Charles Lathrop Pack

Charles Lathrop Pack (May 7, 1857 – June 14, 1937), a third-generation timberman, was "one of the five wealthiest men in America prior to World War I".

His financial success was built on the success of his father, George Willis Pack, and grandfather, George Pack, Jr. in the forestry sector. Growing up on the shores of Lake Huron in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Charles L. Pack lived in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1871 until the early years of the 20th century. With investments in timber in the American South, banking and real estate, Pack became a multi-millionaire. During World War I, he was a principal organizer and was heavily involved in the war garden movement in the United States.

During the 1930s, he was the president of The American Tree Association.

Victory Gardens

In March 1917, Charles Lathrop Pack organized the US National War Garden Commission and launched the war garden campaign. After the war, he documented the victory garden movement in The War Garden Victorious.

Philately

Pack was a philatelist, recognized for his award-winning collections of postage stamps.

Collecting interests

Pack was noted for his collections of postage stamps of New South Wales, New Zealand, Canada, Cape of Good Hope, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. He was especially noted for his plating of early stamps of Brazil and the plating of the Uruguay 1856 'Diligencia' issue.

Philatelic literature

Pack's collection of postage stamps of Victoria led to his publication in 1923 of his famous book Victoria: the Half-length Portraits and the Twopence Queen Enthroned.

Honors and awards

Pack received worldwide recognition and numerous awards. He signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921. He was the first American to receive the Crawford Medal in 1923 from the Royal Philatelic Society London. He was also the first American to receive the Lindenberg Medal in 1926 from the Berliner Philatelisten-Klub and the first person to receive the Award of Merit from the Collectors Club of New York. Pack is named in the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame for 1941.