Conrad Hilton: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:20, 28 May 2006

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'''Conrad Nicholson Hilton''' ([[December 25]], [[1887]] – [[January 3]], [[1979]]) was an American hotelier and founder of the [[Hilton Hotel]] chain.

He was born in 1887 to a [[Norway|Norwegian]] father and a [[Germans|German]] [[Catholic]] mother in [[Socorro County]], [[New Mexico]], Augustus Halvorson "“Gus"” Hilton ([[August 21]], [[1854]] - [[January 19]], [[1919]]) and Mary Genevieve Laufersweiler ([[December 3]], [[1861]] - [[August 26]], [[1947]]). His parents were married on [[February 12]], [[1885]] in [[Fort Dodge]], [[Iowa]].

Conrad's siblings were Felice A. Hilton ([[December 6]], [[1885]] - [[February 12]], [[1968]]); Eva C. Hilton ([[December 29]], [[1889]] - [[1979]]); Carl H. Hilton (born January 1892, died 1957); Julia Hilton (1895 - 1897); Rosemary J. Hilton ([[June 20]], [[1898]] - [[November 27]], [[1995]]); August H. "Boy" Hilton (born in 1901, death date unknown); and Helen A. Hilton ([[January 30]], [[1906]] - [[February 22]], [[2003]]).

His father, Gus, who was the son of Halvor Nilsen Hilton and Karoline Hansdatter "“Kari"” Holum, was born on the Hilton family farm near Kløfta in [[Ullensaker]], [[Norway]], where relatives still live, emigrated to the United States in 1870. Conrad's mother was born in [[Fort Dodge, Iowa]], the daughter of a [[Germany|German]]-born Roman Catholic merchant, Conrad Laufersweiler.

Conrad Hilton was educated at the [[New Mexico Military Institute]], at St. Michael's College (now the [[College of Santa Fe]]), and at the New Mexico School of Mines (now [[New Mexico Tech]]). In his early twenties, he was a representative in the first [[New Mexico state legislature|legislature]] of the newly-formed State of New Mexico.

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Hilton built a store in San Antonio, New Mexico, but he later moved to Texas. He entered the hotel business by buying the Mobley Hotel in [[Cisco, Texas]], in [[1919]]. The first hotel he had built was the Dallas Hilton, which opened on [[August 2]], [[1925]]. He formed the [[Hilton Hotel]] Corporation in [[1946]]. The company expanded into credit cards, car rentals, and other travel services.

Hilton had three wives, Mary Adelaide Barron (married [[1925 -]], divorced [[1934]]), actress [[Zsa Zsa Gabor]] (married [[1942 -]], divorced [[1946]]) and Mary Frances Kelly (married [[1976]] -through his death in [[1979]]).

He and Barron had three sons, [[Conrad Hilton, Jr|Conrad Nicholson Hilton, Jr.]] ([[1926]]-[[1969]]); [[Barron Hilton|William Barron Hilton]] (born in [[1927]]); and Eric Michael Hilton (born in [[1932]]). He and Zsa Zsa Gabor had one daughter, [[Francesca Hilton|Constance Francesca Hilton]] (born in [[1947]]), who is the only child born to any of the famous [[Gabor sisters]].

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Conrad Hilton died on [[January 3]], [[1979]], in [[Santa Monica, California]] at the age of ninety-one from natural causes. He is interred at Calvary Hills Cemetery, in [[Dallas, Texas]].

His estate founded the [[Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize]]. He left a quarter a million to each of his surviving siblings and ten thousand to each of his nieces and nephews. [[Barron Hilton]], contested the will and won in [[1988]]. The net worth of Barron, and his descendants, then jumped to over $335,000,000 million (USD).

Hilton's autobiography, ''Be My Guest,'', was published in [[1957]] by [[Prentice Hall]].

== External Links ==