George Pullman was a self-made man of humble origin who became a very rich and famous businessman, a person who associated with the tycoons and politicians of his time. His business methods, his planned community, and his company's historical strike are the subjects of many books and articles. He is a person hard to describe, since he could be proud and humble, gregarious and taciturn, covetous and generous, amiable and ill-tempered, indifferent and sentimental. So who was the real George Pullman?

George Mortimer Pullman was born on March 3, 1831, the third child and third son of James Lewis (called Lewis) Pullman and Emily Caroline (Minton) Pullman at Brockton, NY, in Chautauqua County.   The Pullman ancestors go back to the 1620s or 1630s in America, settling first in Maine and then moving south and west.   Like most early Americans, the Pullmans were mostly farmers.   George's paternal grandparents, Psalter and Elizabeth Pullman lived at West Greenwich, RI, where George's father, Lewis, was born on July 26, 1800.   Sometime later, he accompanied his parents to a farm at Spafford, NY, ^{Onon n.p} in Onondaga County. ^{Leyen 11}

Lewis turned from farming to carpentry and around 1825 moved to Auburn, NY, in nearby Cayuga County.   There, he married Emily Caroline Minton on September 4, 1825.   Emily was born on August 14, 1808, the eldest daughter of James and Theodosie (Reeve) Minton.   Lewis and Emily with their first two children, Royal Henry, born June 20, 1826, and Albert Benton, born October 16, 1828, moved in January, 1830, to "The Corners", renamed Salem Cross Roads, renamed Brockton, NY, which is 54 miles southwest of Buffalo near Lake Erie.   Why this move was made is unknown, but we may presume that the growing west, including western New York, offered greater economic opportunities for Lewis's carpenter skills.   Also, a relative of his wife, John H. Minton, was the part-owner a general store in the area, along with Edwin Buck, so the Pullmans would have the proximity of relatives at their new home.   In 1831, Lewis purchased the Budlong farm on which he built a frame house where George was born.   Lewis and Emily would have 5 more children: Frances Carolan (July 2, 1833; died October 16, 1834), James Minton (August 21, 1835), William Eaton (May 2, 1837; died October 16, 1839), Charles Lewis (April 24, 1841), Helen Augusta (May 11, 1843). Frank? (p. 206) Emma? (p.209)   George completed the 4th grade and then quit school in 1845 to work for Buck and Minton's General Store in Westfied, NY, where he did many jobs, mostly menial, for $40 per month.   Over time, he learned about business that would be helpful in his later career. ^{Leyen 11-17}

Lewis was raised as a Baptist and his wife, Emily, was a Presbyterian.   However, Lewis did not like the "wrath of God" teachings of his religion, preferring a "God is love" version.   Therefore, he no longer attended his Baptist church, but instead became a Universalist, which shared his views of God.   The Universalist church had been organized in nearby Portland, NY, in 1821, and incorporated by 1824 as the First Universalist Society in Portland.   The universalist creed holds that all mankind would eventually be saved and that no one would be condemned to eternal punishment.   After death, people who had strayed from the good life would be disciplined, but ultimately, God would extend forgiveness to them and let them enjoy eternal salvation.   Lewis was very active in his church and its education.   His wife and children were brought up under the guidance of the Universalist church teachings and were also active in the church.   Lewis was an industrious man.   This was a devout family.   Much later, when George was a rich man, he would commemorate a Universalist church. ^{Leyen 13-20}

Lewis worked as a carpenter and farmer and also became an entrepreneur moving buildings, using screwjacks.   In 1835, he invented a machine to move buildings, which was patented in 1841, and used by him for years thereafter.   Lewis was awarded building moving contracts along the Erie Canal at its western end between Tonawanda, 12 miles north of Buffalo, NY, and Rochester, NY.   This would have been during the First Enlargement of the Erie Canal.   Since the distance from the Erie Canal work site to Brockton was at least 100 miles, Lewis decided to relocate to Albion with his wife and the younger family members in 1845.   No reason is given for the move to Albion, but as it was the Orleans County seat and centrally located at the Erie western division, it was a natural choice.   In 1848, after three years of work, George quit his job in Westfield and joined his family in Albion.   A little later, Henry and Albert, George's two older brothers, also came to Albion and started a cabinetmaking business.   George and Lewis assisted in cabinetmaking and then furniture making.   For a while, all the family businesses thrived, which made the Pullmans a notable family in a small village.   No Pullman worked as a farmer anymore.   The women in the family worked too, knitting clothes and caps.   The Pullmans were industrious as well as devout. ^{Leyen 17-19}

