Let me introduce you to the Huntingtons

by Nancy Armitage

Collis Potter Huntington (1861-1900)

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. 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 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. There were many house guests at the Huntington Mansion at No. 2 57 St. NYC, NY thru the years especially at Thanksgiving & Christmas and New Years holidays.

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

Live at 65 Park Ave. NYC NY with Elizabeth

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

Collis & Arabella married in July of 1884. At first, they lived on 65 Park Ave. It took them 5 years but built & lived at the palatial Huntington Mansion No. 2 57th St. & 5th Ave. NYC. On weekends & summertime, they stayed at the Huntington estate called “The Homestead” at Throggs Neck, Westchester Co., NY. – now Brooklyn. They also owned the “great Huntington Camp” at Camp Pine Knot on Racquette Lake in the Adirondack Mt. in upper state New York. They tour annual summer tours to Europe on Cunard ships from NYC to London and Europe.

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

Arabella Huntington’s Museums:

In 1919, Arabella & H. E. Huntington & H. E. Huntington signed a important document donating their mansion & property to the great State of California when they died. It was to become a museum: “Huntington Library & Botanical Garden” in San Marino, CA. It houses many of Mr. Huntington’s favorite English master paintings by Romney, Gainsborough, & Reynolds; many of Mrs. Arabella Huntington’s her private French collections of, furniture, paintings, numerous priceless “Madonna & Child” collections. & statues.

Another museum: the DeYoung Museum Fine Art Museum in San Francisco (ADH & AMH) she has many of Mrs. Huntington’s personal things. Like Arabella Huntington’s antique lace, gloves, hair combs & a large portrait of Arabella. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, now owns Arabella Worsham Huntington’s rooms (that were once in her 54th Street mansion). This impressive display of furniture used to be at New York City Museum-Andrew Carnegie donated after he owned Arabella Worsham (Huntington) 54th St. house. The Metropolitan Museum NYC has many paintings that hung in the Collis & Arabella Huntington No. 2 57th St. house; the credit line goes to Collis P. Huntington (but Archer Huntington donated them after Arabella died). In the Mariners Museum in VA, they have many Huntington family photos & so many other Huntington nautical property and 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. He first lived Brooklyn in a boarding house, & 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 grooming to be the President of Southern Pacific Co.; 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 Railway Co. – “the Red Cars” the locals called them.

In 1903, he bought San Marino Ranch in San Gabriel/San Marino CA. His 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. In the early 1900’s, HEH and Howard, actually lived at the Jonathan Club in downtown LA. In April 1906, H.E. “Edwards” Huntington got divorced from Mary Alice Huntington.

Early in 1900’s, the H. E. Huntington 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,

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, HEH actually moved into the Huntington Mansion on the Ranch. 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 Huntington “the Homestead” Throggs Neck large estate property (weekends & holidays), & then at Chateau Beauregard for summer trips (1913-1923).

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

He was born in NYC & lived in Texas as a baby. His mother, Mrs. Arabella “Belle or Bella” 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 Estate, No. 2 57th St , Nob Hill Mansion in SF, & 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, it was their shared birthday March 10th. Later in life, later they lived in South Carolina & also owned 1000’s of acres in the Adirondacks Mountains which they enjoyed Arbutus Lake & birdwatching. He helped and donated and created many museums, and help start Spanish departments at many colleges & universities. See many more details in my blog: Archer M. Huntington Philanthropist.

First wife: Helen Gates Huntington (writer & socialite, she works on numerous fundraisers with Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington as a sponsor at St. Regis and Waldorf Astoria Hotels). She ran off with another man, Granville Barker, a playwriter. Archer & Helen Huntington got a divorce in 1918.

2nd Wife: Anna Hyatt Huntington (Famous Sculptress)

They lived 1083 5th Ave. NYC, NY and at 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

Archer Huntington’s Addresses:

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

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

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

Archer Huntington’s Museums:

Hispanic Society Museum NYC, National Society of Arts (donated in 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.