Owen Robertson Cheatham

Owen Robertson Cheatham (1902-1970) was an American businessman. He founded Georgia-Pacific, a formerly publicly traded corporation on the New York Stock Exchange from 1949 to 2005, now a subsidiary of Koch Industries.

Biography

Early life

Owen Robertson Cheatham was born on July 9, 1902 in Concord, Campbell County, Virginia.^[1][2][3] His father was Walter Beverly Cheatham (1870-1918) and his mother, Sallie Fenton Franklin Cheatham (1876-1962).^[1][4] He had three sisters, Catherine Cheatham Bradley (1905-1980), Ethel Cheatham Miller (1907-1995), Beverly Franklin Cheatham (1910-1985), and two brothers, William Henry Cheatham (1915-1975), and Julian North Cheatham, who went on to serve as Vice President of Georgia-Pacific.^[1][4] He attended New Concord Presbyterian Church in Concord.^[2]

Career

In 1927, he founded the Georgia Hardwood Lumber Co., (now known as Georgia-Pacific), a wholesaler of hardwood lumber headquartered in Augusta, Georgia.^[3][5][6][7] It was a publicly traded corporation on the New York Stock Exchange from 1949 to 2005.^[5] Under his tenure, it became a $750 million enterprise with a $1 billion+ asset base.^[3] It is now a subsidiary of Koch Industries.^[5]

Personal life

He was married to Celeste Wickliffe Cheatham (1902-1977).^[1][8] She collected thirty-seven pieces of Dalí-Jewels, which were exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia after her death.^[8] He died on October 24, 1970.^[1] He was buried in the New Concord Presbyterian Church Cemetery.^[1]

Legacy

The Owen R. Cheatham Memorial Garden and Monument on the grounds of the New Concord Presbyterian Church in Concord, Virginia, is named after him.^[2] The dedication of the garden took place on Sunday June 3, 1973.^[2]

The Owen Robertson Cheatham Gallery at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire is named in his honor.^[9]

References