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| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1897|10|02|1824|4|24}}
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1897|10|02|1824|4|24}}
| death_place        = [[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S.
| death_place        = [[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S.
| other_names        =  
| resting_place      = [[Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia)|Hollywood Cemetery]]
| known_for          = [[Allen & Ginter]], [[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson Hotel]], [[Ginter Park]], [[American Tobacco Company]]
| other_names        = The Fighting Commissary
| occupation        = Tobacco business, real-estate developer, military officer, banker, philanthropist
| known_for          = {{hlist|[[Allen & Ginter]]|[[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson Hotel]]|[[Ginter Park]]|[[American Tobacco Company]]}}
| module            = {{Infobox military person
|embed        = yes
|allegiance  = [[Confederate States]]
|branch      = [[Confederate States Army]]
|serviceyears = 1862–1865
|rank        = [[Major (rank)|Major]]
|battles =
{{tree list}}
* [[American Civil War]]
** [[Richmond in the American Civil War#Evacuation, burning, and capture of Richmond|Evacuation and capture of Richmond]]
** [[Battle of Appomattox Court House]]
{{tree list/end}}
}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Businessman|[[financier]]|military officer|[[real estate developer]]|[[philanthropist]]}}
| years_active      = 1842–1897
}}
}}
{{peacock|date=February 2025}}  
{{peacock|date=February 2025}}  
'''Lewis Ginter''' (April 4, 1824 – October 2, 1897) was an American businessman, financier, military officer, real estate developer, and philanthropist based in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. Ginter acquired his fortune through his various business ventures and became one of Richmond's wealthiest citizens.<ref>"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, 348.</ref> While the [[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson Hotel]] and [[Ginter Park]] embody some of Ginter's major urban contributions to Richmond, many of his philanthropic gifts were given anonymously to charitable organizations and individuals in need.<ref>Burns, 178.</ref> Ginter served in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], attaining the rank of major and also played a major role in bringing Richmond back from the ravages of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref>Burns, 284.</ref>
'''Lewis Ginter''' (April 4, 1824 – October 2, 1897) was an American businessman, financier, military officer, real estate developer, and philanthropist based in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]]. He acquired his fortune through diverse business ventures and became one of Richmond's wealthiest citizens.<ref>"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, 348.</ref> Ginter served in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], at the rank of major and later played a role in reconstructing Richmond after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref>Burns, 284.</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Lewis Ginter was born to John and Elizabeth Ginter on April 4, 1824, in [[New York City]]. His father owned a grocery store, but died soon after Ginter was born. Several years later, Ginter's mother died, leaving him to be raised by his married sister, Jane Ginter Arents.<ref>Burns, 35.</ref>
Lewis Ginter was born on April 4, 1824, in [[New York City]] to Dutch immigrants, John and Elizabeth Ginter. His father, who owned a grocery store, died shortly after his birth. After his mother passed away several years later, he was raised by his sister, Jane Ginter Arents.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woody |first=Janet |date=2014-08-28 |title=Stories from Yesteryear: The Story of Lewis Ginter |url=https://www.lewisginter.org/stories-from-yesteryear-the-story-of-major-lewis-ginter/ |access-date=2025-12-30 |website=Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Richmond==
==Early career==
===Early business===
In 1842, at the age of eighteen, Ginter relocated to Richmond, Virginia to open a shop selling [[Notions (sewing)|notions]] and toys. The business expanded into household furnishings, and by 1853, transitioned to marketing wholesale notions and imported fashionable goods to village and country merchants. In early 1860, his nephew George Arents joined the partnership of Ginter, Alvey & Arents.<ref>Burns, 34.</ref><ref>''Richmond Daily Whig'', March 21, 1860.</ref> The business became "the largest wholesale notion house and handlers of white goods and Irish linen in the South."<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897">''Richmond Dispatch'', Oct. 3, 1897.</ref> Ginter traveled throughout the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] to source merchandise, and amassed a considerable fortune before the Civil War. Preparing for unpredictable times and in order to protect his wealth, Ginter invested in large quantities of [[tobacco]], [[sugar]], and [[cotton]] that were stored in Richmond warehouses.<ref name="Burns, 48">Burns, 48.</ref>
In 1842, at the age of eighteen, Ginter relocated to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]], to open up a shop selling notions and toys. He had visited the city at least once before with an uncle. Ginter soon moved up to the "house furnishings" business. Then, in 1853, he began marketing wholesale notions and imported fancy goods to village and country merchants, and in early 1860 his nephew, George Arents, joined the partnership of Ginter, Alvey & Arents.<ref>Burns, 34.</ref><ref>''Richmond Daily Whig'', March 21, 1860.</ref> It was known as "the largest wholesale notion house and handlers of white goods and Irish linen in the South."<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897">''Richmond Dispatch'', Oct. 3, 1897.</ref> Ginter traveled throughout the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] in search of quality merchandise, and amassed a considerable fortune before the beginning of the [[American Civil War]]. Preparing for unpredictable times, Ginter invested in large quantities of [[tobacco]], [[sugar]], and [[cotton]] that were stored in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] warehouses in order to protect his wealth.<ref name="Burns, 48">Burns, 48.</ref>


