Benjamin Ingham, who is often seen as the primary reason for the Whitaker family‘s riches, made his way to Sicily in 1809. Once there, he dedicated his efforts to producing and selling wool and wine.
Since he didn’t have any kids, people were curious about who would inherit his money. Surprisingly, it wasn’t his oldest nephew, but instead it went to William and Joseph Whitaker. This decision didn’t sit well with his youngest nephew, Luke Biondino, who vowed to get back at them.
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Who Is Benjamin Ingham?
In the 1820s, Benjamin Ingham, who was from Palermo, Italy, asked his nephews from the Whitaker family to join him in a business venture. Joseph Whitaker, the son of Joseph Whitaker senior, was born in 1850 and passed away in 1936. Benjamin Ingham himself lived from 1784 to 1861. Joseph Whitaker married Tina Scalia and the couple built Villa Malfitano in Palermo.
When Joseph was younger, he had a variety of interests including archaeology, the study of birds, and being active in sports. However, when he inherited the Ingham Marsala wine business, he also inherited vast vineyards and his grandfather’s banking empire.
Lesser known trivia about Benjamin Ingham
- Benjamin Ingham’s family members were equally aristocrats, signifying their difference from other people in Palermo.
- Benjamin Ingham and Joseph Whitaker announced their plan to build a place of worship that resembled the Church of England in 1871 to serve Protestant Palermo residents and visitors.
- Benjamin and Whitaker families paid for church construction.
- Joshua Whitaker acquired the church’s patronage and interest after his father’s death.
- Joshua Whitaker’s brother took over leadership after his death, and the Gibraltar Diocesan Trust took over church patronage.
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