By 1853, George's 2 older brothers had started families and moved away.   In that same year, Lewis died and George, who had often assisted him in his business, took it over at the age of 22.   In 1854, George contracted with the state to move 20 or more buildings, mainly warehouses, back from the canal to allow for more widening.   He employed from 6 to 12 men for a six-day week, paying them $1.00 to $1.25 per day, normal wages for the time.   His contract lasted 3 or 4 years and his profits, some say, totaled $5,700.   George was able to support the Pullman family, but he realized that moving buildings for the state would end eventually.   Therefore, in 1857 he traveled to the rapidly growing western city of Chicago in search of new projects. ^{Leyen 19-25}

In early January, 1859, George learned of additional opportunities in Chicago through Mrs. Joel A. Matteson, wife of the owner of a hotel and office building called the Matteson House, located at the corner of Randolph and Dearborn Streets in the city.   She and her daughters had visited Albion and had become acquainted with George and related to him the Chicago municipal project of raising buildings and streets in the business district by at least 5 feet in order to build a sewage system that would flow westward, away from Lake Michigan, and into the Illinois River via a canal.   George traveled to Chicago toward the end of January, worked on potential building moving projects, visited relatives and friends in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan, where he also looked for additional business opportunities, and returned to Albion on February 20, 1959.   He won a contract, with another Albionite, Charles Henry Moore, as a partner to raise the Matteson House, using 800 jacks, and moved to Chicago along with Moore.   By this time, at 28 years of age, George had acquired talents in woodworking, building moving, management, commerce, and contracts.   He was a businessman on the move.   On April 3, the Matteson House was raised in the short space od 10 days and in May so was the Democractic Building.   More business came to the two efficient building movers.   Pullman & Moore also moved homes south away from the city center.   Buildings were raised and homes moved throughout the summer and an office established at 200 Washington Street in the city.   Business flourished as entire blocks of buildings were raised by a consortium of companies allied with Pullman & Moore.   Even Albert and was brought in from Grand Rapids, MI in February, 1860, to assist in the work. ^{Leyen 26-33}

George Pullman had traveled many times by rail and canal on business involving cabinetmaking and building moving.   He had discussed the uncomfortable railroad sleeping cars with his friend, former state senator, Benjamin C. Field, of Albion.   Field had, with others, actually built improved sleeping cars for the New York Central railroad.   The project interested George enough that on a trip to Westfield to visit his mother's family, he purposely paid $1 for a lower berth (75 cents bought a middle berth and 50 cents an upper) to assess its functioning, although for the 64-mile trip from Buffalo he hardly need one.   The car was low and unventilated, making it smelly when occupied by many travelers.   Thereafter, he often thought of sleeping car improvements and with Field as a partner, contacted executives of the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad about ways to improve their cars.   His suggestions were favorably received, so George traveled to Bloomington, IL, where the railroad shops were located, and hired a railroad mechanic named Leonard Seibert to assist him in implementing his plan.   Seibert spent the summer of 1859 gutting and reconstructing 11 sleeping cars without blueprints under the supervision of railroad master mechanic, William Cessford, and master car builder, David Shield, while George directed and critiqued the work.   Other entrepreneurs were doing the same thing for the growing numbers of passengers traveling by railroad.   The first run with the Pullman cars was made on August 15, 1859, with resounding success.   In 1860, Benjamin Field, always more interested in politics, assigned his interest in sleeping cars to the Pullman & Moore partnership as security for future loans.   George left the manufacture of sleeping cars to his brother and Moore while he contemplated business opportunities in what would soon become Colorado Territory. ^{Leyen 36-45}

