Francis Marion Smith, widely recognized as the “Borax King” and affectionately known as “Frank,” stands as a towering figure in American industrial history. This article delves into the extraordinary life and legacy of Francis Marion Smith, a visionary mining magnate and businessman who spearheaded the renowned Pacific Coast Borax Company, transforming a niche mineral into a household staple. Born in Richmond, Wisconsin, on February 2, 1846, to Henry G. and Charlotte Paul Smith, Frank received his early education in public schools before graduating from Milton College in Wisconsin.
At the adventurous age of 21, Smith departed from his father’s ranch, drawn by the compelling call of the American West. His journey took him through Idaho, California, and Nevada, where he immersed himself in mining and various other endeavors. He eventually established roots in Nevada, spending five formative years in the region.
The Discovery of Borax and the Birth of an Empire
In the late 1860s, Smith secured a contract to supply timber to several ore mills near Columbus, Nevada. It was during his work at Teel’s Marsh that he stumbled upon a remarkably rich supply of borax. Recognizing its potential, he meticulously collected samples and had them assayed, confirming their unparalleled quality compared to any known sources. Swiftly, he staked several claims, laying the groundwork for his illustrious career as a borax miner.
With the crucial support of his elder brother, Julius, and two brothers named Storey, they established a borax processing plant on the edge of Teel’s Marsh. This facility was designed to concentrate the borax crystals, effectively separating them from dirt and other impurities. Operations commenced in 1873 under the name Smith and Storey Brothers Borax Co. Over time, the Smiths acquired the Storey brothers’ interests, leading to a name change to Smith Brothers Borax Co., and later, Teel’s Marsh Borax Co. The abundant deposits at Teel’s Marsh rapidly became the world’s primary source of borax, catalyzing its widespread commercial adoption globally for many years.
Expanding Markets and Personal Life in the East
Facing a national depression in 1875, Smith innovatively expanded his market by opening a retail store and office at 185 Wall Street in New York City. His aggressive advertising campaigns, which boldly claimed borax could “clean black cashmere, cameos, and coral, keep milk and cream sweet,” and even “prevent diphtheria, lung fever, and kidney trouble,” while perhaps exaggerated, were highly effective. These efforts significantly popularized borax as a cleaning additive in a crucial market during a period of sluggish sales. That same year, Francis married Mary “Mollie” Rebecca Thompson Wright, a Brooklyn, New York divorcee, beginning a new chapter in his personal life.
Smith’s entrepreneurial spirit also extended to infrastructure. In 1877, he founded the settlement of Marietta, Nevada, which today stands as a semi-ghost town. From Marietta, a monumental 30-ton load of borax was transported using two large wagons, accompanied by a third carrying provisions, all drawn by a powerful 24-mule team. This arduous 160-mile journey traversed the Great Basin Desert to Wadsworth, Nevada, the closest Central Pacific Railroad siding, demonstrating the logistical challenges of the era.
California Expansion and the Pacific Coast Borax Company
In 1881, Francis Marion Smith and Mollie relocated to Oakland, California, where Frank diversified his interests by investing heavily in real estate, all while maintaining his borax operations at Teel’s Marsh. By 1884, Smith had acquired his brother’s share in their partnership, increasingly focusing on the promising developments in Death Valley. When William T. Coleman, who owned the Harmony and Amargosa Borax Works, the Lila C Mine, Furnace Creek Ranch, and other significant properties in Death Valley, encountered financial difficulties in the late 1880s, Smith provided critical capital in exchange for mortgages on Coleman’s extensive holdings.
In 1889, to streamline and enhance the processing of raw borax minerals, Smith collaborated with the renowned engineer and pioneer of reinforced concrete, Ernest L. Ransome. Together, they designed two groundbreaking refineries: one in West Alameda, California, and another in Bayonne, New Jersey. The California refinery was particularly notable as the first structure of its kind to be constructed using reinforced concrete, a testament to Smith’s commitment to innovation.
William T. Coleman’s empire ultimately collapsed in 1890, leading to Smith acquiring all his properties. These newly consolidated assets were then rebranded as the Pacific Coast Borax Company. Smith strategically ceased operations at the Harmony and Amargosa Borax Works, shifting his focus to mining activities at Borate, California, within the Calico Mountains. Initially, the ore was hand-sorted at the mine and transported to Daggett, California, utilizing the famous 20 mule teams and wagons, a transportation method pioneered by Coleman in Death Valley.
A pivotal moment for the brand occurred in 1891 when Stephen Mather, the administrator of the company’s New York office, persuaded Smith to officially adopt the “20 Mule Team Borax” name, complementing the iconic mule team sketch already featured on the product packaging. This trademark was formally registered three years later. Mather himself would later own the Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company and, in 1916, was appointed the first Director of the new National Park Service.
