# Mr. Dryfoos — A Hazard of New Fortunes character guide > Mr. Dryfoos in A Hazard of New Fortunes by William Dean Howells. **Role:** major **Also known as:** old Dryfoos, Dryfoos, the elder Dryfoos, Father Dryfoos **First appearance:** 0001-a-hazard-of-new-fortunes ## Snapshot A wealthy, conservative natural gas magnate who bankrolls Every Other Week and expects his money to command the deference it has always bought elsewhere. ## Who they are Dryfoos has risen from the farm to a fortune and now wants a respectable literary property to crown his success, but he cannot quite comprehend the men of ideas his money has hired. Proud, touchy, and quick to take offense — especially at Lindau's socialist outbursts — he embodies the uneasy marriage of capital and culture the magazine represents. His clash with March over who controls the editorial page forces the novel's central question of whose interests art actually serves. ## In the story ### [Part First](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/a-hazard-of-new-fortunes) The wealthy, conservative natural gas millionaire who secretly funds the magazine. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-first-xi) Fulkerson tells the story of Dryfoos's rise from farmer to wealthy speculator, his move to New York, and his role as the financial backer of Every Other Week. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-first-xii) Mentioned as going West tomorrow; March declines to visit him prematurely. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-second-vi) Dryfoos is present as the financial backer, laughing nervously at jokes and supporting the cheaper paper cover. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-second-viii) Not present during the visit, but his wealth and the family's social ambitions are evident in the decor and conversation. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-second-xiii) Mentioned as the millionaire whose wealth funds the magazine, creating irony with Lindau's presence. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-third-i) Visits March's office, discusses his son's business training and family's move to New York, but avoids discussing Every Other Week directly. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-third-ii) Shows skepticism about the magazine's profits and reveals a pragmatic, game-like view of business. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-third-iii) Awakens from a nap, talks with his wife about the old farm and children's graves, then observes Beaton with Christine, feeling suspicious and uncertain. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-third-viii) His moral decay is traced from a respected farmer and citizen to a man consumed by the pursuit of easy money, now dismissive of his son's charitable commitments. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-i) The wealthy natural-gas magnate; skeptical of Fulkerson's promotional ideas but willing to fund the magazine. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-iv) Dryfoos takes a formal leave of March, speaks civilly about the magazine, and reveals his hope that his son Conrad will become involved in the magazine. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-v) Insists on hosting the dinner at his house and wants to invite Lindau; shows pride and suspicion in planning the event. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-vi) Hosts the dinner, expresses anti-union views, and becomes increasingly uncomfortable with Lindau's rhetoric. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-vii) Demands that March fire Lindau, revealing his hostility toward labor agitators and his authoritarian view of his role as owner. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-viii) Relents and sends apologies through Fulkerson, withdrawing his earlier demands. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fourth-ix) The financial backer who demands Lindau's dismissal; remains intransigent despite Fulkerson's efforts. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-iv) Furious with Christine for defying him and with Conrad for his pro-labor sympathies; strikes Conrad in anger. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-vi) Grieving father who stays to keep vigil over Conrad's body; breaks down upon seeing the wound. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-viii) Dryfoos is depicted as broken and stupefied by his son's death, continuing to go to Wall Street mechanically. His future support of the magazine is uncertain. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-x) Dryfoos seeks to apologize to Lindau for his outburst at the dinner, driven by grief over his son Conrad's death and a desire to do what Conrad would have wanted. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xi) Dryfoos reacts to Lindau's death with a childlike grief and plans to make reparation to the dead. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xii) Arranges Lindau's funeral from his house as an atonement for his son's death; later asks for Beaton's address at the magazine office. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xiii) Visits Beaton's studio to commission a portrait of Conrad; reveals his grief and his wealth; suffers a physical episode and leaves abruptly. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xiv) Visits Beaton to commission a portrait of Conrad; Beaton refuses, and Dryfoos is portrayed as bound up in his son despite their quarrels. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xvi) Offers Every Other Week to March and Fulkerson, citing his family's planned trip to Europe. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xvii) Referenced as having visited Beaton's studio and being berated by Christine. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/chapters/part-fifth-xviii) Departs for Europe with family; looks wearied and bewildered; has transferred the magazine to March and Fulkerson. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/characters/dryfoos - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_hazard_of_new_fortunes_se/characters