Gold had been discovered in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and reports of it were read in the Chicago newspapers.   Pullman & Moore, together with a partner, Robert Graham, bought an ore crushing mill and sent it west with Graham.   On June 19, 1860, George himself left for St. Louis and Denver via train and stagecoach, arriving in the latter city on June 30.   On the stage, George became acquainted with James E. Lyon, a native of Ogdensburg, NY who had been in business at Racine, WI, and St. Joseph, MO, for years.   George and James soon became partners in a freighting and warehousing company, called Lyon, Pullman and Company, in Central City, then Colorado Territory.   On July 18, 1860, Pullman and Graham erected their gold ore crushing mill and cabins at Russels Gulch in present day Gilpin County, but now nonexistent.   The business employed 9 men and 6 yokes of cattle and ran day and night except Sundays.   In a risky business where only 1 out of 20 miners made any money, the Pullman Co. made about $5,000 in the first 7 weeks of operation.   He also dissolved his partnership with Lyon, whom he disliked, and replaced him with a new partner, Dr. J. W. Morse of Leavenworth, KS.   However, George was the sole operator of the mill.   Around the same time, supplied arrived at the Central City store, so it opened for business on December 6, 1860.   Lyon then sold his partnership to George T. Clark, Emory J. Sweet, and Cady Hollister, so the mining company was now called Pullman, Sweet & Co.   Pullman also started a steam sawmill with an assortment of partners and bought and sold hay, but these ventures did not fare well, so he sold them before heading back east to his house-raising and sleeping car businesses on June 22, 1861.   He returned to Colorado, but left the territory for good on April 14, 1863.   George never recorded his reasons for leaving his Colorado ventures, where he profited by some unknown amounts, but probably the difficulty of running businesses so far apart in the west and east, the unreliability of his partners, and the technical difficulties of separating gold from its ore in that area contributed to his decision.   In spite of his disillusionments, George must have liked the west because later he collected literature about the area. ^{Leyen 44-70}

George Pullman arrived in Chicago on April 18, 1863.   At that time, the city was thriving as a Civil War depot and manufacturer of needed supplies and food for the northern troops.   In addition, farm machinery was manufactured for the west to replace the soldiers who fought in the war.   Its population swelled.   In addition to the building raising and moving business and the sleeping car business, George was a part-owner of the Eagleton Wire Manufacturing Company in New York and a director of the Third National Bank of Chicago.   He sold his western business interests.     Moore, on the other hand, maintained some of his western partnerships.   During the late summer of 1864, George paid a subsitutute to serve for him in the Union army.   Railroads were extending their lines in all directions and many were striving to reach Chicago, the center of the west trade in farm products and the east trade in manufactured goods.   The first commercial sleeping car had cost $6,500.   It was 58 feet long and rested on 16 wheels and springs softened the bumps and swaying.   It had 14 compartments finished in black walnut, each one accommodating 4 passengers.   Double doors and windows deadened sounds, making conversation easier and sleep more peaceful.   During the day the berths were folded along the sides and camp chairs were place in the center for those who wanted them.   A night, couches were made by sliding out sofas and letting down the cushioned backs.   Ceiling ventilators provided fresh air and screened dust and cinders.   When the beds were made, damask curtains screened them from ceiling to floor.   Three feet of aisle space remained.   At each end of the car was a stateroom equipped with doors, windows, writing table and chairs that accommodated 3 or 4 persons.   Mattresses were made of the best materials.   Sheets and pillowcases were changed daily.   The car was named Springfield after the city (Pres. Lincoln's hometown) where it was made.   It was a veritable salon and impressed railroad executives.   Another equally sumptuous car, called the Pioneer, priced at $18,000 when other cars were selling for $4,000, made its first appearance in the spring of 1865.   Unfortunately, the car was too wide for the platforms belonging to the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad and other railroads.   However, it made such an impression that all the platforms between Chicago and Springfield, IL, were modified so that the car could carry assasinated Pres. Lincoln's body in its funeral cortege between the 2 cities.   It's interior having been seen and admired by thousands of visitors must have contributed to its success. ^{Leyen 71-94}

