The Marland Family History
Construction of the "Palace on the Prairie"
 Marland traveled extensively, and on one of his many trips he
discovered the Davanzati Palace in Florence, Italy. He was quite
taken with it and dreamed of having his own “Palace on the Prairie.”
He hired architect John Duncan Forsyth, construction began in
1925 and it took three years to finish.
In 1926, Virginia Marland
died after a long illness, so she never lived in the new mansion.
New Mrs. Marland
 In 1928, the same year the mansion was finished, E.W. and his
adopted daughter, Lydie, traveled in his private railway coach
to Flourtown, Pennsylvania where he had her adoption annulled
and married her. So, the girl who was first his niece by marriage,
and then his adopted daughter, became his wife, the second Mrs.
Marland and the “first lady” of the new Marland Estate Mansion.
They went on an extended honeymoon and in September 1928, they
moved into their new home, E.W.’s gift to his bride.
Marland's Resignation
The grandiose lifestyle that welcomed the Marland’s to their new
home did not last long. On November 1, 1928, E.W. Marland resigned
as president of his oil company. He was the victim of what could
be referred to as a hostile takeover. J.P. Morgan & Co. had gained
control of the Marland Oil Board of Directors and their influence
on the executive committee left E.W. powerless to carry out his
business plans and defenseless against their takeover. They offered
to let him stay on as chairman of the board but even E.W. knew
he would be just a figurehead with little or no input. They also
suggested that he would need to move from Ponca City. They were
afraid Marland would start a new oil company, and many of his
loyal employees would follow.
E.W. Marland was an employer who was ahead of his time, particularly
with employee benefits. He pioneered employer paid insurance,
paid eye care and dental bills, and even built over 400 homes
for his employees. He did attempt to start a new oil company,
believing he could recreate his previous successes in the industry.
Had he been successful, many of his employees would have left
the old Marland Oil Company to join with him.
Artist Studio
Within two years after they moved into the mansion, the Marlands
were unable to afford the utility bills, so they moved into the
artist studio, a smaller building on the grounds of the estate. They had lived in the mansion less time than it took to build
it.
Marland in Politics
Frustrated and embittered by the so-called “money trust," Marland
went into politics. His political speeches gave him an opportunity
to warn his constituents of the powerful money hungry bankers
from back East. In 1932, E.W. was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives and he and Lydie moved to Washington D.C. In 1934,
E.W. was elected as the 10th Governor of the state of Oklahoma
and he and Lydie moved to Oklahoma City. E.W. continued his interest
in oil, and one of his personal victories as Governor was the
successful leasing of state property at the capital for oil production.
While he was still governor, E.W. ran twice for the U.S. Senate,
losing both times.
Return to Ponca City
 When the Marlands returned to Ponca City in 1939, they moved back
into the artist studio for a short while. John Duncan Forsyth,
the original architect on the mansion, oversaw the remodeling
of the chauffeur’s house to provide suitable living quarters for
the Marlands and they moved in there.
The End of a Dream
In 1941, E.W. finally had to do the one thing he didn’t want to
do: sell the mansion. The house that had been built and furnished
at a cost of $5.5 million dollars was sold to the Carmelite Fathers
for $66,000. Mr. Marland died of a heart ailment six months later
in the cottage where he and Lydie lived.
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NOTE:
This site is provided by the Ponca City Publishing