===Military office===
== Military service ==
Although he was originally from the North, Ginter supported his adopted home in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] by buying Confederate bonds and waiving outstanding debts. Shortly after the war broke out, he volunteered in the Confederate Quartermaster Department in Richmond, amassing supplies for the troops.<ref name="Burns, 48"/> He joined the [[Confederate Army]] as a commissary with the rank of Major in 1862 and received praise from his superiors for his deeds on and off the battlefield, which earned him the nickname "The Fighting Commissary." Major Ginter served under Generals [[Robert E. Lee]], [[Joseph R. Anderson]], [[Stonewall Jackson]], [[A.P. Hill]] and [[Edward Lloyd Thomas]], and retained this title from affectionate Southerners long after the war ended.<ref name=RW5>Ryan and Rennie, 5.</ref> As fate would have it, Major Ginter was in the Confederate capital on official business during the [[Evacuation and capture of Richmond]] and retreated to [[Amelia Court House, Virginia]], to meet up with the remnants of his brigade.<ref>Burns, 63, 67.</ref> He was present during Lee's surrender at [[Appomattox Court House National Historical Park|Appomattox Court House]], and returned to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] several days later.<ref>Burns, 69.</ref>
Although he was originally from the North, Lewis Ginter supported his adopted home in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] by buying Confederate bonds and waiving outstanding debts. Shortly after the war broke out, he volunteered in the Confederate Quartermaster Department in Richmond, amassing supplies for the troops.<ref name="Burns, 48" /> He joined the [[Confederate Army]] as a [[commissary]] with the rank of Major in 1862 and received praise from his superiors for his deeds on and off the battlefield, earning him the nickname "The Fighting Commissary." Major Ginter served under Generals [[Robert E. Lee]], [[Joseph R. Anderson]], [[Stonewall Jackson]], [[A.P. Hill]], and [[Edward Lloyd Thomas]], and retained this title from affectionate Southerners long after the war ended.<ref name="RW5">Ryan and Rennie, 5.</ref> Major Ginter was in the Confederate capital during the [[Richmond in the American Civil War#Evacuation, burning, and capture of Richmond|Evacuation and capture of Richmond]] and retreated to [[Amelia Court House, Virginia]], to meet up with the remaining members of his brigade.<ref>Burns, 63, 67.</ref> He was present during [[Battle of Appomattox Court House|Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House]], and returned to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] several days later.<ref>Burns, 69.</ref>


==New York==
==New York==
Upon his return to Richmond, Ginter found the city in a state of ruin. His warehouse stores of tobacco and sugar were destroyed in a fire that consumed much of the business district, though his cotton remained unscathed. With little economic opportunity in Richmond, he sold his cotton and returned to [[New York City]] to pursue a career in banking.<ref>Burns, 78.</ref> First joining the firm of Harrison & Company, he experienced great financial success. But his renewed fortune was short-lived. The [[Black Friday (1869)|Black Friday]] gold panic in 1869 forced Ginter to use his personal fortune to settle heavy debts his firm incurred. Having lost all of his wealth once again, Ginter sold tobacco on consignment in New York for Richmond tobacconist John F. Allen. In 1872, Ginter decided to return to affordable Richmond.<ref>Burns, 86.</ref>
On his return to Richmond, Ginter found the city in a state of ruin. Though his cotton remained, his warehouse stores of tobacco and sugar had been destroyed in a fire that consumed much of the business district. With little economic opportunity in Richmond, he sold the cotton and returned to [[New York City]] to pursue a career in banking.<ref>Burns, 78.</ref> First joining the firm of Harrison & Company, he experienced great success, though this renewed fortune was short-lived. The [[Black Friday (1869)|Black Friday]] gold panic in 1869 forced Ginter to settle heavy debts that his firm had incurred. Having lost all of his wealth once again, he sold tobacco on consignment in New York for Richmond tobacconist, John F. Allen. In 1872, Ginter decided to return to Richmond.<ref>Burns, 86.</ref>


