John D. MacArthur
| John D. MacArthur | |
|---|---|
| Born |
John Donald MacArthur March 6, 1897 Pittston, Pennsylvania |
| Died | January 6, 1978 (aged 80) Abacoa, Florida |
| Occupation | businessman and philanthropist |
| Known for | John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Ingals Catherine T. MacArthur (1928 – his death) |
| Children |
J. Roderick MacArthur Virginia MacArthur |
| Relatives |
Charles MacArthur (brother) Helen Hayes (sister-in-law) James MacArthur (nephew) |
John Donald MacArthur (March 6, 1897 – January 6, 1978) was an American businessman and philanthropist who established the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, benefactor in the MacArthur Fellowships.
John Donald MacArthur was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania. He and his many siblings grew up in poverty, the children of an itinerant Baptist preacher and his resourceful wife. His sister-in-law was the esteemed actress Helen Hayes. His brother, American playwright and screenwriter Charles MacArthur, was best known as co-author of the play The Front Page.
MacArthur made his fortune in the insurance business. He acquired the Bankers Life and Casualty Company in 1935 for $2,500, then went on to build a business empire by acquiring many small insurance corporations. In the 1950s he signed famed broadcaster Paul Harvey as his company's radio spokesperson.
MacArthur also increased his vast fortune by heavily and lucratively investing in Florida real estate. In 1954 for $5.5 million MacArthur bought 2,600 acres (11 km2) of land in northern Palm Beach County originally owned by Harry Seymor Kelsey and later by Sir Harry Oakes. It included most of today's Lake Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Palm Beach Shores. For many years, MacArthur conducted his business affairs from a table in the Colonnades Beach Hotel in Palm Beach Shores, where he and his wife lived in an apartment above the bar, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon.
...
Wikipedia