The golden touch of Cavan’s lesser known millionaires
Jonathan Smyth's latest Times Past column looks at Cavan millionaires that are not so well known...
Cavan seems to have been a breeding ground for millionaires. That said, the most of them only made their fortune after emigrating to begin new enterprises in foreign climates. There are plenty of examples.Think of Marcus Daly, the Copper King of Montana; or Thomas Cruise, the Gold King of Montana; or maybe Andrew Carney, the Boston philanthropist and then there are the Pogue brothers from Belturbet who established their famous department store in Cincinnati.
On August 6, 1912, the Newry Reporter announced the death of Sam Pogue. Under the heading, ‘A Cavan Millionaire,’ the communication declared: ‘Mr Henry Trevor, Edermine, Cavan, received news this week of the death in Cincinnati, U.S., of his uncle, Samuel Pogue, aged 80, head of the firm of Pogue Bros., which owns one of the largest stores in America and employs over 2,000 hands.’
It concluded that the late Mr. Pogue ‘was generally reputed to be a millionaire'.
Edward McAdams
Recently, I discovered the story of the Cavan millionaire Edward McAdams. An interesting account on him appeared in the Irish Independent on October 19, 1908. He is described as a County Cavan man who made his fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush and owned mining interests worth $10,000,000.
McAdams caused ‘a stir’ on his arrival in Philadelphia when amongst his luggage a ‘small trunk’ filled with ‘gold nuggets’ was observed. His lifestyle was a demonstration of wealth, and he travelled widely, tipped people generously, and was never known to accept change when he made a purchase.
Following an absence of twenty years, he was overjoyed to learn the whereabouts of one of his brothers. They sat up all night remembering the happy times from long-forgotten days. McAdams generously gave his brother’s wife a present of $5,000 and for the two children he presented $1,000’s each. Sometime afterwards he found another of his long lost brothers. His name was Barney and he assisted him financially in a ‘similar style'.
Among Edward’s several friends who still lived in Co Cavan there were exceptional stories of his generosity towards them during the visits to his home county. The locals from Cavan were said to be fascinated with the tales of his kindness.
Thomas J. O’Neill
On May 20, 1919, the Newry Reporter announced the death of the Cavan-born millionaire of Baltimore, Mr Thomas J. O’Neill.
In it, they report: ‘he late Mr T. O’Neill, dry goods merchant, and a native of Killeshandra, Co Cavan left an estate worth £1,500,000. Upon his death, O’Neill’s will would reveal an amazing final act of generosity. He left his entire store to the employees who had served him faithfully.
Families from Baltimore used to buy items like tablecloths, napkins, hats, and clothing from O’Neill’s store. Mr O’Neill was famed for specifically employing women on his staff because he believed their sales ability was much better when selling clothing and homely items. He never interfered in how they worked, except to make certain that his customers were treated with respect.
During the terrible Baltimore fire of 1904, he prayed hard and his store was miraculously spared when a shift in the wind changed the direction of the flames and, in return, he promised to build a Cathedral worthy of the City of Baltimore. The Cavan man kept to his word. In his will, O’Neill had left $5 million towards the project, but there was a clause involved and the money could not be accessed until his wife’s death in 1936.
By the 1950s O’Neill’s $5 million donation increased to $14 million through accumulated interest and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore, was completed and consecrated in 1959.
Arva inheritance
On December 27, 1913, the Monitor and New Era, brought to Cavan people the news that William Armstrong, Losset, Arva, and Miss Jane Arnold of Aghavock received correspondence from the United States telling them they had been left an enormous fortune. Thirty-seven years earlier William’s late brother, Mr. J. Armstrong had emigrated from Cavan to Detroit, Michigan. The two relatives in Cavan were informed they had been left his vast fortune, which amounted to $11,000,000. The said Mr J. Armstrong had amassed his wealth through the purchase of building plots in Detroit.
Frank Golden
On January 20, 1912, the Roscommon Herald published an obituary for a rich man who died in Reno, Nevada in the USA. Born in County Cavan, but described in a newspaper as a Leitrim man, Frank Bernard Golden was native to ‘an area of Cavan’ that lay near to Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. He was only forty-nine years old, and his death came as a shock to the local community in Ireland.
He started his working life with Charles O’Beirne, a wine, and spirits merchant in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim. But, Mr Golden sought to make his fortune and, 35 years prior to his death, he set off for Virginia City to begin exploring the gold and silver mines of Nevada.
Golden’s uncle Tom Freehill, from Ballyconnell, had already made his fortune in the mines of Nevada and Frank, along with his brothers and sisters had inherited much of his wealth. Mr Golden then diversified into other ventures, opening a chain of ‘jewellery shops, four banks, a brewery, and two of the wealthiest gold mines in all of Nevada'. The mines were in a place called Tonapah.
He married Mamie Morris, a daughter of Judge Morris. She was regarded by many as the ‘most beautiful woman in Nevada’ and, on the occasion of their marriage, the ceremony was performed by Fr Tubman whom Frank had known from his Ballinamore days. The Goldens had four children, and they lived in a palatial four-storey residence in Reno, which Frank built.
Frank Golden’s last endeavour was to build the ‘Hotel Golden,’ on ‘Center Street,’ Reno City, Nevada. Built at a cost of £1,000,000, the Roscommon Herald described it as the ‘finest hotel in the West'.
He had planned a trip to Ireland in 1913, but death interrupted his plans. Fr Tubman celebrated the Requiem Mass for his old friend, and the Church of St Thomas Aquinas was suitably ‘draped in mourning’ at Reno.
For sure, Frank Golden had the golden touch.
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