==Return to Richmond==
==Return to Richmond==
===Tobacco===
===Tobacco===
[[File:Allen ginter smoker figure.png|thumb|[[Allen & Ginter|The Allen & Ginter]] logo]]
[[File:Allen ginter smoker figure.png|thumb|[[Allen & Ginter|The Allen & Ginter]] logo]]
In 1872, Ginter joined John F. Allen to form John F. Allen & Company, which manufactured chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and a small line of cigars. Shortly after, at Ginter's urging, the firm was the first to manufacture cigarettes with mild, 100% domestic bright leaf tobacco, grown in the Virginia and North Carolina piedmont, rather than with strong "Turkish" tobaccos.<ref>Enstad, 20, 23.</ref> When the firm released its first cigarettes in 1875, it was the first in the South to manufacture cigarettes as its primary branded product.<ref name="Enstad, 22">Enstad, 22.</ref> Early production began in a factory with twenty young, white women, who hand-rolled the cigarettes.<ref>Burns, 93.</ref> Initially, the cigarettes weren't successful in the South, where men overwhelmingly preferred chewing tobacco.<ref name="Enstad, 22"/> Around 1880, the firm was renamed [[Allen & Ginter]]. Ginter's "Richmond Gem" cigarettes were first a hit in London where, with help from his agent, [[John Morgan Richards]], they were marketed as a foreign novelty.<ref>Enstad, 23.</ref> Allen & Ginter also manufactured cigarettes with "Turkish" tobacco or blends. Their brands included "Richmond Straight-Cut No. 1," "The Pet," "Dubec," "Opera Puffs," and "Our Little Beauties."<ref>''The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures.'' Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886, 59.</ref> In 1881, with growing competition in the [[tobacco industry]], Ginter began leasing [[James Bonsack]]'s newly-invented cigarette rolling machine. By 1888, Allen & Ginter employed over 1,000 workers and cigarette production increased from 100,000 per month to 2,000,000 per day. The firm eventually opened offices in [[London]], [[Paris]], and [[Berlin]] in order to meet foreign demand for their products. Allen & Ginter continued to prosper until they merged with [[James Buchanan Duke|J. B. Duke]], [[Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company]], [[Goodwin & Company]] and W.S. Kimball & Company to form the [[American Tobacco Company]] in January 1890. Ginter was offered the presidency, but declined and remained a director until his death.<ref name=RW7>Ryan and Rennie, 7.</ref>
In 1872, Ginter joined John F. Allen to form John F. Allen & Company, which manufactured chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and a small line of cigars. Shortly after, at Ginter's urging, the firm was the first to manufacture cigarettes with the milder bright leaf tobacco, grown in the Virginia and North Carolina piedmont (rather than with strong "Turkish" tobaccos).<ref>Enstad, 20, 23.</ref> Early production began in a factory where twenty young, white women, hand-rolled cigarettes.<ref>Burns, 93.</ref> When the firm released its first cigarettes in 1875, it was the first in the South to manufacture cigarettes as its primary branded product.<ref name="Enstad, 22">Enstad, 22.</ref> Initially, the cigarettes weren't successful in the South, where chewing tobacco was overwhelmingly preferred.<ref name="Enstad, 22"/> However, with help from his agent, [[John Morgan Richards]], Ginter's "Richmond Gem" cigarettes became popular in London where they were marketed as a foreign novelty.<ref>Enstad, 23.</ref> In addition to the milder cigarettes, the firm also manufactured cigarettes with Turkish tobacco or blends. Their brands included "Richmond Straight-Cut No. 1," "The Pet," "Dubec," "Opera Puffs," and "Our Little Beauties."<ref>''The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures.'' Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886, 59.</ref> Around 1880, the firm was renamed [[Allen & Ginter]]. In 1881, there was increasing competition in the [[tobacco industry]] and the firm began leasing [[James Bonsack]]'s newly-invented cigarette rolling machine. By 1888, Allen & Ginter employed over 1,000 workers and cigarette production increased from 100,000 per month to 2,000,000 per day. In order to meet foreign demand, the firm eventually opened offices in [[London]], [[Paris]], and [[Berlin]]. In January of 1890, the successful Allen & Ginter merged with [[James Buchanan Duke|J. B. Duke]], [[Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company]], [[Goodwin & Company]] and W.S. Kimball & Company to form the [[American Tobacco Company]]. Ginter declined an offer to be president of the company, remaining a director until his death in 1897.<ref name=RW7>Ryan and Rennie, 7.</ref>


