William Volker

Who was William Volker?

William Volker was an entrepreneur who turned a picture frame business into a multimillion-dollar empire and who then gave away his fortune to shape much of Kansas City, Missouri, both through the William Volker Fund and anonymously earning him the nickname of "Mr. Anonymous."

Volker was born in Hanover, Germany, and moved with his family to Chicago in 1871. In 1876 at the age of 17 he began working for a picture frame manufacturer. When the owner died three years later he bought the company and moved to Kansas City in 1880 where he started the William Volker Company at 6 West 3rd Street.

His picture frame and window shade business boomed and he remained a bachelor until marrying in 1911 at age 52. Returning from his honeymoon he announced he had put $1 million in his wife's name and that he planned to give away $10 million.

He was to spend the rest of his life giving away his fortune often anonymously. Among his donations was 40 acres and a house that was to start the University of Kansas City which became the University of Missouri-Kansas City.