William Lukens Elkins.

About William Lukens Elkins

William Lukens Elkins was an American businessman and art collector. He began his working career as a grocer in Philadelphia and became a business tycoon with financial interests in oil, natural gas, and transportation. He was one of the first to convert oil to gasoline and became a founding partner and major shareholder of Standard Oil after selling his refining business to John D. Rockefeller. He partnered with Peter Widener to found the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company and developed streetcar and railway systems throughout several major cities in the United States. He founded the United Gas Improvement Company and was a member of the board of directors of 24 companies. He was a collector of art and filled his Elkins Estate with over 132 paintings. The exact value of his estate at the time of death is unknown, though today it would likely be worth several billion dollars.