===Real estate===
===Real estate===
[[File:Ginter-2019-12-15-5912c.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ginter mansion at 901 West Franklin Street, Richmond]]
[[File:Ginter-2019-12-15-5912c.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ginter mansion at 901 West Franklin Street, Richmond]]
Although Ginter had lived in Richmond for several decades, he did not purchase his first home until 1876.  He invited his sister, Jane Arents, and three of her daughters, Grace, Joanna, and Minnie, to live with him at 405 East Cary Street.<ref name="RW7"/> In 1891, he completed construction of a freestyle, [[Richardsonian Romanesque]] mansion in an elite neighborhood at 901 West [[Franklin Street (Richmond)|Franklin Street]].<ref>Burns, 130.</ref> In modern times, the structure became property of Virginia Commonwealth University and it was known as the "[[Ginter House]]." In September 2020, the University’s Board of Visitors voted to "de-commemorate" several buildings on campus named for members of the Confederacy, including Ginter's home.<ref>{{Cite news  
After living in Richmond for several decades, Ginter purchased his first home at 405 East Cary Street in 1876 where he lived with his sister, Jane Arents, and three of her daughters, Grace, Joanna, and Minnie.<ref name="RW7"/> In 1891, he completed construction of a [[Richardsonian Romanesque]] mansion at 901 West [[Franklin Street (Richmond)|Franklin Street]], a fashionable neighborhood in Richmond. <ref>Burns, 130.</ref> The house was later acquired by Virginia Commonwealth University as the "[[Ginter House]]." In September 2020, the University’s Board of Visitors voted to de-commemorate and rename several buildings on campus named for individuals associated with the Confederacy, including Ginter's home.<ref>{{Cite news  
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}}</ref> The house is now known as the "VCU Administration Building".<ref>{{cite web
The house is now simply known as the "VCU Administration Building".<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://architecturerichmond.com/inventory/vcu-administration-building-former-lewis-ginter-house/
| url = https://architecturerichmond.com/inventory/vcu-administration-building-former-lewis-ginter-house/
| title = VCU ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (FORMER LEWIS GINTER HOUSE)
| title = VCU ADMINISTRATION BUILDING (FORMER LEWIS GINTER HOUSE)
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Ginter was inspired by the suburban developments in [[Melbourne]] and [[Sydney]] that he visited on one of many business trips marketing for [[Allen & Ginter]]. Beginning in 1888, Ginter and John Pope began assembling large tracts of land just north of Richmond in [[Henrico County]], with the intention of developing an upscale [[streetcar suburb]]. Their purchases included part of the original Westbrook Plantation, which they developed into their own country estate. Ginter's renovated and enlarged Westbrook house included a private barbershop. An outbuilding featured an automated, one-lane bowling alley.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 12.</ref> Ginter and Pope divided the large swaths of land into residential plots and provided many extravagant amenities, such as fresh artesian wells, tile sewer lines, roads covered with crushed stone, and the extension of the [[Richmond Union Passenger Railway]], the nation's first large-scale electric streetcar system. The neighborhood, known as [[Ginter Park]], attracted the [[Union Presbyterian Seminary|Union Theological Seminary]] and was eventually annexed to the City of Richmond.<ref name=GPRA>"History." ''Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter''. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php.</ref> Ginter also laid the groundwork for several adjoining neighborhoods, including Bellevue Park and [[Sherwood Park (Richmond, Virginia)|Sherwood Park]]. He established the [[Lakeside Wheel Club]] in 1895, and Lakeside Park in 1896.<ref>Burns, 155, 156.</ref>
Ginter was inspired by the suburban developments he saw in Australia, on business trips marketing for [[Allen & Ginter]]. Beginning in 1888, Ginter and his associate John Pope (see below) began assembling tracts of land just north of Richmond in [[Henrico County]], with the intention of developing an upscale [[streetcar suburb]]. Their purchases included part of the former Westbrook Plantation, which they developed into their own country estate. Ginter's renovated and enlarged Westbrook house included a private barbershop. An outbuilding featured an automated, one-lane bowling alley.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 12.</ref> Ginter and Pope divided the large swaths of land into residential plots and provided many amenities, such as artesian wells, tile sewer lines, roads covered with crushed stone, and the extension of the [[Richmond Union Passenger Railway]], the nation's first large-scale electric streetcar system. The neighborhood, known as [[Ginter Park]], attracted the [[Union Presbyterian Seminary|Union Theological Seminary]] and was eventually annexed to the City of Richmond.<ref name=GPRA>"History." ''Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter''. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php.</ref> Ginter also laid the groundwork for several adjoining neighborhoods, including Bellevue Park and [[Sherwood Park (Richmond, Virginia)|Sherwood Park]]. He established the [[Lakeside Wheel Club]] in 1895, and Lakeside Park in 1896.<ref>Burns, 155, 156.</ref>


Always eager to improve Richmond, Ginter hired famed architects [[Carrère and Hastings]] in 1892 to design a world-class hotel known as the [[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson]]. An estimated 5 to 10 million dollars was invested in the realization of the hotel before it opened on October 31, 1895.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 14.</ref> It was immediately praised as one of the finest hotels in the country.  Ginter commissioned [[Edward V. Valentine]] to create a life-size sculpture of [[Thomas Jefferson]] from [[Carrara]] marble to be displayed as the centerpiece of the upper lobby. Additional novelties included exotic palm trees from Central and South America, numerous antiques, Turkish and Russian baths, electric elevators, and for a brief period, alligators in the lobby fountain.<ref>"History."  "The Jefferson". http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history.</ref> Not only did the [[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson]] become an icon of Ginter's immeasurable dedication to his adopted city, it symbolized Richmond's growing post-war prosperity.{{cn|date=April 2025}}
Ginter hired architects [[Carrère and Hastings]] in 1892 to design an elegant hotel known as The Jefferson [Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|]. An estimated 5 to 10 million dollars was invested before it opened on October 31, 1895.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 14.</ref> Ginter commissioned [[Edward V. Valentine]] to create a life-size sculpture of [[Thomas Jefferson]] from [[Carrara]] marble to be displayed as the centerpiece of the upper lobby. Additional novelties included then-exotic palm trees from Central and South America, numerous antiques, Turkish and Russian baths, electric elevators, and for a brief period, alligators in the lobby fountain.<ref>"History."  "The Jefferson". http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history.</ref> Not only did the [[Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|Jefferson]] become a mark of Ginter's dedication to his adopted city, but it also demonstrated Richmond's post-war prosperity.{{cn|date=April 2025}}


== John Pope ==
== John Pope ==
While working in [[New York City]] after the war, Ginter met John Pope, a messenger boy who delivered packages to his firm. Pope was born in [[New York City]] in 1856 to a [[Germans|German]] immigrant family. His father was a shoemaker, and Pope acquired the delivery job at the age of 14 to help his family make ends meet. Ginter eventually hired Pope to work in the New York tobacco depot. When Ginter relocated back to Richmond, he brought Pope along with him as his apprentice.
While working in [[New York City]] after the war, Ginter met John Pope, a messenger boy who delivered packages to his firm. Pope was born in [[New York City]] in 1856 to a [[Germans|German]] immigrant family. His father was a shoemaker, and Pope took the delivery job at the age of 14 to help his family make ends meet. Ginter eventually hired Pope to work in the New York tobacco depot. When Ginter relocated back to Richmond, he brought Pope along with him as his apprentice and companion.