Many railroads outside the East began ordering Pullman cars, which were improved with use.   In the East, the Wagner Car Company and the Central Transportation Company built equally sumptuous sleeping cars.   In January, 1867, Benjamin Field divested himself of the partnership and thereafter the company was called Pullman's Sleeping Car Lines and then Pullman's Palace Car Company when the Illinois legislature approved his corporate charter on February 22, 1867.   Of course, George Pullman was elected president and general manager by the directors.   He spent most of his time marketing the sleeping car while his brother Albert managed manufacturing as general superintendent while secretary, Charles Angell, a lawyer, handled the company's financial and legal affairs as the company's secretary.   There were 37 cars running on railroads by July 27, the prices of which ranged from $4,000 to $28,000.   George purchased these cars and then leased them back to the railroads to maintain quality control.   He continued to build and modify cars, making later ones still more sumptuous.   By the summer of 1869, the company owned 70 cars, including a dining car, the Delmonico.   George also consolidated his manufacturing operations into one plant located in Detroit, MI.   There, 5 kinds of cars would be made: hotel car, drawing room (parlor), reclining room, sleepers, and diners.   (One wag suggested all that was need was a nursery car!)   The company also entered into exclusive contracts with railroads to supply cars to their entire line.   It bought out the competing Central Transportation Company, which reduced competition and acquired its patents and manufacturing facilities.   Cooks, waiters, porters and conductors for these cars were Pullman company employees.   Thus, the Pullman Co. exercised complete control of car manufacture and service. ^{Leyen 81-91}

In 1865, George moved his Albion family to Chicago.   There, he married Harriet "Hattie" Sanger, daughter of a construction company owner, on June 13, 1867.   They would have 4 children: Florence, Harriet, and twins, George, Jr., and Walter Sanger.   George, Hattie and their 3 youngest children enjoyed the good life of a business tycoon.   Their mansion at 1729 Prairie Avenue, occupied since January 13, 1876, was in a wealthy residential district in Chicago and featured a bowling alley and billiard room.   It was said to be worth $500,000.   There are no known descriptions of this home's furnishings.   The Pullmans also owned a mansion at the fashionable Long Branch, NJ, on the Atlantic Ocean, 56 miles from Manhattan, a fashionable resort city, and Pullman Island with mansion and cabins on the American side of the St. Lawrence River.   They also kept their home in Albion   George also took trips to New York City, Washington, D.C. and Europe with his family, mixing business with pleasure.   The Pullmans knew Pres. Grant and his family personally.   Hattie also visited Europe and many resorts in the states.   The Pullmans were an active couple on the Chicago social scene.   George liked music, so he became an active member of the Chicago Music Festival Association, the Chicago Citizen's League, and the Calumet Club.   He attended the theater whenever business allowed him.   The children attended private schools in New York City and elsewhere and were also tutored privately while traveling. ^{Leyen 109-123}

Between August and October, 1870, George and Hattie Pullman spent a trip of pleasure mixed with business in Europe, meeting many people and riding on many trains.   While in England, George met James Allport, General Manager of the Midland Railway, who invited George to meet with the railway board of directors on February 18, 1873, for the purpose of introducing Pullman cars into Great Britain on an experimental basis.   George secured a contract to deliver 18 cars by September, with George promised to return to see them properly introduced.   The cars were made in Detroit except for the unholtery and trucks.   By June, 1875, the railway and the Pullman Co. were making money on the experiment.   Riders liked the drawing-room cars and sleepers, but not the day coaches, which were removed eventually.   On the continent, the Pullman cars were not successful except for Italy, where they were running by 1876.   There, they were so popular that King Humbert included them as his reasons for knighting George Pullman in the late 1880s.   The Belgian, Georges Nagelmackers, remained the king of sleeping cars in the rest of Europe.   In England, George introduced electric lighting into his cars.   A total of 50 Pullman cars would be running in England and Italy by the 1880s, but they would never be as popular and profitable as those running in the United States, Canada and Mexico. ^{Leyen 127-144}

