Prince Pu Lun was the the nephew of the Emperor of China, and was the fourth member of the imperial Chinese family to ever visit foreign shores. And the highest Chinese dignitary that had ever visited the US in 1904. He was thought to be the next emperor of China, but Prince Chun was named. Pun Lun, a son of Prince Tsai Chic, who under the reign of Prince Tung Chih, was considered the heir presumptive. Nevertheless, Pun Lun never became emperor.
Arriving in St. Louis on May 4th, he dedicated the Chinese pavilion (a replica of his Summer Palace), two days later.
The Prince stayed at the Fair for about 2 weeks, attending many official functions, and visited several cities in the US during his trip, including a well-noted dinner at Moy Key in Indianapolis on the week of May 17th. His visiting were part of a failed attempt for China to modernize.
Rebecca Ann Felton (June 10, 1835 – January 24, 1930) was an American writer, lecturer, activist, reformer, and politician who became the first woman to serve in the US Senate, although she served for only two days (in a symbolic gesture.) She was the most prominent woman in Georgia in the Progressive Era, and was honored by appointment to the Senate. She was sworn in November 21, 1922, and served just 24 hours. At 87 years, nine months, and 22 days old, she was the oldest freshman senator to enter the Senate. She was the only woman to have served as a Senator from Georgia until January 6, 2020.
She graduated first in her class from the Madison Female College, Madison, Georgia in 1852. A year later she married William H. Felton, a local physician active in liberal Democratic politics. She assisted her husband in his political career as a U.S. congressman and later in the state legislature, writing speeches, planning campaign strategy, and later helping to draft legislation.
Both William and Rebecca promoted penal reform, temperance, and women’s rights. She was outspoken against prejudice of African Americans and Jews, and her advocacy of child labor and lynching.
She served on the board of lady managers at the 1893 Chicago Exposition and was on the agricultural board during the 1904 St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
Dr. Alexander Nicolas DeMenill (March 23, 1849 – November 29, 1928) A great-grandson of Madame Chouteau (mother of the founder of St. Louis), Alexander was a literary critic and son of Dr. Nicolas N. De Menil of the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion fame as well as an attorney before becoming a man of letters. From 1894 to 1917 he was editor of the "Hesperian," a literary periodical in St. Louis. This was about the same time that William Marion Reedy was publishing his "Mirror." DeMenil's greatest contribution was as an author- "The Literature of the Louisiana Purchase Territory." As editor of a genteel magazine he did not think much of Reedy's "Mirror," saying that "for all its literary flavor, the "Mirror" was occupied chiefly with local & social interests. The "Hesperian" does not publish stories, it is devoted entirely to the higher literature." He knew writer Kate Chopin from childhood, but when her book "The Awakening" was banned in St. Louis, he refused to review it in his magazine.
Alexander DeMenil served on the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition as the Director of the French Exhibit and translator to the French dignitaries that visited St. Louis in preparation for the Fair.
To the right, you can see DeMenill in front of his office in the French Exhibit.
Ode D. Jennings born September 6, died Nov, 21 1953), was born in Paduca, Kentucky. He began working at the Industry Novelty Company, Inc.which worked hand in hand with Mills by refurbishing the slot machines they had manufactured. In his late 20's he went to work for the Mills Novelty Co where his natural engineering ability soon made him an expert on coin-operated machines. He ran the Mills Spectatorium at the 1904 World Fair in St Louis. The building, partly designed by Thomas Edison, featured a huge amount of Mills slot machines. Jennings began producing their own slot machines by 1918.
Jennings ran the company for 47 years.
After his demise, his personal wealth was gauged at 2,211.222, which was passed on to his wife. Upon his death, Jennings and Company which was incorporated in Illinois in March, 1954. This company later merged into the Hershey Manufacturing Company of Illinois and, by the early 1960s, was the leading manufacturer of slot machines in the U.S until laws changed the industry forever.
Lawrence Alma-Tadema (born January 8, 1836, died June 25, 1912) was a Dutch painter, born in Dronryp, the Netherlands, and trained at the Royal Academy of Antwerp, Belgium, ans assisted under Louis (Lodewijk) Jan de Taeyethen, before settling in London, England in 1870. He was the sixth child of Pieter Jiltes Tadema, It was intended that the boy would become a lawyer; but at the age of fifteen he suffered a physical and mental breakdown. He was allowed to spend his remaining days at his leisure, drawing and painting. Left to his own devices, he regained his health and decided to pursue a career as an artist. A classical-subject painter, he became famous for his depictions of the luxury and decadence of the Roman Empire, with languorous figures set in fabulous marbled interiors or against a backdrop of dazzling blue Mediterranean Sea and sky. Alma-Tadema was considered one of the most popular Victorian painters. He assisted with the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 where he was well represented and received. He was among the most financially successful painters of the Victorian era. In the summer of 1912, Alma-Tadema was accompanied by his daughter Anna to Kaiserhof Spa, Wiesbaden, Germany, where he was to undergo treatment for ulceration of the stomach. He died there on June 28, 1912 at the age of seventy-six. He was buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral in London.