The two began an enduring business partnership that would last for the remainder of their lives. Pope grew to become Ginter's trusted business partner and assumed a number of executive roles, including Vice President of [[Allen & Ginter]] in 1888, and President of the Crystal Ice Company, James River Marl and Bone Phosphate Company, and Powhatan Clay Manufacturing Company. When the American Tobacco Company was formed in 1890, Pope served as vice-president and managed the centralized cigarette operations in Richmond. Like Ginter, Pope was involved in a number of philanthropic activities, and strove to avoid the public eye.<ref>"John Pope." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 4, 320-321.</ref>
The two began an enduring partnership that would last for the remainder of their lives. Pope grew to become Ginter's trusted business partner and assumed a number of executive roles, including Vice President of [[Allen & Ginter]] in 1888, and President of the Crystal Ice Company, James River Marl and Bone Phosphate Company, and Powhatan Clay Manufacturing Company. When the American Tobacco Company was formed in 1890, Pope served as vice-president and managed the centralized cigarette operations in Richmond. Like Ginter, Pope was involved in a number of philanthropic activities and strove to avoid the public eye.<ref>"John Pope." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 4, 320-321.</ref>


Ginter and Pope remained lifelong bachelors, both living in Ginter's home, until Pope's premature death in 1896.<ref name=ML12>Marschak and Lorch, 12.</ref><ref>Burns, 128, 132.</ref> Pope was buried in a plot in [[Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia)|Hollywood Cemetery]] that Ginter had reserved for himself.<ref>Burns, 183.</ref> While the intimate details of their relationship are unknown, Pope's obituary said he "lived quietly with Major Ginter, for whom he possessed the most ardent affection."<ref>''Richmond Dispatch'', April 9, 1896.</ref> And Ginter's obituary said he "never pointedly sought" the company of women.<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897"/>
Neither Ginter nor Pope ever married. They lived together in Ginter's home until Pope's premature death in 1896.<ref name=ML12>Marschak and Lorch, 12.</ref><ref>Burns, 128, 132.</ref> Pope was buried in a plot in [[Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia)|Hollywood Cemetery]] that Ginter had bought for himself.<ref>Burns, 183.</ref> While the precise nature of their relationship is unknown, Pope's obituary said he "lived quietly with Major Lewis, for whom he possessed the most ardent affection."<ref>''Richmond Dispatch'', April 9, 1896.</ref> And Ginter's own obituary said he "never pointedly sought" the company of women.<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897"/>


==Death==
==Death==
[[File:Mausoleum of Lewis Ginter.jpg|thumb|Lewis Ginter's mausoleum at Hollywood Cemetery]]
[[File:Mausoleum of Lewis Ginter.jpg|thumb|Lewis Ginter's mausoleum at [[Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia)|Hollywood Cemetery]]]]


The death of Ginter's close companion John Pope left him noticeably distraught. Ginter also suffered from [[diabetes]], and his health quickly declined before being bedridden at his Westbrook estate. After two months of severe debilitation, Ginter died on October 2, 1897. His funeral was regarded as one of the largest in Richmond's history, and about a year later his remains were placed in a private [[mausoleum]] in Hollywood Cemetery, overlooking the [[James River]].<ref name=RW17>Ryan and Rennie, 17.</ref><ref>Burns, 189.</ref>
John Pope's death left Ginter noticeably distraught. He also suffered from [[diabetes]], and his health quickly declined before becoming bedridden at his Westbrook estate. After two months of severe debilitation, Lewis Ginter died on October 2, 1897. His funeral was described as one of the largest in Richmond's history, and his remains were subsequently placed in a private [[mausoleum]] in Hollywood Cemetery, overlooking the [[James River]].<ref name=RW17>Ryan and Rennie, 17.</ref><ref>Burns, 189.</ref>


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
At the time of his death, Ginter had amassed one of the largest personal fortunes in the South.<ref>"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, 348-349.</ref> His enduring commitment to Richmond is evidenced in his significant investments in real estate, business, and most notably, his philanthropic activity. Even while Ginter was traveling abroad, he reportedly ordered items from Richmond to support local merchants.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 8.</ref> His will included gifts to almost every charity and public institution in the city. The remainder of his wealth was left to his relatives, including his niece, [[Grace Arents]], who continued in her uncle's charitable footsteps.<ref name=RW17/> Arents converted the [[Lakeside Wheel Club]] into a progressive farm known as Bloemendaal, which she later arranged to become [[Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden]]. She also developed [[St. Andrew's Church (Richmond, Virginia)|St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]] and [[St. Andrews School (Virginia)|St. Andrew's School]], built playgrounds, and funded numerous schools and medical institutions.<ref>Burns, 198.</ref> In 1897, the ''Richmond Dispatch'' praised Ginter as "one whose public spirit and broad charity have made his name familiar and honored throughout this city, which he loved so well, did so much to build up and beautify."<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897"/>
At the time of his death, Ginter had amassed one of the largest personal fortunes in the South.<ref>"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, 348-349.</ref> His enduring commitment to Richmond is evidenced in his significant investments in real estate, business, and most notably, his philanthropic activity. Even while traveling abroad, Ginter reportedly ordered items from Richmond to support local merchants.<ref>Ryan and Rennie, 8.</ref> His will included gifts to almost every charity and public institution in the city. The remainder of his wealth was left to his relatives, including his niece, [[Grace Arents]], who continued in her uncle's charitable footsteps.<ref name=RW17/> Arents converted the [[Lakeside Wheel Club]] into a progressive farm known as Bloemendaal, which she later arranged to become [[Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden]]. She also developed [[St. Andrew's Church (Richmond, Virginia)|St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]] and [[St. Andrews School (Virginia)|St. Andrew's School]], built playgrounds, and funded numerous schools and medical institutions.<ref>Burns, 198.</ref> In 1897, the ''Richmond Dispatch'' praised Ginter as "one whose public spirit and broad charity have made his name familiar and honored throughout this city, which he loved so well, did so much to build up and beautify."<ref name="Richmond Dispatch 1897"/>


