Let me introduce you to the Huntingtons

by Nancy Armitage

Collis Potter Huntington (1821-1900)

Born: 1821 Birthplace: Connecticut

He was the President of the Southern Pacific Co. NYC & SF & of Central Pacific RR Co. In 1869, he helped join the commerce of the United States of America from coast to coast. These 2 railroads (CPRR & SPRR) met together in Promontory Point in Utah, joining both coasts of the United States of America were the “Transatlantic Railroad”.

Collis Huntington had a huge family of many brothers & sisters, & they were really close. They had lots of family reunions in NYC & “Colliscraft” across the Hudson River, & Huntington Christmas’ were together at No. 2. There were many house guests at the Huntington Mansion at No. 2 57th St. NYC, NY thru the years especially at Thanksgiving & Christmas & New Years holidays.

Collis’s First wife: Elizabeth Stoddard Huntington (she died in 1883)

Collis P. Huntington & his wife Elizabeth lived at 65 Park Ave. NYC, NY with Elizabeth & for a short while CPH & Arabella Huntington lived there after 1884 when they got married.

2nd wife: Arabella “Belle” Duval Yarrington Worsham Huntington, also she was “B. D. Worsham”,

Collis P. Huntington & Arabella (Yarrington) Worsham married in July of 1884. At first, they lived on 65 Park Ave. NYC, NY. It took them 5 years to build & lived at the palatial Huntington Mansion No. 2 57th St. & 5th Ave. NYC. On weekends & summertime, they stayed at the Huntington estate (800 to 1000 acres) called “The Huntington Homestead” at Throggs Neck, Westchester Co., NY. They also owned the “great Huntington Camp” at Camp Pine Knot on Racquette Lake in the Adirondack Mt. in upper state New York. They traveled on grand Cunard ships to their annual summer “Grand Tour” to Europe from NYC to London & Europe.

Arabella D. Huntington (1850-1924) also called “Belle” or Arabelle or Arabella. Her many names throughout her life were: Miss Belle Yarrington, Mrs. B. D. Worsham, Belle DeWorsion, & Mrs. Belle Worsham; in 1884 she became Mrs. Collis P. Huntington, & after 1913, her name was Mrs. Henry E. Huntington. She signed her name: Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington.

Arabella Huntington’s Museums:

In 1919, Arabella & H. E. Huntington signed an very important document donating their mansion, garden & property (501 acres) to the great State of California – when they died. Their property was called “San Marino Ranch” (in Southern California). It was to become a world-class museum: “Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens” in San Marino, CA. It houses many of Mr. H. E. Huntington’s favorite English master paintings were by Romney, Gainsborough “Blue Boy”, & Reynolds; many of Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s her private French collections, furniture, paintings, numerous priceless “Madonna & Child” collections. & statues. She especially focused with her great affection on items owned by Queen Marie Antoinette of France & royal collections also.

Other museums connected to Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington: the DeYoung Museum Fine Art Museum in San Francisco (ADH & AMH) many of Mrs. Huntington’s personal things are there. Like Arabella Huntington’s antique laces, gloves, hair combs, & a large life-size portrait of Arabella (with the red dress).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, now owns Arabella Worsham Huntington’s rooms (that were once in her 54th Street mansion NYC). This impressive display of furniture used to be at New York City Museum – Andrew Carnegie donated property after he owned Arabella Worsham (Huntington) 54th St. house. Now this collection of Worsham- Huntington 54th Street rooms are at Virginia Museum of Fine Art in Richmond, VA & this room is called Rockefeller Bedroom because Rockefeller bought the house from Mrs. Belle D. Worsham.

The Metropolitan Museum NYC has many paintings that were hung in the Collis & Arabella Huntington at their No. 2 57th St. Mansion; the credit line goes to “Collis P. Huntington” (but Archer Huntington donated them after Arabella died). In reality, some of these paintings, were purchased by Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington after Collis died. But she doesn’t get any credit, check the provenance. As a widower, after Collis Huntington died. In 1907, Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington or Mrs. Collis P. Huntington bought a portion of an important estate in Paris, called the Rudolph Kann Collection. Later, these paintings, were donated to the Metropolitan Museum in 1924-1927 by Archer. If the provenance mentions the Kann Collection 1907, it was bought by Arabella Huntington. In the Mariners Museum in VA, they have many Huntington family photos & so many other Huntington nautical property & items.

Henry “Edwards” Huntington (1850-1927)

Henry “Edwards” Huntington was born & raised in Oneonta, NY. When he left home he lived many places: while starting work (Southern Pacific Co. – NYC & SF) for his uncle Collis Huntington. He first lived Brooklyn in a boarding house, & then Cincinnati, when he married his 1st wife: MaryAlice Prentice Huntington they lived in New Jersey; also St. Albans, VA is where some of their babies were born. Then, they moved to their San Francisco Mansion at 2840 Jackson (& Broderick) with first wife, Mary Alice & all 4 children, Howard, Elizabeth, Clara (Peggy), & Marion Huntington.

In the early 1900’s, after being groomed to be the President of Southern Pacific Co.; sadly the board of directors didn’t vote him in. It had to be a hard blow that the board voted for Harriman instead. But it was a blessing in disguise. He moved down to Los Angeles CA & started his Pacific Electric “PE” Railway Co. – “the Red Cars” the locals called them. He owned many other train companies in LA also, Los Angeles Railway, Redondo Beach Railway, Mt. Lowe Railway (Altadena CA) & many more.