The Pullman Co. successes with sleeping cars led to the the desire to expand its manufacturing and repair facilities.   A western site, like St. Louis, would be ideal to counterbalance Detroit, but real estate there was expensive when the real estate agents learned that the Pullman Co. wanted to move in.   Chicago was also expensive and had a bad reputation for vice, disease and alcoholism.   George himself was attuned to the need for cooperation between management and labor.   He thought a healthy, happy worker would not only benefit himself by less drinking and absenteeism and greater efficienty, but also his exemplary behavior would benefit his company.   Therefore, George decided to build not only a new plant, but a new community 14 miles outside Chicago, which he would name Pullman (here shown inside an expanded Chicago).   His company would bear the costs of contruction, but then charge rents to recoup its money and 6% profit on the investment.   This policy differed from other company-owned towns where the companies did not expect to profit on rents paid by employees.   Thus, George was no philanthropist.   He believed also that happy employees would not resort to disruptive work stoppages and strikes.   The site selected was 4,000 acres located 14 miles south of Chicago in Hyde Park Township.   Construction began on May 25, 1880.   The factory was completed on April 2, 1881.   Homes were tiered in quality commensurate with worker and manager status.   The community included a hotel with the only bar, church, schools, bank, vegetable farm, park, athletic field, lake, stables, a block-long arcade with shops, library, theater, meeting rooms, legal and medical offices, and a lecture hall.   Sewage and water infrastructure and railroad transportation was provided.   Construction continued into 1891.   It was expected that 4,000 employees would reside a Pullman, IL, although residency was not a requirement for employment.   Later, following the Pullman Strike, the Illinois Supreme Court determined that the company operated far in excess of its charter and forced the company to sell its Pullman, IL property. ^{Leyen 164-169,237}

Building his planned city of Pullman gave George Pullman much pleasure, but it did not detract from his strenuous efforts to expand his growing sleeping car empire.   He negotiated contracts that extended his company over the entire United States and parts of Mexico and Canada.   The Dun reports were highly favorable, ranking the company one of the strongest financially and best run in the country.   It paid the best dividends.   ^{Leyen 179-}

There were problems with the company workforce.   In 1882, the Company began to pay only one-half the train fare to transport workers from Chicago to and from the plant.   In 1884, 150 freight car department employees struck because of a wage slash.   The strikers were replaced.   In October, 1885, men struck when wages were reduced 10%   In the spring of 1886, the company shops closed when the workers joined the Knights of Labor in a national strike for an 8-hour day and a 10% increase in wages.   However, the plant reopened after 10 days with police protection at the same 10-hour day with no wage increase.   In August, 1887, trimmers' wages were cut by 10%, the reason given was the decline in orders, which no employees believed.   In January, 1888, the high-handed treatment by a foreman resulted in a wood-carvers strike, but the workers were allowed to return to work before being discharged.   In January, 1891, freight shop workers struck and were ordered back to work within 9 days or be discharged.   Only 1 man returned. ^Leyen

In August, 1893, George Pullman lowered the wages of all workers to cut cost and maintain profits while the national suffered another depression.   At the same time, the Pullman Land Association, the subsidiary that managed the city of Pullman, did not lower rents and attempted to collect them each payday, thus leaving workers with less on which to live on until the next 2-week payday.   Occasionally, that deduction left but $1 for the family.   George maintained that this policy was required to keep workers employed during a period when business contracts were difficult to obtain.   Meanwhile, he did not lower his own salary nor those of his executives, nor did he lower dividends to the company stockholders, maintaining that they contributed to the company's support.  During this time, foreman drove the workers harder to get more output.   Consequently, in March, 1894, the Pullman workers began joining the American Railway Union (ARU) in large numbers.   This new organization under the leadership of president Eugene V. Debs had recently been successful in an 18-day strike and arbitration of a labor contract with the Great Northern Railroad.   The Pullman Company refused to recognize collective bargaining, preferring to deal with laborers individually. ^{Leyen 221-222}

George Pullman was not accustomed to dealing directly with employees, but on May 9, 1893, he conferred with employee representatives and explained that business conditions did not warrant wage increases and he had kept the shops open in spite of company losses.   He offered to open his books for corroboration and promised to look into working conditions.   He further promised that such a grievance committee would not be prejudice the company towards them.   The employees left the meeting disappointed because they did not believe the company was losing money and had no confidence that Pullman would alleviate poor working conditions.   His refusal to compromise, his gruff manner, and the subsequent discharge of 3 members of the committee by their foreman under the pretext that there was no work for them furthered the deterioration of the situation.   The workers retaliated by calling a strike for May 11, 1894. ^{Leyen 222-224}

