F. Augustus Heinze
| Fritz Augustus Heinze | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | December 5, 1869 Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Died | November 4, 1914 (aged 44) Saratoga, New York |
| Cause of death | Cirrhosis of the liver |
| Education | Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute Columbia University's School of Mines |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse(s) | Bernice Henderson |
| Children | Fritz Augustus Heinze, Jr. |
| Parent(s) | Otto Heinze Lida Lacey |
| Relatives | Lida Fleitmann (sister) |
Fritz Augustus Heinze (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪntsə]) (December 5, 1869 – November 4, 1914) was one of the three "Copper Kings" of Butte, Montana, along with William Andrews Clark and Marcus Daly. He was an intelligent, charismatic and devious character, but was also seen as a hero especially by many of the citizens of Montana.
Fritz Augustus Heinze (known as F Augustus Heinze) was born in Brooklyn, New York, to wealthy immigrant parents, Otto Heinze from Germany and Lida Lacey from Ireland. He was very bright and had a good education in Germany (from 9 to 15 years of age) and at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute (now part of NYU) and was fluent in various languages. He then graduated from Columbia University's School of Mines, New York, in 1889. Instead of undertaking further studies in Germany, as his father wished, he headed west to Colorado and Salt Lake City to pursue his interest in mining. He also caused the copper market to drop 76% in two days in 1907.
Heinze went to Butte, Montana, in 1889 as a mining engineer for the Boston and Montana Company. He became known for his hard drinking and fun-loving antics in Butte’s saloons and gambling dens, whilst donning society dress and having a shy demeanor and polished manners that impressed the ladies. Assisted by an inheritance of $50,000 from his recently deceased father, Heinze revelled in working hard to be a significant player. In 1894, Heinze's Montana Ore Purchasing Company opened a sophisticated new smelter, allowing Heinze to offer low-priced smelting to small mining companies. Originally, Heinze had to lease mines and secure ore from independent companies in order to keep operating. Heinze was able to locate rich ore bodies and the Rarus Mine, purchased in 1895, turned out to be one of Butte's premier mining properties.
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