Orcutt, Obert Lee

The following data is extracted from Centennial History of Missouri.

Robert Lee Orcutt, president of the General Warehousing Company of St. Louis, was born in this city October 7, 1879. His father, Rosalvo E. Orcutt, was a representative of an old English family and is now living retired. He married Annie Rose in St. Johns, New Brunswick, and they became the parents of five sons and two daughters.

Robert L. Orcutt, the sixth in order of birth, was educated in the Cote Brilliant Grammar school, which he attended to the age of seventeen years and then turned his attentions to the storage and moving business, 'becoming associated with the firm of Orcutt & Company, with whom he remained until January 1, 1920. He started out in his business career as office boy, and has steadily advanced through intermediate positions and promotions until he has reached the presidency of the company, having in the meantime filled the positions of solicitor, bookkeeper, secretary and vice president. On the 1st of January, 1920, he became president of the General Warehousing Company, which is one of the largest organizations of this kind in the country. Their members include the Langan & Taylor Storage & Moving Company, the R. U. Leonori Auction & Storage Company, the American Storage & Moving Company and the J. Brown Storage Company. Mr. Orcutt is now the executive head of the organization and his long experience with the Orcutt Company well qualifies him for the responsible duties which devolve upon him in this connection. He is also serving on the Advisory Board for the Agricultural & Live Stock Empire Exposition.

There is an interesting military chapter in the life record of Robert L. Orcutt, who during the Spanish-American war enlisted at the age of eighteen years as a member of Company A, Third Regiment of Infantry, that became the First Missouri Volunteers. He joined the army as a private and afterward remained in the National Guard, becoming a member of Battery F in 1901 and continuing in that connection until 1907. During the World war he was active in securing subscriptions for the Liberty loan and for all the various war activities.

In Denison, Texas, on the 29th of December, 1908, Mr. Orcutt was married to Miss Alice Crowther, a daughter of James Crowther, representative of an old English family. Mr. and Mrs. Orcutt have become parents of a son, Robert L., Jr., born May 20, 1911. They reside at No. 5533 Cates avenue. Much concerning the personal characteristics, interests and activities of Mr. Orcutt is indicated in his membership relations which are extensive and of a varied character. He belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Rotary Club, the Automobile Club, the Old Colony Club, the St. Louis Art League, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, the Traffic Club of Chicago, the Advertising Club of St. Louis, the Real Estate Exchange, the Riverview Club, the Truck & Team Owners Association, the American Warehousing Association, the National Furniture Warehousing Association and the Masonic fraternity, in which he is connected with Itaska Lodge, No. 420, A. F. & A. M. He has also taken the Scottish Rite degrees and is a noble of Moolah Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the board of governors of the Symphony Orchestra. His political views are in accordance with the teachings and purposes of the republican party and his religious faith is indicated in his connection with the Episcopal church, in which he is serving as a member of the vestry. He is chairman of the executive committee of the Nation-Wide Campaign for the Diocese of Missouri. From his study of the Bible he has been led to adopt the tithing system as taught in the Scriptures and therefore gives to the Lord's cause at least one-tenth of his income. His life has been one of intense and well directed activity, fruitful of results that have been of benefit in the upbuilding of his fortunes, in the promotion of public welfare and in the advancement of social progress and high ideals of American manhood and citizenship.

Source: Centennial History of Missouri

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