On May 26, a large groups of Pullman workers met in Chicago to formulate a plan to obtain financial aid for the strike.   The ARU, holding its national convention in Chicago between June 12 and 23, discussed the Pullman situation.   It sent an ARU delegation to Thomas Wickes, Pullman Co. spokesman, but he refused to consider an proposal because the Company had nothing to arbritrate he said.   On June 22, the ARU notified Wickes that the the ARU would not handle (boycott) Pullman cars as of June 26 unless the company agreed to do something about worker complaints.   Meanwhile, the General Managers Association (GMA), composed of leading railroad executives, conferred with Wickes and George Pullman.   The GMA was determined to break the ARU.   On June 26, as planned, workers refused to handle Pullman cars.   On June 28, workers stopped a U.S. mail train at Cairo, IL, which triggered deputizing U.S. marshalls.   George traveled to his Fairlawn home where he talked to reporters on July 4.   He then traveled to New York City and Castle Rest.   He continued to communicate with company officials throughout the strike.   Riots began on July 1 at Blue Island, a suburb south of Chicago and continued through July 2.   The ARU obtained a court injunction to prevent interference with the trains, which was published in the Chicago newspapers on July 3.   Troops from Fort Sheridan, north of Chicago, were ordered to the scene and arrived on July 4.   On July 5, workers prevented Rock Island Railroad trains from moving.   That night, 48 Illinois Central railroad cars were burned.   On July 6, Chicago mayor, John P. Hopkins, called out 5 regiments of the Illinois militia.   On that day, rioters burned 700 cars and destroyed about $340,000 worth of property, mostly by fire.   On July 7, militiamen clashed with workers, killing 4 and wounding about 20 rioters.   In the following days, representatives of Mayor Hopkins and labor organizations appealed to the Pullman Co. for arbitration.   This plea was supported by Detroit Mayor Hazen S. Pingree, who traveled to Chicago with telegrams from 50 city mayors urging arbitration.   These requests were denied by Pullman executives.   George Pullman was determined to exterminate unionism in his company so that he could continue operations with no organized labor interference.   Eugene Debs was arrested for violating the injunction.   This resistance by the company, aided by troops, was successful, because by July 12 trains began moving.   The strike was broken. ^{Leyen 224-227}

A Chicago investigation commission of 3 was established by President Grover Cleveland to take testimony from witnesses on the strike, wages, rents, shop abuses.   From August 15 to August 18, 1894, it examined 107 witnesses, including George Pullman and Thomas Wickes.   George referred operational questions to his executives and restricted his comments to company policies, especially those regarding wage reductions and rents.   The commission noted that since its incorporation in 1867, the Pullman Co. had accumulated $25 million in undistributed profits, that employees participated in no management decisions of the company and community, and that the 1893 depression morally mandated mutual concessions on wages and rents.   Since the company did not recognize labor unions, the employee had 2 choices: work under existing conditions or quit.   Pullman employees were denied the advantages of collective bargaining, which indicated that the company was behind the times.   With respect to wage cuts, the company had placed all its losses on the backs of the workers, whereas a fairer method would have allowed the company to absorb 3/4 of the losses and the workers 1/4.   The salaries of officers, managers and superintendents were not reduced, which showed bad faith by the company and would have reduced tensions between labor and management through demonstrated sympathy.   Although the company protested that it remained open to help the community labor force, its true purpose was to benefit the company because it prevented plant deterioration, discouraged competition, kept cars repaired and prepared it to resume regular production when times were better. ^{Leyen 231-233}

