Working Americans 1880-1999 Volume 3: The Upper Class

Volume III: The Upper Class explores the lives of the very rich, focusing on those in the top 5 percent of America’s income level, including what they spent their money on, their ability to influence their communities, build companies through the timely infusion of capital, as well as their desire to party in Palm Beach or associate with the Dukes, Astors and Vanderbilts. Volume III: The Upper Class includes families whose only concern is making money, families whose only wish is to spend it and even some who are on the verge of losing the status often bestowed by wealth through bankruptcy.

Take a look at just some of the families profiled in Working Americans 1880-1999 – Volume III: The Upper Class:

1880 - A wealthy Boston investor searches for ways to make a new company, Bell Telephone, profitably; ultimately the board controls costs by firing inventor Alexander Graham Bell.

1913 - Good timing led this man to invest in Ransom Olds’ new product the Oldsmobile; today, he is enjoying the fruits of his wisdom following a buy-out as the industry consolidates.

1915 - As Chief Surgeon of the Seaboard Railway Company, this man and his wife, both of whom trace their lineage to the earliest days of Virginia, enjoy the good life of foxhunting and trips to New York. He is devoted to finding ways to make train travel safer through a concept called "first aid."

1980 - Known as "The Slasher," this man divides his time between dismantling ailing companies and the party life of Palm Beach.

1999 - This Dot Com advertising executive is running and gunning his way to fame and fortune; no risk is too great for this whiz kid millionaire.

The Working Americans 1880-1999 series presents an interesting and useful compilation of portraits of the Working Class, Middle Class and Upper Class across the last 120 years. This series will be an important addition to any high school, public or academic library reference collection. SHOW LESS READ MORE >

1880–1899 INTRODUCTION



1880 Family Profile: Telephone Executive from Massachusetts

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Boston, Massachusetts



Historical Snapshot 1880–1881



1880 Economic Profile

Daily Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The Development of the Telephone



1892 Family Profile: Mining Company Owners from Colorado

Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Leadville, Colorado



Historical Snapshot 1892–1893



1892 Economic Profile

Daily Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1897 Family Profile: Heir and Heiress from New York

Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: New York City



Historical Snapshot 1897



1898 News Profile



1900–1909 INTRODUCTION



1900 Family Profile: Bank Stockholder from Montana

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Butte, Montana



Historical Snapshot 1900



1900 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

America in 1900



1901 News Profile



1907 Family Profile: Wine Merchant from California

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life in the Community: San Francisco, California



Historical Snapshot 1907



1907 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906



1909 Family Profile: Soft Drink Bottling Company Partner from Tennessee

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Chattanooga, Tennessee



Historical Snapshot 1909



1909 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The History of Coca-Cola

Changing America: 1909



1910–1919 INTRODUCTION



1910 News Profile



1913 Family Profile: Automobile Manufacturer from Michigan

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Detroit, Michigan



Historical Snapshot 1913



1913 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The History of the Oldsmobile



1915 Family Profile: Surgeon from Virginia

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Petersburg, Virginia



Historical Snapshot 1915



1915 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1919 Family Profile: Heiress and Minister from Maryland

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Chevy Chase, Maryland



Historical Snapshot 1919



1919 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1920–1929 INTRODUCTION



1922 Family Profile: Actress from California

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Hollywood, California



Historical Snapshot 1922



1922 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The Development of Hollywood



1924 Family Profile: Store Owner from Oklahoma

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Tulsa, Oklahoma



Historical Snapshot 1924



1924 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1927 Family Profile: Heiress and Investment Banker from Palm Beach and Philadelphia

Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Palm Beach and Philadelphia



Historical Snapshot 1927



1927 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1928 News Profile



1930–1939 INTRODUCTION



1931 Family Profile: Investor from Ohio

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Oberlin, Ohio



Historical Snapshot 1931



1931 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The Depression



1935 News Feature



1936 Family Profile: Heiress from Hawaii

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Honolulu, Hawaii



Historical Snapshot 1936



1936 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1939 Family Profile: Inventor from Maine

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Bangor, Maine



Historical Snapshot 1939



1939 Economic Profile

Selected Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1940–1949 INTRODUCTION



1942 Family Profile: Shipbuilder from Texas

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Houston, Texas



Historical Snapshot 1942



1942 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

America’s Industry Goes to War



1946 Profile: Inventor from Illinois

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Muskegon, Michigan



Historical Snapshot 1946



1946 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The Business of Bowling



1946 News Profile



1948 Family Profile: Architect from New York and London

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: London, England



Historical Snapshot 1948



1949 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

Britain during the War



1950–1959 INTRODUCTION



1950 News Profile



1951 Family Profile: Toy Company Executive from New Jersey

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Livingston, New Jersey



Historical Snapshot 1951



1951 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1955 Family Profile: Casino Operator from Nevada

