CORRIGAN, JAMES W. JR.

CORRIGAN, JAMES W. JR. (7 Apr. 1880-23 Jan. 1928), who inherited the Corrigan-McKinney Steel fortune, was born in Grybow, Polish Austria, the son of Capt. James C. and Ida Allen Corrigan. He was educated at the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake, Mich., and Case School of Applied Science. Corrigan's father, with STEVENSON BURKE, founded the Corrigan-Ives Steel company in the early 1890s. Price McKinney became a partner in 1894. Young James left for the west after his mother and 3 sisters drowned 7 July 1900 when their yacht capsized during a storm. He attended Falkenou's School of Asseying & Mill Tests in San Francisco, worked for a telegraph office in Goldfield, Nev., and later supervised Corrigan-McKinney properties in Mexico. When his father died in 1908, James received $15,000 in cash and 40% of the Corrigan McKinney stock to be held in trust until he reached age 40. McKinney, who was trustee of James's stock, received a 30% stock interest of his own giving him majority ownership of the company. Hostilities between James and Price McKinney surfaced in 1917 when McKinney dropped the name Corrigan from the firm. Corrigan ousted him as a trustee and took control of his interest but did not try to take over the company. He had married Laura Mae McMartin 2 Dec. 1916 in New York and opted instead to support her efforts to break into society (see LAURA MAE CORRIGAN). After buying another 13% of the McKinney Steel Company stock, he returned to Cleveland from abroad in May 1925 and with his 53% majority, took over the presidency from McKinney. In charge of the renamed Corrigan-McKinney Steel, he ran the company until his untimely death. He is buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.


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