The commission found that rents at Pullman were 20 to 25% higher than in the surrounding communities for similar accommodations.   It also found that the company's contention that employees did not have to live in Pullman was not quite true, since the company preferred rehiring its own tenants during hard times.   On the other hand, the company permitted unpaid rent to accumulate when employees were hard pressed financially.   Also, in spite of threat of eviction, the company had never evicted its tenants during that period.   With respect to shop abuses, the company promised to investigate allegations of mistreatment and correct abuses, actions that were underway before the strike.   The commissioners also determined that the employee demands to return to June,1893 wage levels was unreasonable.   It censured George Pullman for refusing to arbitrate the strike.   In summary, the commission presented a picture of a wealthy industrialist who used depression as an excuse to wring profits from the wages of hapless workers.   This image of George Pullman, quite in opposition to his public image, haunted George for the rest of his life.   It led to criticism even by fellow industrialists, such as Cleveland's Mark Hanna, who claimed that George was a fool to not have dealt with his employees. ^{Leyen 233-234}

George Pullman died of a heart attack at his Chicago home on October 18, 1897.   He was buried at Chicago's Graceland Cemetery on October 23.   Fearing that his grave would be dispoilled by disgruntled company employees, Pullman had directed that his coffin be lead-lined wrapped in tar paper and coated with an inch of asphalt.   The coffin was laid on an 18-inch thick concrete base while cement was poured around the coffin and over its top by 1/2 inch on top.   8 heavy T-rails were placed over the casket, clearing it by 1/2 inch and resting on the cement sides so as not to crush the coffin.   The rails were bolted together through 2 long steel rods.   Tar paper covered the rods and concrete was poured on top.   A monument designed by Solon Berman rested on the grave.   Georges' will provided for ^{Leyen 256}

In 1891, Charles Danolds, an Albion, NY, universalist, visited the Pullmans at Castle Rest.   They discussed Universalism in Orleans County and the prominent part Lewis Pullman had played in the church.   George thereupon offered to finance the building of a Universalist church as a memorial to his parents if the local congregation could establish a fund to provide for the church's maintenance.   By December, 1892, a $5,000 fund was raised; therefore, George purchased a lot at the corner of Main and Park Sts for $7,500 in July, 1893.   In December of that year, Reverend Dr. Henry Pullman, George's brother, delivered a sermon to the congregation gathered at the Albion courthouse and wrote George to say the congregation would not shirk its responsibilities for the proposed church, which must have satisfied Geoge, because in early 1894, construction of the church began, using a plan drawn up by Solon Beman.   In May, George and George, Jr., observed members of the Masonic Order lay the cornerstone and listened to Henry's sermon, which concluded, "The desire of my brother in the erection of this church is to establish a memorial of the father and mother who believed in the doctrines of the Universalist Church and who lived their lives among the people of this community."   At the end of October, the Reverend Dr. Charles Fluhrer, brother of Emma Pullman's husband, Dr. William Fluhrer, accepted the ministry of the Albion congregation.   The dedication took place on January 31, 1895.   The church cost $80,000 and featured 56 Tiffany windows costing $5,000 and a $6,000 organ.   It's seating capacity was 400, but this could be raised to 700 by opening the wide doorways to the adjoing rooms.   On the north side of the church is a memorial plaque and in the main vestibule are bronze medallion heads of Lewis and Emily Pullman.   Henry preached the dedication sermon, George addressed the congregation, and James preached the installation sermon.

Like other business tycoons, George Pullman enjoyed the good life of the rich and spent money extravagantly.   He did not smoke and drank and gambled sparingly.   He was practical in his thinking, not theoretical, hard, but fair to employees, cold and unapprochable to underlings.   With equals he was more affable.   His friends considered him warm, generous, and hospitable.   He comported himself with exaggerated correctness.   No one outside his family called him "George".   He was an impeccable dresser, never without his coat, even on the hottest days.   Outside, he wore a black silk hat.   He rode to his Pullman Building in Chicago in a large Victoria coach with 2 blooded horses, driven by a liveried, black coachman.   At his office, he worked from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., walked across the street to the exclusive Chicago Club for a 1-hour lunch with other business associates, and then worked from 2 to 6 p.m.   He was active in civil affairs.   He contributed to Chicago hospitals and the Pullman Universalist Church in Albion.     Whether in business or society, he wanted the public spotlight always shining on himself.   He entertained lavishly and vacationed frequently, but always seemed to enjoy his work most of all.^{Leyen 203-205}