Voting Station

Washington Duke

Please vote to see the next celebrity.

Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (December 18, 1820-May 8, 1905)
    Born in Durham, North Carolina
    Birth name is George Washington Duke
    Namesake of Duke University, North Carolina
    Manufactured Pall Mall and Lucky Strikes cigarettes
    Republican candidate in North Carolina state elections
    Devout Methodist

Why he might be annoying:

    He was named for President Washington. He named his son after the sitting president, James Buchanan Duke (1856).
    He turned to tobacco when his cotton crop failed.
    He acquired his wealth selling tobacco.
    W. Duke Sons and Company was one of first tobacconists to replace hand rolled cigarettes, with machine rolled cigarettes.
    During the late 1800's, his company was the world's top cigarette producer.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Despite being drafted into the Confederate Navy, he was anti-slavery.
    During the civil war, he was a POW held in a Libby Prison.
    His first wife died at 22, his second wife died at 29. They both died from typhoid.
    He was a strong proponent of advertising, which benefited his company.
    He attracted Trinity College to move to his hometown of Durham, North Carolina
    He offered Trinity $100,000 if they would admit women, they agreed.
    Trinity College was renamed Duke University in his honor (1924).

Credit: Bruce


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 18 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 25 Votes: 68.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 33 Votes: 60.61% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 36 Votes: 47.22% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 54 Votes: 68.52% Annoying