Fritz Henkel (1848 - 1930)

Founder of the Henkel detergent factories (Persil).

Kenneth Albert Hendricks (1941 - 2007)

Entrepreneur. Founder and CEO of ABC Supply, the largest wholesale distributor of roofing and siding supplies in the United States. With a net worth of $3.5 billion he was one of America’s richest people,  ranking 91st in Forbes Magazine’s list for 2007. In his youth he dropped out of school and learned the roofing business […]

Morris Helzberg (1867 - 1922)

Business Magnate. He founded the Kansas City-based Helzberg Diamonds in 1915.  Today there are approximately 265 Helzberg franchises in 37 states. (bio by: Tom Denardo)  Family links:  Spouse:  Lena C Cohen Helzberg (1873 – 1950)*  Children:  Henry Morton Helzberg (1892 – 1952)*  Elsa Helzberg Goldblatt (1895 – 1952)*  Barnett C. Helzberg (1902 – 1976)* *Calculated […]

Leona Mindy Rosenthal Helmsley (1920 - 2007)

Entrepreneur. New York City hotel operator and real estate investor. She was convicted of federal income tax evasion and other crimes in 1989 and served 18 months in prison, after receiving an initial sentence of 16 years. She was born as Leona Mindy Rosenthal in Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, and raised in Brooklyn. Before […]

Harry B. Helmsley (1909 - 1997)

Real estate billionaire. At the time of his death he owned New York’s Empire State Building. He was married to Leona Helmsley.  Family links:  Parents:  Henry Helmsley (1877 – 1948)  Wilhelmina Brakmann Helmsley (1879 – 1943)  Spouses:  Leona Mindy Rosenthal Helmsley (1920 – 2007)*  Eve Ella Green Helmsley (1904 – 1994)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: […]

James Held (1970 - 1970)

Western Pioneer. Along with Nicklaus Schnieder, he was one of the two founders of Dutchtown, Missouri and the founders of the German Evangelical Church which is now a national landmark in Dutchtown. They settled the town in 1835 and founded the church the next year. At one time Dutchtown was a thriving little community, but […]

Michael Heisley, Sr (1937 - 2014)

American Businessman, Sports Team Owner. He was the majority proprietor of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2000 to 2012. He relocated the franchise from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Memphis in 2001. he attained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University and following graduation, he worked as a computer salesman. He amassed his wealth of […]

Henry John Heinz (1844 - 1919)

Business Magnate. The son of German immigrants, he was the founder of the H.J. Heinz Company that grew into one of the largest food processers in the United States. As a youth, his father ran a brickyard and part of that property was used by his mother as a garden. By the age of 14 […]

Gerhard Heintzman (1845 - 1926)

Piano manufacturer.  Family links:  Spouse:  Katherine Killer Heintzman (1857 – 1932)* *Calculated relationship

Gottlieb Heileman (1824 - 1878)

Brewer. He founded the brewery that became the huge G. Heileman Brewing Co. Born in Kirchheim, Wurttemberg (Germany), he emigrated to the USA in 1852, working first in Philadelphia and then went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1853 where he helped Gottlieb Maier found a bakery. In 1857 he moved to La Crosse and was employed […]

William Randolph Hearst Sr (1863 - 1951)

William Randolph Hearst Sr American journalist, patron of the arts and media magnate, best known as the founder of the Hearst Corporation and builder of Hearst Castle, at San Simeon, California.  William Randolph Hearst was born on April 29, 1863 in San Francisco, California, the only child of George and Phoebe Hearst.  His father’s vast […]

Randolph Apperson Hearst (1915 - 2000)

He was chairman of the Hearst Corporation from 1973 to 1996. He was the last surviving son of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst and the father of Patty Hearst. (bio by: Cynthia Price)  Family links:  Parents:  William Randolph Hearst (1863 – 1951)  Millicent Veronica Willson Hearst (1882 – 1974)  Spouse:  Catherine Wood Campbell Hearst (1917 […]

George Hearst (1820 - 1891)

Mining Tycoon, US Senator. Father of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.  Family links:  Parents:  William George Hearst (1776 – 1844)  Spouse:  Phoebe Elizabeth Apperson Hearst (1842 – 1919)  Children:  William Randolph Hearst (1863 – 1951)* *Calculated relationship

Charles Melville Hays (1856 - 1912)

Disaster Victim. Died in the sinking of the “RMS Titanic” on April 14-15, 1912. He was President of Canada’s Grand Trunk Railway.  Family links:  Spouse:  Clara Jennings Gregg Hays (1859 – 1955)*  Children:  Orian Hays Hickson (1884 – 1979)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: Titanic sinking Inscription:The inscription on the back of the monument at the […]

Samuel Hawken (1792 - 1884)

Gunsmith. Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, he moved west to establish a gunsmithy in Xenia, Ohio. Sometime after 1821, Hawken’s wife died and he relocated to St. Louis where his elder brother, Jacob, and his partner also worked as gunsmiths. Hawken set up his own independent shop and would not form a partnership with his brother […]

Henry Osborne Havemeyer (1847 - 1907)

