James C. Rockwell (October 4, 1881 – July 30, 1962) was an American businessman best known for his role as President of the Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (Meralco) in the Philippines. He was also a founder and Commodore of the Manila Yacht Club, a charter member and President of the Rotary Club of Manila, and a Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Manila. The Rockwell Center and Rockwell Thermal Plant in Makati, Philippines, are named after him.
Early Life and Education
Rockwell was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to William Brewer Rockwell and Clara Louise Chapman. He graduated from Cornell University in 1904 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
Career
In 1911, Rockwell arrived in Manila to join Meralco as a railway manager. He was appointed vice-president in 1919, later became general manager, and in 1939 became president of the company. He also served as director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Manila in 1939.
World War II
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II, Rockwell, his wife Ann, and their son James C. Rockwell Jr. were interned at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila.
Personal Life
Rockwell married Dorothy Shepard in Yokohama, Japan, in 1913. After her death, he married Ann Hanlon in Manila in 1926. He had three children: William S. Rockwell, Patricia J. Rockwell, and James C. Rockwell Jr. In 1927, he founded the Manila Yacht Club and served as its Commodore. He also played a role in establishing the Manila Polo Club and Manila Golf Club.
Death
Rockwell died in California on July 30, 1962.
Legacy
In 1950, Meralco began operating the Rockwell Thermal Plant in Makati, named after Rockwell. After the plant was decommissioned in 1994, the site was redeveloped into the upscale Power Plant Mall. In 1995, López Holdings Corporation formed Rockwell Land Corporation to develop the 15.5-hectare area, which became known as Rockwell Center, a major business and residential district in Makati.
Other Individuals Named James Rockwell
The name "James Rockwell" is shared by several other contemporary individuals, including a fiction writer based in Kentucky (author of the novel Vanishing Line), an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) in Seattle, Washington, and a dentist practicing in New Jersey. These individuals are not historically notable in the same encyclopedic sense as James C. Rockwell.