==Notes==
==Notes==
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*Enstad, Nan. ''Cigarettes, Inc.: An Intimate History of Corporate Imperialism.'' Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2018. {{ISBN|9780226533315}}   
*Enstad, Nan. ''Cigarettes, Inc.: An Intimate History of Corporate Imperialism.'' Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2018. {{ISBN|9780226533315}}   
*"History." ''Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter''. April 7, 2014. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*"History." ''Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter''. April 7, 2014. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*"History." "The Jefferson". April 7, 2014. http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*"History." "The Jefferson". April 7, 2014. http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*''The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures.'' Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886. https://archive.org/stream/industriesofrich00wood#page/n1/mode/2up. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*''The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures.'' Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886. https://archive.org/stream/industriesofrich00wood#page/n1/mode/2up. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
*"John Pope." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 4, no. 3 (1897): 320-321.
*"John Pope." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 4, no. 3 (1897): 320-321.
*"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, no. 3 (1898): 348-349.
*"Lewis Ginter." ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' 5, no. 3 (1898): 348-349.
*Marschak, Beth, and Alex Lorch. ''Lesbian and Gay Richmond''. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2008.
*Marschak, Beth, and Alex Lorch. ''Lesbian and Gay Richmond''. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2008.
*''Richmond Dispatch''. Oct. 3, 1897.
*''Richmond Dispatch''. Oct. 3, 1897.
*''Richmond Daily Whig'', March 21, 1860.
*''Richmond Daily Whig'', March 21, 1860.
*Ryan, David D., and Wayland W. Rennie. ''Lewis Ginter's Richmond: Bellevue, Bloemendaal, Ginter Park, "Laburnum," Laburnum Park, Sherwood Park, the Jefferson Hotel, "Westbrook," Post Civil War to Present.'' S.I.: s.n., 1991.
*Ryan, David D., and Wayland W. Rennie. ''Lewis Ginter's Richmond: Bellevue, Bloemendaal, Ginter Park, "Laburnum," Laburnum Park, Sherwood Park, the Jefferson Hotel, "Westbrook," Post Civil War to Present.'' S.I.: s.n., 1991.


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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Lewis Ginter (April 4, 1824 – October 2, 1897) was an American businessman, financier, military officer, real estate developer, and philanthropist based in Richmond, Virginia. He acquired his fortune through diverse business ventures and became one of Richmond's wealthiest citizens.[1] Ginter served in the Confederacy, at the rank of major and later played a role in reconstructing Richmond after the Civil War.[2]

Early life

Lewis Ginter was born on April 4, 1824, in New York City to Dutch immigrants, John and Elizabeth Ginter. His father, who owned a grocery store, died shortly after his birth. After his mother passed away several years later, he was raised by his sister, Jane Ginter Arents.[3]

Early career

In 1842, at the age of eighteen, Ginter relocated to Richmond, Virginia to open a shop selling notions and toys. The business expanded into household furnishings, and by 1853, transitioned to marketing wholesale notions and imported fashionable goods to village and country merchants. In early 1860, his nephew George Arents joined the partnership of Ginter, Alvey & Arents.[4][5] The business became "the largest wholesale notion house and handlers of white goods and Irish linen in the South."[6] Ginter traveled throughout the United States and Europe to source merchandise, and amassed a considerable fortune before the Civil War. Preparing for unpredictable times and in order to protect his wealth, Ginter invested in large quantities of tobacco, sugar, and cotton that were stored in Richmond warehouses.[7]

Military service

Although he was originally from the North, Lewis Ginter supported his adopted home in the Confederacy by buying Confederate bonds and waiving outstanding debts. Shortly after the war broke out, he volunteered in the Confederate Quartermaster Department in Richmond, amassing supplies for the troops.[7] He joined the Confederate Army as a commissary with the rank of Major in 1862 and received praise from his superiors for his deeds on and off the battlefield, earning him the nickname "The Fighting Commissary." Major Ginter served under Generals Robert E. Lee, Joseph R. Anderson, Stonewall Jackson, A.P. Hill, and Edward Lloyd Thomas, and retained this title from affectionate Southerners long after the war ended.[8] Major Ginter was in the Confederate capital during the Evacuation and capture of Richmond and retreated to Amelia Court House, Virginia, to meet up with the remaining members of his brigade.[9] He was present during Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, and returned to Richmond several days later.[10]

