Standard Oil Trust Issued to W.L. Harkness and Signed by W. H. Tilford, H.M. Flagler and W.H. Beardsley - 1896 dated Stock Certificate

Stock issued to William Lamon Harkness but not signed by him. Signed at front by W.H. Tilford as attorney in fact, H.M. Flagler as secretary and W.H. Beardsley on stub.

William Lamon Harkness (August 8, 1858 – May 10, 1919) was an American businessman and inheritor of a large share of Standard Oil. William Lamon Harkness was born in Bellevue, Ohio, the son of Daniel M. Harkness, who was the half-brother of both Henry Flagler and Stephen V. Harkness, both founders of Standard Oil, and his wife Isabella Harkness. Upon his father Daniel's death in 1896, he inherited a large share in Standard Oil, a company in which his father had been an early shareholder. He is also a cousin of noted philanthropist Edward Harkness who also benefited from his father's involvement with Standard Oil. Will attended Bellevue Public Schools in Bellevue, Ohio and The Brooks Military School in Cleveland. In 1881, Harkness graduated from Yale University.

In 1896, he moved from Cleveland, Ohio to a home at 12 East 53rd Street in New York City. He also owned a country home, Dosoris, at Glen Cove on Long Island. A yachtsman and sportsman, he was a member of The Union Club of Cleveland, the New York Yacht Club, the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club and Piping Rock Club.In August 1911 while in command of his steam yacht Gunilda on Lake Superior he ran her aground, due to his failure in recognizing a requirement for a pilot and then compounding the matter by not hiring tugs at the appropriate time. She would sink in days. He put in a claim against the ship's insurer, Lloyds of London for about $132,000 dollars, and received $100,000 compensation. Shortly before his death, Harkness donated $400,000 to Yale University. The William L. Harkness Hall at Yale University was completed in 1927 as the gift of Mr. W.L. Harkness, B.A. 1881, and his family. It is a Collegiate Gothic building of Aquia sandstone with Ohio sandstone trim and contains offices and lecture & recitation rooms for the French, German, and Music departments. William Adams Delano was the architect. Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_L._Harkness

Wesley Hunt Tilford (1850-1909) was born on July 14, 1850, in Lexington, Kentucky. He attended Columbia College for a brief period; however, the allure of the business world compelled him to abandon his pursuit of a bachelor's degree. Drawn by the opportunities within the petroleum industry, Wesley left his studies and took a position as a clerk at his brother's firm, Bostwick & Tilford, which was located on Pearl Street in Lexington. Following the dissolution of the firm, the two brothers established their own partnership under the name John B. Tilford Jr. & Co., which experienced immediate success and continued to thrive. Eventually, during the era of Eastern oil consolidations, a lucrative proposal from the Standard Oil Company led them to align their interests with this dynamic organization. Tilford subsequently assumed the roles of treasurer and vice president at the Standard Oil Company.

Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder of the Florida East Coast Railway, much of which he built through convict leasing. He is known as the father of Miami and Palm Beach, Florida.

William Henry Beardsley (April 7, 1852 - December 13, 1925) served as the private secretary to Henry Flagler, the Chairman of the Florida East Coast Railway Company. Born on April 7, 1852, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of I. L. Beardsley, a journalist originally from New York who relocated to Cleveland in 1838. I. L. Beardsley was instrumental in founding the "Plain Dealer" and later ventured into the wholesale grocery business. William completed his education in Cleveland, graduating from Central High School in 1869. He initially worked alongside his father in the grocery sector before moving to New York, where he was employed by the Standard Oil Company from 1880 to 1890. In 1890, H. M. Flagler, a co-founder of Standard Oil, appointed Mr. Beardsley as his financial representative. He subsequently took on the role of treasurer for the Florida & East Coast Railroad, the Florida East Coast Steamship Company, and all properties under Mr. Flagler's control. On February 26, 1874, Mr. Beardsley married Miss Lillian, the daughter of Marcus S. Sterling from Bridgeport, Connecticut, whose grandfather had once served as the mayor of the city. The couple had three children: Sterling S., Lillian, and William Jr. Mr. Beardsley was an active member of the Field and Marine Club, the Midwood Club, and the Ohio Society of New York, enjoying a prominent position in social circles and a distinguished reputation in financial matters. Following Henry Flagler's passing, William ascended to the presidency of the Florida East Coast Railway, succeeding Flagler, and also became a trustee of the Flagler estate. He later retired from the presidency but continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until his death on December 13, 1925. Mr. Beardsley was cremated, and his ashes were interred in the Beardsley Family Mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York, alongside his wife, her family, and their children.

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