June Building site, 1919 June Corner of Boulevard and Second Avenues, looking east, no. 5 and 6, 1919 June-1920 April Corner of Boulevard and Second Avenues, looking southeast, no. 5, 1920 April-1920 November Corner of Cass and Boulevard Avenues, looking west, no. 4, 1919 June-1920 October Corner of Cass and Milwaukee Avenues, looking north, no Center of Second Avenue block, looking south, no. 6, 1919 June-1919 December Center of Second Avenue block, looking south, no. 6, 1920 January-1920 October Center of Second and Milwaukee Avenues, looking east, no. 1, 1919 June-1920 November Elevation views and in transit, 1919 July Page 7 -

8 II.. Archmere renovations images Floor arch construction, 1920 June-1920 July Interior construction, 1920 March-1920 August Milwaukee Avenue near Cass Avenue, looking north, no. 2 and 3, 1919 August-1920 November Power house, 1919 December-1920 November Yard, Denton, 1919 September-1919 December Yard, Hastings, 1919 September-1919 December Yard, Woodward, 1919 September-1919 December II.. Archmere renovations images. Folder Construction progress photographs, 1916 August-1917 February Letter from The Royal Studio to John Raskob, 1916 May Exteriors, interiors, and the environs of Archmere and Woodsedge, Exteriors, interiors, and the environs of Archmere and Woodsedge, Page 8 -

9 III.. Portraits and snapshots III.. Portraits and snapshots. Folder Aero Supply, Scope and Contents note Exteriors of a monoplane. Fold Catholic clergy members at Archmere group portrait, A-53 Folder John Raskob with Governor Afred E. Smith, 1928, 1931, undated John Raskob portraits, undated Fold Raskob mausoleum architectural drawing, undated.. A-53 Scope and Content By Harrison Granite Co. Folder Publicity photographs, 1933, undated Scope and Contents note Mostly individual portraits of Raskob. One print drawing of Raskob above the DuPont Building in Wilmington, Delaware. Raskob at the pool and on the beach, undated Page 9 -

10 IV.. Audio Unidentified portraits, undated Scope and Contents note One individual women, a man and woman, and large group portrait. Waiting in line to vote and at the voting box, Wilmington residence (possibly), undated IV.. Audio. Advertisements, undated.. 6 Scope and Contents note Includes: Armstrong Cork Company, Herbert Brownell Jr. campaign, and 1932 Chevrolet. News recordings, circa Scope and Contents note Includes: Herbert Brownell Jr. Republican Candidate for State Assembly, the Armstrong Quaker Girl Wants to Talk to You, and Advance Information The Great American Value for Page 10 -