Michael Henry De Young (1849-1925)
Co-Founder of the "San Francisco Chronicle" and the M.H. De Young Museum
He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, a maternal grandson of Benjamin Morange who served in the unpopular role of French Minister to Spain under Napoleon before fleeing to New York where he invented and manufactured oil silk, becoming a well-known member of the Jewish community. "Harry" moved with his family to San Francisco in 1854. In 1869, he co-founded The San Francisco Chronicle with his brother, Charles. Having been the paper's bookkeeper and treasurer, he gained full control after his brother's murder in 1880. His brother had infuriated the elite of San Francisco with his scandal-mongering editorial policies, and Harry continued where he left off, prompting the highly respected journalist, Ambrose Bierce, to say: "Hatred of De Young is the best test of a gentleman." In 1884, De Young was shot by Adolph Spreckels whom he had publicly criticized for unfair business practices - Spreckels was acquitted on "reasonable cause." De Young recovered from his wounds and ran the Chronicle until his death 41-years later, seeing it become one of the leading newspapers in America. He is best remembered today as the founder of the M.H. De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