Businessman. A wealthy sugar magnate, his art collection was the largest single donation to the Metropolitan museum of art in New York City.  Family links:  Spouse:  Louisine Waldron Elder Havemeyer (1855 – 1929)*  Children:  Adaline Havemeyer Frelinghuysen (1884 – 1963)*  Electra Havemeyer Webb (1888 – 1960)* *Calculated relationship

Peter Hauptmann (1970 - 1904)

Well-known St. Louis tobacconist & founder of the Peter Hauptmann & Company. After coming to the United States from his native Germany, Mr. Hauptmann worked for various wholesale firms. He then started the firm of Peter Hauptmann & Co. He purchased the steamer City of Alma, & acting in the capacity of her captain, traded […]

Kintaro Hattori (1860 - 1934)

Businessman and clockmaker. In 1881, he established K. Hattori & Co., Ltd., the predecessor of what became the Seiko Corporation. (bio by: Warrick L. Barrett)

William Hope “Coin” Harvey (1861 - 1936)

Businessman. Known as “Coin” Harvey, he was an influential businessman of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He built a resort in northwestern Arkansas near the town of Rogers and called it Monte Ne. He funded a railroad spur from Rogers to the resort, and in later years, as automobile use grew and railroad […]

George Huntington Hartford (1833 - 1917)

Businessman, Retail Grocery Magnate. He was the owner of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (commonly known as A&P) from 1878 until his death. Born on a farm in Augusta, Maine, his parents operated a boarding house and livery stable. With little formal education, he relocated to Boston, Massachusetts and worked as a clerk […]

Edward Henry Harriman (1848 - 1909)

Railroad Tycoon. After working in a brokerage house from the age of 14, he bought his own seat on the new York Stock Exchange in his early twenties. He married, Mary Averell, the daughter of the president of the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad and began to build his railroad empire. He passed his shares […]

William Fisk Harrah (1911 - 1978)

Founder of Harrah’s Casino Hotels. Having been fascinated with cars in his childhood and teens, he studied mechanical engineering at UCLA until the stock-market crash of 1929. He then worked at his family’s business, where a Bingo-like game was played. At age 20 he bought the business. It prospered under his leadership, but he eventually […]

Joseph Wesley Harper (1801 - 1870)

Publisher. Along with his brothers James, Fletcher and John, he founded Harper and Brothers Publishing, which is today Harper Collins, the 5th largest publisher in the world.  Family links:  Children:  Elizabeth Harper Landon (1829 – 1888)* *Calculated relationship

John Harper (1797 - 1875)

Publisher. Along with his brothers James, Fletcher and Joseph, he founded Harper and Brothers Publishing, which is today Harper Collins, the 5th largest publisher in the world.  Family links:  Children:  John Wesley Harper (1831 – 1915)* *Calculated relationship

James Harper (1795 - 1869)

New York City Mayor, Businessman. Along with his brothers Joseph, Fletcher and John, he founded Harper and Brothers Publishing, which is today Harper Collins, the 5th largest publisher in the world. He served a single term as Mayor of New York City from 1844 to 1845.  Family links:  Children:  Philip Jacob Arcularius Harper (1824 – […]

Fletcher Harper (1806 - 1877)

Publisher. Along with his brothers James, Joseph and John, he founded Harper and Brothers Publishing, which is today Harper Collins, the 5th largest publisher in the world.  Family links:  Spouse:  Jane Freelove Harper (____ – 1895)  Children:  Joseph Wesley Harper (1827 – 1886)* *Calculated relationship

William Sylvester Harley (1880 - 1943)

Businessman. One of the four original founders of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Served as Chief Engineer and Treasurer. (bio by: Rick)  Family links:  Parents:  William Harley (1835 – 1916)  Mary Harley (1842 – 1915)  Spouse:  Anna Caroline Jachthuber Harley (1882 – 1954)*  Children:  William J. Harley (1912 – 1971)*  John Edward Harley (1915 – 1976)* […]

Frank Hardart, Sr (1850 - 1918)

Businessman. In 1858, his family emigrated from Bavaria to New Orleans, where, at 13, he learned the French-drip method of brewing coffee while working at a lunch counter. In 1886, Hardart answered an advertisement for a restaurant partner placed by Philadelphian  Joseph V. Horn and became his partner. Hardart’s introduction of French-drip coffee is generally […]

Nathan Handwerker (1892 - 1974)

Entrepreneur. Founder of fast food chain Nathan’s Famous which started in Coney Island, New York. (bio by: BKGenie)  Family links:  Spouse:  Ida Greenwald Handwerker (1897 – 1976)  Children:  Leah Handwerker Sternshein (1920 – 1998)*  Murray Handwerker (1921 – 2011)* *Calculated relationship

Ruth Mosko Handler (1916 - 2002)

Businesswoman, Inventor. She is remembered for her role in creating and marketing the Barbie doll. Born Ruth Marianna Mosko in Denver, Colorado, the youngest of 10 children, her Jewish parents immigrated to the US from Poland prior to 1910. After marrying her high school boyfriend, Elliot Handler, they moved to Los Angeles, California in 1938 […]