The Oughton Family Legacy of Gratitude
It’s impossible to repay the debt owed to those who serve their country. But John Oughton III ’71, wants to try.
Following high school, John only applied to one school, his father’s alma mater, the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. After his first semester, he decided to join the Marine Corps. “I wasn’t certain I really wanted to go to college at that point in my life,” he says. “I had always wanted to be a Marine, and within seven days, they had me at Parris Island.”
After spending seven years in various assignments overseas, he returned to Textile to complete his education and remembers meeting a group of fellow veterans. “Two of us were Marines, three were Army, one was Air Force, and one was Navy,” he says. “As veterans during the Vietnam War, we were not particularly cared for by members of the student body, so we started our own Semper Fi Society.”
That experience was the catalyst for a mission dear to his heart. “I started to get the idea that, as I grow in my career, if I’m able to, I want to set up a scholarship for veterans,” he says.
He knew that for many who served, a shot at an education after the military was lifechanging. John recalls being treated by a battlefield corpsman after sustaining an injury as a Marine. “I’ll never forget him saying, ‘When I get out of here, I’m going to go to medical school,’” he says.
In 2012, he established the Oughton Family Scholarship for Veterans benefiting deserving students at Jefferson who demonstrate financial need, served in one of the five branches of the U.S. military, and have been honorably discharged or are honorably serving on active duty or as a reservist. He has created an additional bequest for the same purpose.
As a veteran who benefited from the GI bill to help fund his tuition, he knew firsthand how assistance with paying for college can transform a student’s life. “That was very important to me. I sometimes get a little emotional when I talk about it.”
The Oughton family’s Jefferson journey spans three generations and highlights disparate callings and careers. The textiles connection goes back to the founding of the Windsor Manufacturing Co. by his grandfather John and his brothers Charles and Bertram in Philadelphia in 1927. While each chose unique paths to graduation, at the heart of their stories are hard work, determination, love of family, and a desire to give back and make a difference.
John’s father, John (Jack) Oughton Jr. ’40 attended Textile before being drafted into the U.S. Navy and worked at Windsor until his passing. John also had a cousin, George Oughton, who worked as an instructor at Textile in dyeing and finishing in the late 1960s and ’70s.
John didn’t follow the same path as his father and grandfather before him, instead going into the banking and financial services industry. “In the ’60s and ’70s, accounting graduates from Textile were greatly sought after by the ‘Big Eight’ major accounting firms,” he says.
I would call myself a puzzle solver, and my education was key.
He was pleased to learn that his finance courses neatly fit in with what he was tasked with throughout his career. “I would call myself a puzzle solver, and my education was key,” he shares. He ascended the ranks in the banking world, working for a number of banks before joining Bear Stearns as the chief executive officer of its subsidiary Custodial Trust Co. After 11 years, John moved to Sovereign Bank as chief investment officer and economist for its trust and wealth management group before retiring and moving with his wife to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
However, retirement was far from his mind when he branched out into a new business venture, forestry. “I had timberland in Mississippi over the years,” he says. “I worked full time and grew my forest from about 3,800 acres to close to 50,000 acres before selling at the age of 82.”
John’s dedication to his alma mater never waned, especially after he received an opportunity to help shape the future of the institution. After Textile’s transition to Philadelphia University, he was invited to join the Board of Trustees, where he served for several years, departing about six months after the integration with Thomas Jefferson University.
John’s brother, Samuel E. Oughton ’68, attended Textile as a textile management and marketing major. “It was a natural choice,” he says. “It opened my eyes to divergent thinking and my desire for marketing. I have always been attracted to the manufacturing process, and college maintained both interests.”
After graduation, Samuel worked for one summer at Dan River Mills in Danville, Virginia, before he lost his college deferment and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He qualified for aviation, completing Fort Rucker flight school in September 1969 and flying UH1-H Huey helicopters.
“I entered Vietnam in January 1970 assigned to 7/17th Cavalry, A Troop, flew combat missions, and served as aircraft commander for a UH1-H Huey,” he shares. Samuel was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, and 17 Air Medals in recognition of his service to his country.
Following his discharge in 1971, his career moved in a new direction, and he obtained a teaching degree. “After teaching three years, I was unfulfilled,” he says. “I finally found my love in marketing.”
He sold industrial tires, becoming the general manager at Teledyne Monarch Rubber in New Jersey before being promoted as general manager of distribution and manufacturing in Houston. In 1989, he was invited to purchase the Houston Distribution Center which he ran before selling the business in 1998 to Maine Industrial Tires, having grown sales to $2.2 million, and worked for two years managing its distribution centers nationwide before retiring in 2000.
For John’s son, James Oughton ’89, his family’s legacy was instrumental in his choosing Textile. “After a difficult freshman year, I sat down and spoke to my father regarding my choice in schools,” he says. “Knowing my family history, I decided to transfer to Textile my sophomore year. I took great pride in the role that my family played in its early years.”
“The education I received as well as my experience as the president of our chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity were key in helping to develop my leadership abilities and critical-thinking skills,” he shares. “Upon arrival, I was welcomed by the other students, and the campus and city life offered a new experience for me.”
After graduating with a major in finance and a minor in economics, James spent the early part of his career working for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh. After moving back to the Philadelphia area, he joined a manufacturing company as an accountant before advancing to lead its customer service department and field service team.
In 2012, he joined private transportation firm Rover Community Transit as the accounting manager. When the County of Chester Pennsylvania took over the service in 2023, he transitioned to the role he still holds today, deputy director for Chester County’s community transit program, Chesco Connect. “We provide over 600 rides daily throughout the entire county for seniors and people with disabilities,” he says.
Both Samuel and James are not only proud of their family’s legacy, they are also proud brothers in Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, which, although no longer active on Jefferson’s campus, played a foundational role in their lives.
Samuel shares, “Sig Ep swore me to a brotherhood. I found value in every relationship.”
“Sig Ep provided me with an opportunity to create lifelong friendships and also brought me closer to my uncle Sam,” says James.
Reconnecting with their alma mater has brought the entire family together. James notes they return to East Falls together for homecoming events, including his uncle Sam’s 50th class reunion. And giving back to the school, creating endowments for future generations, has only deepened their engagement.
When asked how it feels to be part of his family’s rich legacy of generosity and service that began three generations ago, John’s answer is simple. “Proud. Just proud.”
