J. Howard Marshall II was an American oil tycoon, lawyer, and government official. He amassed a vast fortune and helped shape U.S. energy policy during World War II, but he is best known for his third marriage. At the age of 89, Marshall married 26-year-old model Anna Nicole Smith. When the businessman died shortly after, his estate and will became the subject of a long, drawn-out legal battle. Learn more about his career and personal life at philadelphia-future.
Early Life
James was born on January 24, 1905, in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. He was raised in a Quaker family, attended a private school, and went on to study liberal arts at Haverford College, graduating in 1926.
During his college years, he was involved in editing school newspapers, participated in debate teams, and played tennis and football. After college, he enrolled in Yale Law School, graduating with honors in 1931. He studied economics and law under the renowned professor Walton Hale Hamilton and served as an editor for the university’s law journal.
Career and Business
In 1931, J. Howard Marshall II was appointed Assistant Dean at his alma mater, a position he held for two years. He also became a business and finance lecturer and published academic papers. In 1932, he co-authored “Study of Bankruptcy Administration and Proposals” with William O. Douglas. He also co-wrote articles on oil production with Norman Meyers, offering alternatives to existing oil production control practices that caught the attention of the U.S. government.
In 1933, James was invited to work at the Department of the Interior as an Assistant Solicitor. That same year, he helped draft the Code of Fair Competition for the petroleum industry. Two years later, after the Supreme Court struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act, Marshall II drafted the Connally Hot Oil Act. He was directly involved in creating legislation to regulate the country’s oil flow and stabilize prices.
In 1935, J. Howard Marshall II began his career directly in the oil business. He started as a special counsel to Kenneth R. Kingsbury, the president of Standard Oil of California. Two years later, he became a partner at Pillsbury Madison Sutro.
During World War II, his skills were once again needed in Washington, D.C.:
- In 1941, Marshall II was appointed solicitor for the Petroleum Administration for War.
- He played a role in developing U.S. energy policy and the Cole Pipeline Act.
- He served on the Reparations Committee and was a member of the American Petroleum Institute.
In 1944, he was named Vice President of Ashland Oil and Refining Co. Two years later, he helped establish the National Petroleum Council but chose to remain in the private sector. In 1952, he became Executive Vice President of Signal Oil & Gas and was instrumental in founding the Great Northern Oil Company.
In 1961, he moved to Houston to lead Union Texas Petroleum. From 1967, he served as Executive Vice President of Allied Chemical and later led the Coastal Corporation. In 1984, J. Howard Marshall II founded his own company, Marshall Petroleum.
Personal Life
While his final marriage is the most well-known, it was the third of his life. In 1931, he married Eleanor Pierce, a marriage that lasted three decades. The couple had two children: James Howard Marshall III and Everett Pierce Marshall.
His second wife was Bettye Bohannon. This relationship also spanned three decades until her death from Alzheimer’s. During this time, starting in 1982, James was also in a relationship with dancer Diane Walker. He gave her gifts worth $15 million and promised to marry her, but she passed away shortly after his wife.
However, in 1988, J. Howard Marshall II met model and dancer Anna Nicole Smith. She had been married before and had a son named Daniel. She agreed to go on a date with the businessman and continued to see him after their first meeting.
Ultimately, the 89-year-old married the 26-year-old. The wedding took place in 1994. Anna Nicole Smith claimed she genuinely loved Marshall II and did not marry him for his money. In fact, she said he proposed to her multiple times, but she initially refused because she wanted to build her career in film and earn her own money first. Despite her claims, she accepted all of his lavish gifts, including cars and apartments.
The marriage lasted just over two years. The businessman died of pneumonia on August 4, 1995. Following his death, a legal battle over his will ensued between his wife and his younger son. In his final will, Marshall II had not named either of them. In the end, both parties lost their cases.