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Las Vegas, Nevada



Historical Snapshot 1955



1955 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

Tourism in Nevada



1957 Family Profile: Cotton Broker from Mississippi

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Gulf Port, Mississippi



Historical Snapshot 1957



1957 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1960–1969 INTRODUCTION



1961 Family Profile: Car Dealer from Illinois

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Chicago, Illinois



Historical Snapshot 1961



1961 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1964 News Profile



1965 Family Profile: Investor from Maryland

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Baltimore, Maryland



Historical Snapshot 1965

The Ritualism of African Art



1969 Family Profile: Record Producer from Tennessee

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Nashville, Tennessee



Historical Snapshot 1969



1969 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

Table of Contents



1970–1979 INTRODUCTION



1972 Family Profile: Computer Engineer from Illinois

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Chicago, Illinois



Historical Snapshot 1972



1972 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

Chewing Gum through the Ages



1976 News Profile



1978 Family Profile: Orange Juice Company Owner from Florida

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Bradenton, Florida



Historical Snapshot 1978



1978 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The History of Oranges



1979 Family Profile: Manufacturing Executive from Connecticut

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Windsor Locks, Connecticut



Historical Snapshot 1979



1979 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1980–1989 INTRODUCTION



1982 News Profile



1986 Profile: Scientist from California

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: San Diego, California



Historical Snapshot 1986



1986 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1987 Family Profile: Lawyer from New York

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: New York City



Historical Snapshot 1987



1987 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1988 Family Profile: Cell Phone Magnate from Williamstown, New York, and Monaco

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Williamstown, New York, and Monaco



Historical Snapshot 1988



1988 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices

The Rise of Cellular



1990–1999 INTRODUCTION



1990 News Profile



1993 Family Profile: Corporate Restructurer from Florida

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Palm Beach, Florida



Historical Snapshot 1993



1993 Economic Profile

Annual Income, Standard Jobs

Selected Prices



1997 Family Profile: Machinery Company Owner from South Carolina

Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: Columbia, South Carolina



Historical Snapshot 1997



1997 Economic Profile

Selected Prices



1999 Family Profile: Advertising, Telemarketing, Internet Entrepreneur

from New York

Annual Income

Life at Home

Life at Work

Life in the Community: New York City



Historical Snapshot 1999



1999 Economic Profile

Selected Prices



Sources



Index

“The accounts of the families make compelling reading. The overview of the decade that begins each chapter and the economic profile provided for each decade are useful for setting the context of the lives of the families examined. But it is the accounts of each family’s experiences that make for the most compelling reading. Although existing sources contain the economic data and major events of the decades covered, this volume is unique in that it puts a human face on the statistics…Each family profile also provides great insight into the manner in which the challenges and struggles of working-class families has changed across the decades. The volume ‘promises to enhance our understanding of the growth and development of the working class over more than a century.’ It capably fulfills this promise. This work will be a valuable tool for both researchers and educators. It is recommended for all types of libraries.”

–ARBA

“A unique study of the American working class…Overall, this volume engages and informs, contributing significantly and meaningfully to the historiography of the working class in America…A compelling and well-organized contribution for those interested in social history and the complexities of working Americans.”

–Library Journal

“This work is highly recommended for school libraries from middle school through high school as well as college libraries from community college through graduate school. It should be found in public libraries of every size.”

–ARBA

“This eighth volume in the Working Americans series takes a thematic approach, and like the rest of the series, it describes its topic not by focusing on the achievements of the famous but on ordinary people. The volume is arranged by decade, and for each decade, two or three people who typify the immigrant experience are profiled. Accompanying the profiles are time lines, reproduction of period advertisements, excerpts from newspaper and magazine articles, and other items providing a sense of the period.”
–Booklist

“Derks adds to the genre of social history known as “history from the bottom up,” which examines the lives of ordinary people… Recommended for all college and university library collections.”
–Choice

“…these stories…succeed in capturing the spirit of the issue and the times…”
–ARBA

“Libraries interested in economic and social history will be interested in this new multi-volume set which looks at the working class American, decade-by-decade to see the kind of work, wages, and the hours of labor, as well as the homes, food, clothes and entertainment families bought. Based on government statistics and surveys, social worker histories, family dairies and letters, newspaper and magazine articles, this is a fascinating look at the laborer. [Family profiles] examine income; expenses; and life at home, at work, and in the community. They make it possible to identify and therefore understand the problems and conditions of workers during that era… The whole volume is well illustrated with carefully selected pictures. This is no dull statistical compilation of economic history. It is a very interesting, readable account of life in the United States for the worker or laborer. It would be very useful for undergraduate students researching laborers or working and social conditions.”

–Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship

“This set looks at what kind of work Americans did, the homes they lived in, the goods they bought, the entertainment they sought and the society and history that shaped their world…The wellorganized books are designed to facilitate our understanding of the growth and development as well as the lifestyles and economic life of the working and middle classes over a century… These interesting, unique compilations of economic and social facts, figures and graphs will support multiple research needs. They will engage and enlighten patrons in high school, public and academic library
collections.”

–Booklist