Elizabeth Christ Trump
Elizabeth Christ Trump | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Elizabeth Christ October 10, 1880 |
| Died | June 6, 1966 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | German |
| Citizenship | American |
| Occupation | Real estate developer |
| Spouse | Frederick Trump |
| Children | Elizabeth, Fred, and John |
| Parent(s) | Philipp Christ, Ana Maria Anton[1] |
Elizabeth Christ Trump (October 10, 1880 – June 6, 1966) was the matriarch of the Trump family. Born in Germany, she married Frederick Trump in 1902 and moved to the USA. She raised three children until the early death of her husband required her to manage her husband's properties in order to support her family. She founded the real estate development company Elizabeth Trump & Son with her son Fred Trump.[1] The company, now known as The Trump Organization, is currently owned and managed by her grandson, Donald Trump.
Early life
Elizabeth Trump was born as Elizabeth Christ in Kallstadt, Germany, the daughter of Philipp Christ by his wife Ana Maria Christ (née Anton). While the family owned a little farmland, the income from that was not adequate to meet their needs, and Philipp Christ worked as a tinker who repaired and polished old utensils and also sold pots and pans. He ran his trade from his house on Frankenheim Strasse in Kallstadt, which was just across the street from the home of the Trump family, where lived Katrina Trump, an elderly widow, and her large family. [1]
Marriage
In 1901, Katrina's son Frederick Trump returned from America a relatively rich young man. He had emigrated to America in 1885 when Elizabeth had been five years old. When he returned, he wooed Elizabeth over the objections of his mother, who felt that her prosperous son could and should find a bride from a wealthier and more refined family than Elizabeth's. Nonetheless, Frederick proposed to Elizabeth, was accepted, and they were wed on 26 August 1902.[1] While they were wedded in a Church, an additional civil ceremony was necessary as per the law, this was conduced before the registrar in the nearby town of Ludwigshafen (Mannheim). He was 33 and she was 22 years old. Frederick took Elizabeth to New York and they set up house in an apartment in the predominantly German quarter of Morrisania in the Bronx. Elizabeth kept house, while Frederick worked as a restaurant and hotel manager. Their eldest child, a daughter who they named Elizabeth, was born on 20 April 1904.[1]
By this time, despite living in a German neighborhood, Elizabeth was thoroughly homesick. For all this reason, Frederick decided to uproot himself once again, and shift permanently back to Germany. He sold his assets in America and took his wife and daughter back to Germany. They were back in Kallstadt well before Christmas 1904.[1]
Because of his prior refusal to serve in the German army, Frederick could not remain in Germany, so the family returned to the United States in 1905. Elizabeth's second child Fred Trump, was born and they set up house on 177th Street in the Bronx. After her third child, John, was born, they moved to the nearby borough of Queens, where her husband began developing real estate. In 1918, however, he died of influenza leaving an estate valued at $31,359 ($492,016 in 2016 dollars).[2][1]
Founding Elizabeth Trump & Son
Elizabeth had a "remarkable talent"[1] for keeping the real estate business going. She had a local contractor build houses on an empty piece of property left by her husband, sold the houses, and lived off the mortgages paid by the new owners. Her vision was to have her three children continue the family business when they finished school, but her middle son Fred, wanted to start earlier. She founded the company "Elizabeth Trump & Son" to give him his start. Since he was under age, she signed all legal documents and did the real estate closings. In 1927 when Fred was 22, E. Trump & Son was formally incorporated.[3] Fred became quite successful with the business but Elizabeth remained involved throughout her life. Even in her 70s she would collect coins from the laundromats in Trump buildings.[1]
Personal life
Elizabeth was considered the matriarch of the Trump family. She had "extraordinary determination".[4] She dressed very conservatively and formally. She was hardworking and had a stern demeanor. She remained close to her son Fred for her entire life.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gwenda Blair, The Trumps: Three Generations That Built an Empire. Simon and Schuster, 2000. ISBN 0743210794, 9780743210799
- ^ CPI inflation calculator
- ^ "New Concerns Function with Queens Capital". The Daily Star. April 16, 1927.
- ^ Wayne Barrett. Trump: The Deals and the Downfall. HarperCollins, 1992.