In 1903, he bought “San Marino Ranch” in San Gabriel/San Marino, CA. This 501-acre property was located just south of Pasadena, Calif. His 1st wife, Mary Alice Huntington & family would not move down to LA with him, they lived in San Francisco on Jackson Street. But Howard Huntington his son, moved down with his father and was a manager at Pacific Electric Railway Co. In the early 1900’s, H.E. Huntington & his son Howard E. Huntington, actually lived at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles, CA. HEH was one of the founding members of the Jonathan CIub. In April 1906, H. E. “Edwards” Huntington got divorced from Mary Alice Huntington.

Early in 1900’s, the Henry E. Huntington’s children got married:

Howard Edwards Huntington B. Feb. 11, 1876 Married: Leslie Green of Berkeley, CA on Aug. 16, 1905,

Clara “Peggy” Leonora Huntington B. Feb. 2, 1878 – married April 20, 1902 to Gilbert B. Perkins of NY. Clara was a sculptress & lived in Italy for sometimes, she also created a bust of her father, Mr. Henry, E. Huntington,

Elizabeth “Bessie” Vincent Huntington B. Feb. 8, 1880 married on March 6th, 1906 to John “Brock” Brockway Metcalf, of Berkeley CA, &

Marian or Marion Prentice Huntington B. Oct. 3, 1883, unmarried.

In 1910, H. E. Huntington actually moved into the Huntington Mansion on the Ranch with a small servant staff & chauffeur. Later, after he married Mrs. Collis P. Huntington (Arabella) in 1913, he also lived at her Huntington Mansion No. 2 57th St. NYC, NY. They enjoyed Thanksgiving & Christmas there in NYC. The Huntingtons (HEH & ADH) visited “the Huntington Homestead” at Throggs Neck in Westchester Co. NY their large estate property (weekends & holidays). They also traveled to Europe & France to their leased Chateau Beauregard for summer trips (1913-1923). The Huntington were trying to buy the Chateau Beauregard La Celle-St.-Cloud by Paris, but they were about to lease it for 10 yrs., buy the owner of the chateau Baron de Forest. But he would not sell to them.

Archer Milton Huntington (March 10, 1870 – Dec. 11, 1944)

He was born in New York City, NY & lived in Texas as a baby. His mother, Mrs. Arabella Worsham or “Belle” or “Bella” Yarrington Worsham (Huntington), took him to NYC – where he lived there most of his life. He lived in many of the Huntington mansions: Throggs Neck Huntington “Homestead” Estate, No. 2 57th St , 1020 California Street -Nob Hill Mansion in San Francisco, Calif., & traveled & stayed in his mother leased Chateau Beauregard in Paris, France (HEH & ADH).

Archer & 1st wife, Helen Gates Huntington (a writer) lived in Pelham Bay in his Huntington estate (Huntington Woods now) from 1890’s to 1918. They got divorced in 1918. In March 1923, he married the famous sculptress, Anna Hyatt (Huntington), on their shared birthday March 10th. Later in life, they lived in South Carolina & also owned 1000’s of acres in the Adirondacks Mountains which they enjoyed “Arbutus Lake” & loved birdwatching. He helped & donated & created many museums, & helped start Spanish departments at many colleges & universities. See many more details in my blog: Archer M. Huntington – Philanthropist.

Archer Huntington’s First wife: Helen Gates Huntington , writer & socialite, she works on numerous fundraisers & charity events with Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington. They were often the charity sponsors – luncheons at St. Regis & Waldorf Astoria Hotels, NYC. Mrs. Helen Huntington ran off with another man, names Granville Barker, a playwriter. Archer was very devastated. Archer & Helen Huntington got a divorced in 1918. He moved back to No. 2 57th Street for a while.

2nd Wife: Anna Hyatt Huntington (Famous Sculptress)

Archer & Anna Hyatt Huntington lived “in the city” at 1083 5th Ave. NYC, NY, & she also had her sculpture studio in the city. They traveled yearly to Europe, Spain, & France; on their honeymoon, they traveled south to the Caribbean Sea on a large yacht. They also owned Brookgreen Gardens & Ayalaya Castle in South Carolina (1000’s of acres) & Arbutus Lake in Adirondack Mt. in upper state New York.

Article “Archer Huntington Divorce” Sept. 19, 2017 on gothamcenter.org tells us of his social circles and how he met his 2nd wife, Anne Hyatt Huntington.

Archer Huntington’s Addresses:

Archer M. Huntington estate “Pleasance” Pelham Bay/ Eastchester Bay, NY – now “Huntington Woods”, NYC

Archer M. Huntington Townhouse 1083 5th Ave, NYC, NY (home of Archer & Anna Huntington) he hired decorator, Ogden Codman, Jr. to renovate it. A 5-story NYC townhouse.

Archer M. Huntington 15 W. 81st St. (West Eighty First Street) NYC, NY

Archer Huntington’s Museums:

Hispanic Society Museum NYC, National Society of Arts (donated his house: 1083 5th Ave. NYC, NY),

National Academy Museum (1083 5th Ave. NYC NY once was his home),

Brookgreen Gardens & Ayalaya Castle, South Carolina 1000’s of acres with gardens & sculptures made by Mrs. Ana Huntington.

DeYoung Museum & Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, CA Archer Huntington donated many of Arabella things in his Archer Huntington name (Laces, turtleshell combs, & large portrait of Arabella Huntington & a elegant bronze bust statue of Archer M. Huntington donated in 1927.

Huntington Woods (Archer Huntington’s country estate called “Pleasance”, (once called the Waterbury Estate when Collis & Arabella bought it for him. It was also called Pelham Bay Park at Pelham Bay, Eastchester Bay, New York, The Mariners Museums in Newport News, Virginia artifacts of ships & ship plates.

Archer Huntington’s Papers, journals, & books he wrote can be found at Hispanic Society of America, Syracuse University, Yale University, University of Texas Museum at Austin, Texas.