New York

On his return to Richmond, Ginter found the city in a state of ruin. Though his cotton remained, his warehouse stores of tobacco and sugar had been destroyed in a fire that consumed much of the business district. With little economic opportunity in Richmond, he sold the cotton and returned to New York City to pursue a career in banking.[11] First joining the firm of Harrison & Company, he experienced great success, though this renewed fortune was short-lived. The Black Friday gold panic in 1869 forced Ginter to settle heavy debts that his firm had incurred. Having lost all of his wealth once again, he sold tobacco on consignment in New York for Richmond tobacconist, John F. Allen. In 1872, Ginter decided to return to Richmond.[12]

Return to Richmond

Tobacco

File:Allen ginter smoker figure.png
The Allen & Ginter logo

In 1872, Ginter joined John F. Allen to form John F. Allen & Company, which manufactured chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and a small line of cigars. Shortly after, at Ginter's urging, the firm was the first to manufacture cigarettes with the milder bright leaf tobacco, grown in the Virginia and North Carolina piedmont (rather than with strong "Turkish" tobaccos).[13] Early production began in a factory where twenty young, white women, hand-rolled cigarettes.[14] When the firm released its first cigarettes in 1875, it was the first in the South to manufacture cigarettes as its primary branded product.[15] Initially, the cigarettes weren't successful in the South, where chewing tobacco was overwhelmingly preferred.[15] However, with help from his agent, John Morgan Richards, Ginter's "Richmond Gem" cigarettes became popular in London where they were marketed as a foreign novelty.[16] In addition to the milder cigarettes, the firm also manufactured cigarettes with Turkish tobacco or blends. Their brands included "Richmond Straight-Cut No. 1," "The Pet," "Dubec," "Opera Puffs," and "Our Little Beauties."[17] Around 1880, the firm was renamed Allen & Ginter. In 1881, there was increasing competition in the tobacco industry and the firm began leasing James Bonsack's newly-invented cigarette rolling machine. By 1888, Allen & Ginter employed over 1,000 workers and cigarette production increased from 100,000 per month to 2,000,000 per day. In order to meet foreign demand, the firm eventually opened offices in London, Paris, and Berlin. In January of 1890, the successful Allen & Ginter merged with J. B. Duke, Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, Goodwin & Company and W.S. Kimball & Company to form the American Tobacco Company. Ginter declined an offer to be president of the company, remaining a director until his death in 1897.[18]

Real estate

File:Ginter-2019-12-15-5912c.jpg
Ginter mansion at 901 West Franklin Street, Richmond

After living in Richmond for several decades, Ginter purchased his first home at 405 East Cary Street in 1876 where he lived with his sister, Jane Arents, and three of her daughters, Grace, Joanna, and Minnie.[18] In 1891, he completed construction of a Richardsonian Romanesque mansion at 901 West Franklin Street, a fashionable neighborhood in Richmond. [19] The house was later acquired by Virginia Commonwealth University as the "Ginter House." In September 2020, the University’s Board of Visitors voted to de-commemorate and rename several buildings on campus named for individuals associated with the Confederacy, including Ginter's home.[20] The house is now known as the "VCU Administration Building".[21]

Ginter was inspired by the suburban developments he saw in Australia, on business trips marketing for Allen & Ginter. Beginning in 1888, Ginter and his associate John Pope (see below) began assembling tracts of land just north of Richmond in Henrico County, with the intention of developing an upscale streetcar suburb. Their purchases included part of the former Westbrook Plantation, which they developed into their own country estate. Ginter's renovated and enlarged Westbrook house included a private barbershop. An outbuilding featured an automated, one-lane bowling alley.[22] Ginter and Pope divided the large swaths of land into residential plots and provided many amenities, such as artesian wells, tile sewer lines, roads covered with crushed stone, and the extension of the Richmond Union Passenger Railway, the nation's first large-scale electric streetcar system. The neighborhood, known as Ginter Park, attracted the Union Theological Seminary and was eventually annexed to the City of Richmond.[23] Ginter also laid the groundwork for several adjoining neighborhoods, including Bellevue Park and Sherwood Park. He established the Lakeside Wheel Club in 1895, and Lakeside Park in 1896.[24]

Ginter hired architects Carrère and Hastings in 1892 to design an elegant hotel known as The Jefferson [Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, Virginia)|]. An estimated 5 to 10 million dollars was invested before it opened on October 31, 1895.[25] Ginter commissioned Edward V. Valentine to create a life-size sculpture of Thomas Jefferson from Carrara marble to be displayed as the centerpiece of the upper lobby. Additional novelties included then-exotic palm trees from Central and South America, numerous antiques, Turkish and Russian baths, electric elevators, and for a brief period, alligators in the lobby fountain.[26] Not only did the Jefferson become a mark of Ginter's dedication to his adopted city, but it also demonstrated Richmond's post-war prosperity.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

John Pope

While working in New York City after the war, Ginter met John Pope, a messenger boy who delivered packages to his firm. Pope was born in New York City in 1856 to a German immigrant family. His father was a shoemaker, and Pope took the delivery job at the age of 14 to help his family make ends meet. Ginter eventually hired Pope to work in the New York tobacco depot. When Ginter relocated back to Richmond, he brought Pope along with him as his apprentice and companion.

