Edgar F. Luckenbach

Edgar F. Luckenbach
Born	Edgar Frederick Luckenbach January 19, 1868 New York City
Died	April 26, 1943 Sands Point, New York
Residence	Palm Beach, Florida Sands Point, New York
Nationality	American
Occupation	President
Employer	Luckenbach Steamship Company
Title	Commodore
Spouse(s)	Florence Bissell Susan G. Vickers Andrea Fenwick (m. 1919-1937)
Children	Lewis Luckenbach Andrea Luckenbach Edgar F. Luckenbach, Jr.
Parent(s)	Lewis Luckenbach and Mary E. Frey

Edgar Frederick Luckenbach, Sr. ( January 19, 1868 – April 26, 1943 ) was an American shipping magnate who inherited his father's steamship company, which he incorporated in 1913 under the name Luckenbach Steamship Company, Inc. (also known as Luckenbach Lines).

Luckenbach was born in Kingston, New York. His parents, both born in Germany, were Lewis (Ludwig) Luckenbach (died Aug. 18, 1906) and Mary E. Frey (died Jan. 24, 1926). His family then moved to Brooklyn, where Edgar attended public schools. After graduating from high school, Edgar went to Rondout, New York, to join his father in the shipping business, which had been founded in 1850.

Edgar Luckenbach married three times. His first marriage was to Florence Bissell, of Brooklyn. However, she died a few months after their marriage. His next marriage was to Susan Vickers, which terminated in divorce. Finally, he married Andrea Fenwick in 1919, and they remained married until her death at age 50 in 1937. The family lived at Elm Court, their estate in Sands Point, New York, and usually wintered in Palm Beach, Florida.

Luckenbach had one son with his second wife, named Lewis, and two children with his third wife, named Edgar Frederick Luckenbach, Jr. (May 17, 1925 - August 9, 1974) and Andrea (d. April 1, 1962 at the age of 41). In his later life, Luckenbach had a tumultuous relationship with his daughter. After her marriage to William Dobbs in 1939, a man of whom he did not approve, Luckenbach refused to give her any money for support. Andrea was then forced to withdraw early from her trust fund, which was set up by her grandmother. When just 33 years old, Andrea was shot four times by her estranged 3rd husband Frederick O. Hammer in June 1954 in the paddock of the Delaware Park race course, but survived.

When Edgar Luckenbach joined his father's company, the business was strictly for towing boats on the Hudson River. It then grew to include salvage and clipper ships, and finally Luckenbach began to acquire steamships. When Lewis Luckenbach died in 1906, his son succeeded him as president and moved the company to 120 Wall Street in Manhattan. At that time, his ships sailed all over the world, engaging in trade.

After the First World War, Luckenbach decided it was in the best interest of the company to focus on domestic trade. He established terminal facilities throughout the United States, including in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Mobile and Galveston.

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