Philanthropy, Family, and Grand Estates
While Frank was immersed in his borax ventures, Mollie dedicated her efforts to extensive charity work, particularly aiding orphaned girls. After a tragic miscarriage, Mollie was unable to have children of her own, a void she sought to fill through philanthropy. Beyond raising funds, the couple took in several young girls as wards over the years. In 1883, they adopted an infant girl named Marion Francis Smith. A decade later, they welcomed two teenagers, Anna Mae and Sarah Winifred Burdge. These three, among many others they cared for, became part of what Frank affectionately called the “Solid Six.” Mollie’s unwavering contributions and assistance to these girls continued throughout her life.
In 1892, Frank and Mollie journeyed to Shelter Island, New York, to establish a summer residence. This choice was influenced by New York being Mollie’s original home and Shelter Island being the location of a summer home owned by Frank Havens, who would soon become Smith’s business partner. They purchased a 42-acre homestead with an existing colonial-style home. Frank then commissioned an architect to expand the residence, which eventually boasted 35 rooms. Over the years, he added significant acreage, culminating in an estate spanning 435 acres, which they christened “Presdeleau.”
Seeking greater efficiency in ore transportation, Frank experimented with a steam tractor nicknamed “Old Dinah” in 1894 to haul borax from the mines to the Daggett railhead. Unfortunately, the challenging terrain made the experiment unsuccessful, and the reliable 20 mule teams continued their service for several more years.
Real Estate, Transit, and Concrete Innovation
Concurrently, Smith invested heavily in real estate and public transit in Oakland. In 1895, he and partner Frank Havens founded the Realty Syndicate, acquiring vast tracts of land and consolidating numerous small, independent transit companies. This initiative created an integrated system of streetcar lines and rail extensions that served the many subdivisions their company was developing, profoundly shaping Oakland’s urban landscape.
That same year, a magnificent mansion, Arbor Villa, was completed for the Smiths in Oakland, California. Frank had amassed a 53-acre estate, and Mollie meticulously oversaw the planning and construction of their new home. Designed by the acclaimed architect Walter J. Mathews, Arbor Villa, a 42-room mansion, sat majestically on a hilltop east of Lake Merritt. Its sprawling grounds, eventually expanded to 53 acres, were home to tame deer and peacocks. The luxurious interior featured opulent furnishings, a pipe organ, a ballroom, and a bowling alley, often hosting up to 5,000 guests for charity events. Mollie frequently opened their homes in Oakland and Shelter Island for these fundraising endeavors. A year later, Evelyn Kate Ellis, one of the girls Mollie had helped, became her assistant and would later become Frank’s second wife.
The family divided their time between their lavish West and East Coast residences, spending summers from June to October at Presdeleau. With their Chinese staff and maids, they would travel in Frank’s private railroad car, the Hauoli, accompanied by an additional Pullman car, from Oakland, California, to Jersey City, New Jersey. From there, they transferred to Smith’s personal steam yacht, also named Hauoli, cruising down Long Island Sound to Smith’s Cove and stepping ashore at Presdeleau. Frank and Mollie were always accompanied by their girls, including Charlotte Grace Sperry (taken in 1895), Florence Nightingale, and Evelyn Kate Ellis, Mollie’s secretary.
In 1896, Frank and Ernest L. Ransome further solidified their partnership by constructing a concrete Ferry Building in San Francisco, which became an integral component of the Realty Syndicate’s transportation network. Soon after, Smith and Ransome established the Ransome Concrete Machinery Company of Dunellen, New Jersey, a venture that secured several patents and significantly contributed to modern concrete construction techniques.
In 1898, Frank developed the 12-mile-long narrow gauge Borate & Daggett Railroad. Ore was then shipped to a calcining plant located at Marion, just north of Daggett, allowing a higher grade of ore to be transported to Alameda via the Southern Pacific Railroad. At this point, the legendary 20 mule teams were honorably retired from active duty, though their iconic “brand” continued to thrive.
Mollie’s Enduring Legacy and Frank’s Second Chapter
Mollie’s profound dedication to her charity work for orphaned girls continued to grow. To support her expanding vision, Frank gifted her 30 acres of land for Christmas, which eventually became the Mary R. Smith Trust. Over the years, this trust funded the construction of nine cottages, designed to house orphaned girls aged 4 to 25, allowing them to stay as long as needed. Each cottage had a house mother, carefully selected by Mollie, who was tasked with providing as close to a normal home life as possible. The girls were taught to sew their clothes, assist with housework, and all attended public schools, with many pursuing higher education. Several cottages were named after the children Mollie had adopted and nurtured. The Home Club, a social hall, was also built to foster community.
