Ray Tompkins

Ray Tompkins, born January 28, 1861, in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as one of Elmira, New York’s most esteemed businessmen, civic leaders, and financiers. A Yale-educated athlete and scholar, Tompkins would go on to leave a lasting legacy not only in his hometown of Elmira but also in Union County, New Jersey, where his financial foresight and leadership played a pivotal role in the creation of the Rahway Valley Railroad and the development of the industrial suburb of Kenilworth.

Early Life and Education

Ray Tompkins was the son of Tamerline Burt Tompkins and Brittania (Millard) Tompkins, members of a prominent lumbering family with roots in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The family moved to Elmira around 1871, where Ray and his elder brother, Charles Millard Tompkins, received their education in Elmira’s public schools and at the Elmira Free Academy. Ray went on to attend Williston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts, before enrolling at Yale University in 1879.

At Yale, Tompkins quickly distinguished himself both academically and athletically. He was a celebrated member of the university’s legendary football program and captained the undefeated 1882 and 1883 teams, which are still recognized among the greatest in college football history. He was also active in baseball, rowing, and numerous student societies, including Delta Kappa Epsilon and the elite Skull and Bones.

Business Career in Elmira

After graduating in 1884, Tompkins returned to Elmira and joined the family’s wholesale grocery business, and he and his brother Charles co-founded the firm C. M. & R. Tompkins. Following Charles’s death in 1900, Ray took over the management of the business before shifting his attention to banking and public utilities. He became a vice president of the Chemung Canal Bank in 1902 (later president) and led the institution through its reincorporation as the Chemung Canal Trust Company, where he remained an executive until his death.

Tompkins’s influence in Elmira extended to a wide range of civic, religious, and cultural endeavors. He was a trustee of Elmira College, a director of the Elmira Industrial Association and the Elmira Knitting Mills, a member of the Arnot Art Gallery board, and a leading figure in charitable efforts during World War I. He was also a stalwart of Grace Episcopal Church, where he served for decades.

New Orange Industrial Association

Tompkins’s contributions to industry and infrastructure extended beyond the boundaries of Chemung County. In the 1890s, he and his brother Charles became deeply involved in a unique and ambitious real estate venture in Union County, New Jersey, known as the New Orange Industrial Association. The Association sought to establish a planned industrial city—“New Orange”—in the then-rural heart of Union County.

As President of the Association, Ray Tompkins helped orchestrate both the real estate and transportation components of the development. He understood that in order for industry to flourish, reliable freight transportation was essential. Alongside his brother Charles (who served as General Manager of the New York & New Orange Railroad), Tompkins directed his energies into establishing the rail infrastructure needed to serve the new community.

In this capacity, he helped guide several railroad ventures: the New York & New Orange Railroad, the New Orange Four Junction Railroad, and ultimately, the Rahway Valley Railroad, incorporated in 1904. These lines were intended to connect the emerging industrial suburb to the larger rail networks of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and ultimately the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western.

Financing the Rahway Valley

The construction and expansion of the Rahway Valley Railroad came at great financial cost. By 1907, the fledgling railroad required substantial funding, and the Board of Directors secured a $400,000 mortgage through the Chemung Canal Trust Company of Elmira. As the president of the Trust Company, Tompkins not only helped underwrite the mortgage but personally acquired a significant portion of the bonds. His investment was not only financial—it was personal. He believed in the long-term success of the Kenilworth venture and committed his capital to see it through.

Tompkins was also involved in the Kenilworth Realty Corporation, which succeeded the original New Orange Industrial Association after its dissolution. Through this new corporate entity, Tompkins continued to guide the real estate and industrial development of Kenilworth, providing the backbone for what would become a stable and growing industrial center.

Death and Legacy

Ray Tompkins died on June 30, 1918, after a long illness. He was survived by his wife, Sarah Ross Wey, the daughter of Dr. William C. Wey, Elmira’s leading physician. Though the industrial vision for Kenilworth was ultimately eclipsed by economic forces beyond anyone’s control, Tompkins’s influence remained embedded in its infrastructure.

His legacy continues to be honored at Yale, where the Ray Tompkins Memorial—now the site of the Yale Golf Course—and the Ray Tompkins House, home to Yale’s Athletic Department, stand as testaments to his enduring impact. 

He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York.