Edgar F. Luckenbach

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). He was also the President of Luckenbach Terminal Company. At his death in 1943, his estate amounted to more than 60 million dollars, or around 700 million dollars in 2022 money.

Family Elm Court, Sands Point, New York. Gilded age mansion of shipping magnate Edgar Luckenbach

Edgar Luckenbach was born in Kingston, New York. His parents, both born in Germany, were Lewis (Ludwig) Luckenbach (died August 18, 1906) and Mary E. Frey (died January 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, niece of Dr. Leroy Milton Yale Jr. of the Yale family. 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 V Luckenbach . His second son, Lewis V Luckenbach had one son named Lewis Luckenbach Jr. Lewis Luckenbach Jr. had only one child named Lewis Luckenbach III. Lewis Luckenbach III had three children named Katrina, Laura and Niles Lewis Luckenbach. As of 2025 Lewis Luckenbach III has seven grandchildren. Edgar had two children with his third wife, named Edgar Frederick Luckenbach, Jr. (May 17, 1925 - August 9, 1974) and Andrea (June 12,1920 d. April 1, 1962) at the age of 41 ). His second son, Edgar Frederick Luckenbach Jr. had two sons, Edgar Frederick Luckenbach III and Jason A. Luckenbach. Andrea Luckenbach had no children. 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 had been 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.

Personal interests Luckenbach was very active in club affairs. He was a member of the Atlantic Yacht Club, Sands Point Bath Club, New York Yacht Club, the Turf and Field Club, the United Hunts Club and the Everglades Club of Palm Beach.

The estate later became the campus of Sands Point Country Day School, also known as Sands Point Academy, a school for gifted children, which operated there from 1954 to 1973.

Business

Luckenbach's father Lewis owned the Luckenbach Steamship Company, and Edgar succeeded to its presidency upon Lewis's death in 1906, moving its operations to Manhattan.

Some ships: SS Harry Luckenbach, SS War Indian, SS Lena Luckenbach, USS Walter A. Luckenbach (ID-3171), USS Katrina Luckenbach, SS Jacob Luckenbach, USS Seneca, USS Montauk (SP-1213), USS Penobscot (SP-982), USS W. F. Babcock, Washington (SP-1241), SS Saale, SS Booker T. Washington, , USS Edward Luckenbach, , , , , , USS Luckenbach Tug No. 1 (ID-1232), and .

A second SS Jacob Luckenbach sank on 14 July 1953 after a collision off San Francisco in fog while carrying military supplies to Korea. The wreck was determined in 2002 to be a source of oil pollution and about 85,000 gallons of oil were removed.

World War 2 charter the: SS Red Oak Victory SS Navajo Victory SS Kokomo Victory SS F. A. C. Muhlenberg SS Frederick Douglass SS Kemp P. Battle SS Haym Salomon SS Howard T. Ricketts SS Pine Bluff Victory SS Pittston Victory SS John S. Casement SS Stephen H. Long SS Stephen Hopkins SS Edward W. Bok SS Edwin L. Godkin SS Mexico Victory SS Billy Sunday SS John R. Park SS David Bushnell SS Donald H. Holland Selma Victory Lost in the war: Edward Luckenbach, July 2, 1942, struck a mine Forence Luckenbach, Jan. 29, 1942 torpedoed Matthew Luckenbach, March 19, 1943, torpedoed Lena Luckenbach, Aug. 4, 1944 blew up at Port Chicago disaster Stephen Hopkins, Sept. 27, 1942 shelled & sank John R. Parks, March 21, 1945, torpedoed