Tragically, Mollie succumbed to a stroke on December 31, 1905. A year and a half later, in June 1907, Frank married Evelyn Kate Ellis, Mollie’s former secretary. It was said that Evelyn was Mollie’s personal choice for Frank’s second wife should anything happen to her. Over the next six years, Frank and Evelyn welcomed four children into their family.
The same year Frank married Evelyn, it became apparent that mining operations at Borate, California, were reaching their end. Main operations were strategically relocated to the previously undeveloped Lila C Mine at old Ryan, near Death Valley. All equipment and buildings were dismantled and transported to Lila C, leaving Borate desolate. Initially, long mule teams were again employed, but Francis Marion Smith soon oversaw the construction of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Pacific Coast Borax Company, connecting with the Southern Pacific Railroad across the Mojave River and Kelso Dunes at Ludlow, California.
Also in 1907, Frank C. Havens and Smith’s Realty Syndicate inaugurated the Key Route Inn, a prominent hotel in Oakland that served the Key Route transit system. Opened on May 7, 1907, this massive wood-framed structure with open timbering featured a remarkable archway and corridor through which the tracks of one of the Key Route’s transbay lines passed, offering a direct connection to the hotel’s main lobby.
Life in the Smith household continued its rhythm, with the family, including the children, spending summers in New York. Evelyn, Frank’s second wife, gracefully continued Mollie’s philanthropic work, assuming the presidency of the Mary R. Smith Trust and meticulously upholding its founding principles.
Financial Hardship and a Resilient Comeback
In 1913, akin to William T. Coleman before him, Francis Marion Smith found himself financially overextended. Creditors, unwilling to extend further loans, compelled him to surrender most of his assets. He lost his borax mines, his company, his land, his transit investments, private railroad cars, and boats. Although an attempt was made to seize his homes, the properties had been wisely deeded to Evelyn, allowing the family to retain them. For the first time in many years, they forewent their annual summer trek to Shelter Island.
Despite his financial downfall, the Pacific Coast Borax Company continued its operations without him. Undeterred, Smith embarked on the arduous task of rebuilding his fortune. Prior to his financial woes, he had assisted Ben Edwards in developing a silver mine in Tonopah, Nevada. He formed the Tonopah Extension Mining and Milling Company, which later evolved into the West End Consolidated Mining Company.
His instrumental help yielded a substantial number of shares in the company, which he had foresightedly placed in Evelyn’s name. When these shares also came under the scrutiny of his creditors, Frank initiated a lawsuit to protect his wife’s interests and emerged victorious. He then leveraged his West End capital for new ventures, including acquiring mineral rights to a vast section of Searles Lake in the Searles Valley, northern San Bernardino County, California. However, it would be many years before this investment would yield significant profits.
Fortune finally smiled upon Frank in 1921 with the momentous discovery of the richest known colemanite deposit near the village of St. Thomas, Nevada. Frank successfully bid against his former company, the Pacific Coast Borax Company, for the claim. His engineers were astonished by the unbelievably rich grade and quality of the ore, estimating its value between 10 and 60 million dollars. Frank named it the Anniversary Mine, commemorating the anniversary of his marriage to Evelyn. The Anniversary Mine operated successfully from 1922 to 1928.
The substantial profits from this claim provided the essential capital to develop the Searles Lake deposits. This was made possible when a young chemist, Henry Helmers, devised a profitable process for refining the lake brines into marketable products. Smith then established the West End Chemical Company and built the company town of Trona, California, along with the Trona Railway, a short-line railroad, to transport products to the Union Pacific Railroad connection at Searles, California.
However, his creditors had not been fully satisfied, and in February 1922, 530 acres of his New York land, as well as his farm tools and horses, were scheduled for sale. The family was fortunate enough to retain their household goods and furnishings, a small comfort amidst the financial turbulence.
Legacy of the Borax King
Francis Marion Smith’s journey from a Wisconsin farm boy to the formidable “Borax King” is a testament to American entrepreneurial spirit. Despite facing immense financial reversals, his resilience, innovative mind, and unwavering determination allowed him to rebuild a new fortune and leave an indelible mark on industries ranging from mining to transportation and real estate. His philanthropic endeavors, largely driven by Mollie and continued by Evelyn, profoundly impacted the lives of countless orphaned girls. Smith’s legacy endures not only in the 20 Mule Team Borax brand, a symbol of his industrial prowess, but also in the foundational contributions he made to modern concrete construction and urban development in California. His life story is a powerful narrative of ambition, hardship, and ultimately, an enduring impact on the landscape of American enterprise and social welfare.
