The Bush family is, without a doubt, both polarizing and prominent. With the exception of the Kennedys, the Bushes have the distinction of being America’s foremost political dynasty.
Bushes have served in the executive and legislative branches of our government, and the family provided a pair of Presidents – the 41st and 43rd.
Because of George W. Bush’s close ties to Texas and connections with the oil industry, the Bush family is often perceived as a bunch of oil tycoons.
In reality, however, the oil industry is just one of many which the Bush family displayed their financial expertise. The family tradition, which continues to this day, was founded upon the pursuit of riches through investment banking and wartime business ventures.
This is why the family has had a hand in businesses from Halliburton to Merrill Lynch, and also has a history of owning major league sports teams.
Samuel P. Bush, one of the two patriarchs of the dynasty, had extensive experience as a banking executive.
Samuel served on the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and helped found the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. During WWI, he served as Chief of the Ordnance, Small Arms and Ammunition division on the War Industries Board, where wartime business ventures coupled with his connections to the Rockefeller family laid the foundation for the family's fortune.
Source: A Hoover Vignette
George Herbert Walker, the other patriarch, founded the investment bank G.H. Walker & Co. in 1900.
This was the first of Walker's forays into finance. The firm, located on 1 Wall Street, employed various members of the Bush family until it became a part of Merrill Lynch in 1978.
Source: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush
Walker became President of the investment firm W.A. Harriman & Co. in 1920.
The company's owner, Averell Harriman, is seen pictured with President Lyndon B. Johnson. At the firm, Walker used his network of international banking contacts to develop profitable investment opportunities, especially in Germany and Russia.
Source: Britannica
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