Edward Wellington Backus

1860 - 1934  (73 years)

• Name	Edward Wellington Backus
  Born	1 Dec 1860	Jamestown, Chautauqua Co, New York, USA
  Gender	Male
  Died	29 Oct 1934	New York, USA
  Person ID	I12527	A00 Hoar and Horr Families North America
  Last Modified	19 Dec 2015

  
  

  Father	Abel Backus
  Mother	Anna Anderson
  Family ID	F558	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Horr,   b. Abt 1862, Maine, USA ,   d. 24 Nov 1956,  (Age 94 years)
  Married
  Children	1. Edward Raymond Backus,   b. Abt 1891,   d. 26 Aug 1912, International Falls, Koochiching Co, Minnesota, USA  (Age 21 years)   2. Seymour Wellington Backus,   b. 1 Oct 1895, Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, Minnesota, USA ,   d. 30 Jun 1936, Miami Beach, Dade Co, Florida, USA  (Age 40 years)
  Last Modified	22 Mar 2009
  Family ID	F5642	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Died - 29 Oct 1934 - New York, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Courtesy of the Fort Frances Museum Obituary: Edward Wellington Backus Born 1861 Married Elizabeth Horr Backus Died October 29th, 1934 Mr. Edward Wellington Backus, of Minneapolis was noted as a modern Napolean of finance, diplomacy and astuteness. Backus was among the leaders in the newsprint and timber industry. An empire builder he envisioned the possibilities of power, timber and natural resources. He was the first capitalist to show his faith in the industrial future of Fort Frances by putting up his money and every dollar he could get from outside resources to develop water power. In 1882 Backus began his lumbering career at the age of 21 with the Lee and McCullock company, buying out the interest of the junior partner the following year. The firm of Lee and Backus was succeeded in 1885 and in 1899 changed to the Backus-Brooks Company. In 1892, with a timber cruiser, Backus walked 200 miles through deep snow to arrive shortly after midnight at a Huddon's Bay company Post, now Fort Frances. In the crisp clear moonlight he viewed the majestic Falls and envisioned the future of power developments, paper mills and sawmills, staff support in the existence of two large towns, with footpaths being supplanted with railroads. Mr. Backus was noted as "a man of splendid physique... he had the head of statesman and shoulders of a gladiator. His beaming eyes denoted his keen intellect and his retentitive memory... Or commanding appearance, he was a man of note whether in village circles or in the financial centers of the east... He devoted his time and energies to the development of his industrial enterprise." Mr. Backus, like many other financiers over-extended his activities during the prosperous period following World War I. Suffering severe losses, his endeavors to recoup his losses and advanced aged were factors in his death in 1934 when he succumbed to a heart attack in New York. See also: http://www.angelfire.com/mn/thursdaynighthikes/lakeisles_arch1.html