The two began an enduring partnership that would last for the remainder of their lives. Pope grew to become Ginter's trusted business partner and assumed a number of executive roles, including Vice President of Allen & Ginter in 1888, and President of the Crystal Ice Company, James River Marl and Bone Phosphate Company, and Powhatan Clay Manufacturing Company. When the American Tobacco Company was formed in 1890, Pope served as vice-president and managed the centralized cigarette operations in Richmond. Like Ginter, Pope was involved in a number of philanthropic activities and strove to avoid the public eye.[27]

Neither Ginter nor Pope ever married. They lived together in Ginter's home until Pope's premature death in 1896.[28][29] Pope was buried in a plot in Hollywood Cemetery that Ginter had bought for himself.[30] While the precise nature of their relationship is unknown, Pope's obituary said he "lived quietly with Major Lewis, for whom he possessed the most ardent affection."[31] And Ginter's own obituary said he "never pointedly sought" the company of women.[6]

Death

File:Mausoleum of Lewis Ginter.jpg
Lewis Ginter's mausoleum at Hollywood Cemetery

John Pope's death left Ginter noticeably distraught. He also suffered from diabetes, and his health quickly declined before becoming bedridden at his Westbrook estate. After two months of severe debilitation, Lewis Ginter died on October 2, 1897. His funeral was described as one of the largest in Richmond's history, and his remains were subsequently placed in a private mausoleum in Hollywood Cemetery, overlooking the James River.[32][33]

Legacy

At the time of his death, Ginter had amassed one of the largest personal fortunes in the South.[34] His enduring commitment to Richmond is evidenced in his significant investments in real estate, business, and most notably, his philanthropic activity. Even while traveling abroad, Ginter reportedly ordered items from Richmond to support local merchants.[35] His will included gifts to almost every charity and public institution in the city. The remainder of his wealth was left to his relatives, including his niece, Grace Arents, who continued in her uncle's charitable footsteps.[32] Arents converted the Lakeside Wheel Club into a progressive farm known as Bloemendaal, which she later arranged to become Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. She also developed St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and St. Andrew's School, built playgrounds, and funded numerous schools and medical institutions.[36] In 1897, the Richmond Dispatch praised Ginter as "one whose public spirit and broad charity have made his name familiar and honored throughout this city, which he loved so well, did so much to build up and beautify."[6]

Notes

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  1. ↑ "Lewis Ginter." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 5, 348.
  2. ↑ Burns, 284.
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Burns, 34.
  5. ↑ Richmond Daily Whig, March 21, 1860.
  6. ↑ a b c Richmond Dispatch, Oct. 3, 1897.
  7. ↑ a b Burns, 48.
  8. ↑ Ryan and Rennie, 5.
  9. ↑ Burns, 63, 67.
  10. ↑ Burns, 69.
  11. ↑ Burns, 78.
  12. ↑ Burns, 86.
  13. ↑ Enstad, 20, 23.
  14. ↑ Burns, 93.
  15. ↑ a b Enstad, 22.
  16. ↑ Enstad, 23.
  17. ↑ The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures. Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886, 59.
  18. ↑ a b Ryan and Rennie, 7.
  19. ↑ Burns, 130.
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Ryan and Rennie, 12.
  23. ↑ "History." Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php.
  24. ↑ Burns, 155, 156.
  25. ↑ Ryan and Rennie, 14.
  26. ↑ "History." "The Jefferson". http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history.
  27. ↑ "John Pope." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 4, 320-321.
  28. ↑ Marschak and Lorch, 12.
  29. ↑ Burns, 128, 132.
  30. ↑ Burns, 183.
  31. ↑ Richmond Dispatch, April 9, 1896.
  32. ↑ a b Ryan and Rennie, 17.
  33. ↑ Burns, 189.
  34. ↑ "Lewis Ginter." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 5, 348-349.
  35. ↑ Ryan and Rennie, 8.
  36. ↑ Burns, 198.

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References

  • Burns, Brian. Lewis Ginter: Richmond's Gilded Age Icon. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2011. Template:ISBN
  • Enstad, Nan. Cigarettes, Inc.: An Intimate History of Corporate Imperialism. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2018. Template:ISBN
  • "History." Ginter Park Residents Association Newsletter. April 7, 2014. http://www.ginterpark.org/ginter-park-history.php. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  • "History." "The Jefferson". April 7, 2014. http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/experience/history. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  • The Industries of Richmond: Her Trade, Commerce, Manufactures. Richmond: Metropolitan Publishing Company, 1886. https://archive.org/stream/industriesofrich00wood#page/n1/mode/2up. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  • "John Pope." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 4, no. 3 (1897): 320-321.
  • "Lewis Ginter." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 5, no. 3 (1898): 348-349.
  • Marschak, Beth, and Alex Lorch. Lesbian and Gay Richmond. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2008.
  • Richmond Dispatch. Oct. 3, 1897.
  • Richmond Daily Whig, March 21, 1860.
  • Ryan, David D., and Wayland W. Rennie. Lewis Ginter's Richmond: Bellevue, Bloemendaal, Ginter Park, "Laburnum," Laburnum Park, Sherwood Park, the Jefferson Hotel, "Westbrook," Post Civil War to Present. S.I.: s.n., 1991.

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