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The Henry Phipps family of the United States was founded by Henry Phipps, Jr., the son of an English shoemaker who emigrated in the early part of the 19th century to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before settling in Pittsburgh. When a child, Henry Phipps was a friend and neighbor to Andrew Carnegie. As an adult, he was Carnegie's business partner in Carnegie Steel Company and became a very wealthy man as the company's second largest shareholder and investments in real estate. After selling his stock in Carnegie Steel, Phipps became a leading advocate of housing for the poor and a major philanthropist. He believed that those who have achieved great wealth should give back for the public good and create institutions dedicated to that purpose.

In 1907, Henry Phipps established Bessemer Trust Company to manage his substantial assets that would be shared by his offspring following his death. By 1974, Bessemer Trust Company had developed an expertise in wealth management that allowed it to take on other clients through the creation of a national bank headquartered in New York City.

Henry Phipps was one of the pioneer investors in Florida real estate. At one time, he and his family owned one-third of the town of Palm Beach, 45 kilometres of oceanfront between Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, prime bayfront property in downtown Miami, and 120 km² of land in Martin County. The Phipps family donated to the town of Palm Beach one of the most significant gifts in county history: an ocean-to-lake frontage property that is now known as Phipps Park.[1]

The Phipps like many other American dynasties have country seats in Old Westbury, New York on the Gold Coast, the stretch of land on the North Shore of Long Island that once held the greatest concentration of wealth and power in America. One residence was donated to the public and became Old Westbury Gardens.

Gladys Mills Phipps, daughter of Darius Ogden Mills and wife of Henry Carnegie Phipps, was prominent among horse breeders and owners in American Thoroughbred horse racing as were her son and daughters and several grandchildren.

Family members include:

• Henry Phipps (1839-1930)
• John Shaffer Phipps (1874-1958)
• Henry Carnegie Phipps (1879-1953)
• Gladys Mills Phipps (1883-1970)
• Lillian Bostwick Phipps (1906-1987)
• Ogden Phipps (1908-2002)
• Ogden Mills Phipps (b. 1940)
• Cynthia Phipps (1945-2007)

Allied members include:

• Amy Phipps Guest (1876-1959)
• Raymond R. Guest (1907-1991)
• Winston F. Guest (1906-1982)
• Diana Guest Manning (1909-1994)
• Barbara Phipps Janney (1911-1987)
• Stuart Symington Janney III (b. 1948)
• Andrew Eristoff (b. 1963)

References

• Halcyon Days: An American Family Through Three Generations by Peggie Phipps Boegner (daughter of John Shaffer Phipps), Richard Gachot (1987) Harry N. Abrams, Inc. ISBN 0-8109-1064-0

• Bessemer Trust Co., 630 5th Ave, New York, NY 10111