Levi Leiter
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Levi Ziegler Leiter (November 2, 1834 – June 9, 1904) was an American businessman based in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. He co-founded what later became the Marshall Field & Company retail empire.


Early life

Leiter was born to Anne (née Ziegler) and Joseph Thomas Leiter, of Leitersburg, the
Washington County, Maryland Washington County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 154,705 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Its county seat and largest city is Hagerstown, Maryland, Hagerstown. The ...
town founded by his granduncle Andrew Leiter. Although some have confused Leiter's ancestry as
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, his family was in fact of
Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...
descent; he was raised a
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
.


Career

As a boy, Leiter worked for a
dry goods Dry goods is a historic term describing the type of product line a store carries, which differs by region. The term comes from the textile trade, and the shops appear to have spread with the mercantile trade across the British Empire (and Common ...
business in
Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...
. In 1853 he began working as a bookkeeper at Chicago's then-largest dry goods company, Cooley, Wadsworth & Co., where he worked alongside
Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field's, Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of qua ...
and
Potter Palmer Potter Palmer (May 20, 1826 – May 4, 1902) was an American businessman who was responsible for much of the development of State Street (Chicago), State Street in Chicago. Born in Albany County, New York,John V. Farwell John Villiers Farwell Sr. (July 29, 1825 – August 20, 1908) was an American merchant and philanthropist from New York City. Moving to Chicago, Illinois, at a young age, he joined Wadsworth & Phelps, eventually rising to be senior partner at Joh ...
and went into business, along with Palmer, as Field, Palmer, Leiter & Co. In 1867, Palmer left his business to pursue real estate ventures, and the company was renamed Field, Leiter & Co. Field & Leiter built a six-story store on State Street in 1868. It was rebuilt after the
Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago, Illinois during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left mor ...
in 1871. From 1874 to 1880, Leiter was a member of the Executive Committee of the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, which helped collect and distribute funds to rebuild Chicago after the fire. When Leiter sold his interest to Field and retired from the dry goods business in 1881, the name was changed to Marshall Field and Company. As Leiter's wealth increased, he invested much of his savings in Chicago real estate. After retirement from Field, Leiter & Co., he devoted his attention to real estate and corporate interests. He later devoted time to travel and philanthropy. He was the first president of the
Commercial Club of Chicago The Commercial Club of Chicago is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) social welfare organization founded in 1877 with a mission to promote the social and economic vitality of the metropolitan area of Chicago. History The Commercial Club was founded in 187 ...
, the second president of the Chicago Art Institute, a president of the
Chicago Historical Society Chicago History Museum is the museum of the Chicago Historical Society (CHS). The CHS was founded in 1856 to study and interpret Chicago's history. The museum has been located in Lincoln Park since the 1930s at 1601 North Clark Street at the ...
, and a prominent figure in the Illinois Trust Company.


Joseph Leiter

From 1892 to 1898, his son Joseph was his agent. Joseph attempted to corner the wheat market from 1897 to 1898, and was briefly the largest individual holder of wheat in the history of the
grain trade The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals such as wheat, barley, maize, rice, and other food grains. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other agri ...
. Concerted action by his competitors broke the corner. Levi paid millions of dollars to settle Joseph's debts after the market crashed in 1898. Levi's losses were reputed to run to $10 million. Joseph was later the founder of the company town of
Zeigler, Illinois Zeigler is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,484 at the 2020 census. History In 1905, fifty men were killed in a coal mining accident in or near the town. Zeigler incorporated in 1914 and was named for L ...
, and president of the Zeigler Coal Company and the Chicago, Zeigler and Gulf Railway Company; he was also a director of the American Security and Trust Company.


Personal life

In 1866, Leiter married Mary Theresa Carver (1844–1913) of Chicago. From 1885 until her death, she served as the second Vice Regent for Illinois in the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which is occupied with the preservation of George Washington's
Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...
estate. Together, they were the parents of: * Joseph Leiter (1868–1932), who married Juliette Williams (1887–1942). * Mary Victoria Leiter (1870–1906), who married the British Conservative statesman George Nathaniel Curzon,
Viceroy of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the Emperor of ...
, later the 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston and ultimately 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston; she was thus
Vicereine of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...
between 1899 and 1905. * Nancy Lathrop Carver Leiter (1873–1930), who married Colin Powys Campbell (1859–1923). * Margaret Hyde Leiter (1880–1968), who married Henry Molineux Howard (1877–1917), the 19th Earl of Suffolk and 12th Earl of Berkshire. Leiter died of heart disease at the
Vanderbilt family The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the Gilded Age. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanth ...
cottage in
Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor () is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. The town is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory, and MDI Biological Laborat ...
on June 9, 1904. His estate became the subject of eight years of litigation.


Washington residence

In 1891, Leiter had a mansion built adjacent to
Dupont Circle Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest (Washington, D.C.), Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th St ...
in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
This home, the Leiter House, was designed by Theophilus P. Chandler. After his death, his D.C. home was used for elaborate parties hosted by his widow. During WWII, the mansion was leased to the U.S. Government for office space. The property was sold and the structure was demolished in 1947. The site is now the location of the Dupont Hotel.


Descendants

Through his eldest daughter, he was the maternal grandfather of Lady Irene Curzon (later Baroness Ravensdale; 1896–1966); Lady Cynthia Curzon (1898–1933), the first wife of
Sir Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
; and Alexandra Curzon (1904–1995), the wife of
Edward Dudley Metcalfe Major (United Kingdom), Major Edward Dudley Metcalfe, (16 January 1887 – 18 November 1957) was a British British Indian Army, Indian Army officer and a close friend—aide-de-camp and equerry—of the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, King ...
, the best friend, best man and equerry of
King Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...
. Through his daughter Margaret, he was the maternal grandfather of Charles Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk (1906–1941); Hon. Cecil John Arthur Howard (1908–1985), married Frances Dean; and Lt.-Cdr. Hon. Greville Reginald Howard (1909–1987)."Cracroft's Peerage: The Complete Guide to the British Peerage & Baronetage"
"Suffolk, Earl of (E, 1603)"
, ''The Peerage Research Trust''. Retrieved 27 May 2014.


Notes


References

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External links



{{DEFAULTSORT:Leiter, Levi 1834 births 1904 deaths 19th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American businesspeople American people of Swiss descent American people of German descent People from Dupont Circle People from Washington County, Maryland Businesspeople from Chicago Businesspeople from Maryland