Robert Livingston Gerry Sr.

Robert Livingston Gerry Sr. (May 31, 1877 – October 31, 1957) was an American businessman and owner of thoroughbred racehorses.

Robert Livingston Gerry Sr.
Robert Livingston Gerry, c. 1899
Born
Robert Livingston Gerry

(1877-05-31)May 31, 1877
New York, New York
DiedOctober 31, 1957(1957-10-31) (aged 80)
Aknusti Estate, Delhi, New York
EducationCutler's School
Alma materHarvard University
OccupationBusinessman
Racehorse owner/breeder
Spouse(s)
Cornelia Averell Harriman
​
(
m. 1908; his death 1957)
ChildrenElbridge T. Gerry Sr.
Robert L. Gerry Jr.
Edward Harriman Gerry
Henry Averell Gerry
Parent(s)Elbridge Thomas Gerry
Louisa Matilda Livingston
RelativesPeter G. Gerry (brother)

Early life

Gerry was born on May 31, 1877 and was the son of Louisa Matilda Livingston (1836–1920) and Elbridge Thomas Gerry (1837–1927), founder of New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. His younger brother was Peter G. Gerry (1879–1957), a U.S. Senator. He was the grandson of Thomas Russell Gerry, the great-grandson of Elbridge Gerry, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the 5th Vice President of the United States of America, and the great-great-great grandson of Francis Lewis, also a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

His mother was the granddaughter of Maturin Livingston (1769–1847) and Margaret Lewis (1780–1860). Margaret was the only child and sole heiress of Gov. Morgan Lewis (1754–1844), the governor of New York.[1]

Robert attended Cutler's School in New York City and graduated[2] from Harvard University in 1900.[3]

Career

Gerry was the owner of the Aknusti Estate in the Catskill Mountains of New York, adjoining his family's estate at Lake Delaware, New York. The Aknusti manor house was designed by architectural firm of Walker & Gillette with landscaping by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm.

Gerry served as a director of The Farmers Loan and Trust Company,[4] a predecessor firm of Citigroup and kept his office at 258 Broadway in Manhattan.[3]

Thoroughbred horse racing

He was a successful thoroughbred horse owner & breeder and a member of The Jockey Club. It has been published that he was the underbidder for Man o' War,[5] at the auction won by Samuel D. Riddle at the Saratoga yearling sale in 1918. He bred and raced Thoroughbred horses under the name Aknusti Stable. Some of his racing successes include:

  • Winner of the first ever running of the Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in 1922 as owner of the thoroughbred horse "Emotion".[6] Trained by George M. Odom.
  • Owner of "Lady Rosebud" which won the Demoiselle Stakes in 1918 at the old Empire City Race Track.[7]
  • Owner of "Cyclops" which won the Hartsdale Stakes in 1922 at the Empire City Race Track.[8] Also won The Emerald Purse the same day as owner of the horse "Bee's Wax". Both horses trained by George M. Odom.
  • Owner of "Peanuts" whose wins included the 1925 Saranac Stakes, the 1925 & 1926 Edgemere Handicap, the 1927 Brooklyn Handicap.
  • Owner of "Voltaic" which ran in the Kentucky Derby in 1925.[9] The trainer was George M. Odom.
  • Owner of "Sarmaticus" which won the Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct Race Track in 1926. Trained by George M. Odom.
  • Co-owner of "High Strung" which won the Pimlico Futurity (now called Laurel Futurity) in 1928
  • Owner of "Ironside" which won the Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park in 1929. Trained by George M. Odom.
  • Owner of "Straying" which won the Tomboy Handicap (by a neck)[10] at Belmont Park in 1930. Trained by George M. Odom. "Straying" also won the Demoiselle Stakes in 1930.
  • Owner of "Perpetuate" which won the Tremont Stakes in 1937. The jockey was James Stout.
  • His wife, Cornelia, owned "Young Peter" which won the prestigious Travers Stakes in 1947. The trainer was George M. Odom. The jockey was Tommy May.[11] Mrs. Gerry was ill and did not attend the race, but instead listened to the race on the radio from the Gerry family house at Aknusti.
  • Wife, Cornelia, also won the Oceanport Stakes as owner of "Master Ace" in 1954.[12]
  • Owner of "Emotion" which won the Eclipse Award for 3 Year Old Filly in 1922.[13]
  • Owner of "Shoal" which finished third to Man o' War in the Hudson Stakes at Aqueduct in 1918.[14]

He privately printed in 1931 at his own cost a detailed book on thoroughbred racehorses titled The Matriarchy of the American Turf for which he wrote the foreword. The book was authored by Marguerite F. Bayliss.

His daughter-in-law, Martha, was also involved in thoroughbred racing and was the owner of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Forego. Martha Gerry was one of only five people ever named an Exemplar of Racing by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[15]

Personal life

On March 3, 1908, he married Cornelia Averell Harriman (1884–1966) at Grace Church at 802 Broadway in New York City. Cornelia was the second daughter of railroad executive E. H. Harriman and his wife Mary Williamson Averell.[16] Cornelia was the sister of W. Averell Harriman the New York Governor, E. Roland Harriman, and Mary Harriman, founder of the Junior League. They lived at the Aknusti Estate in Delhi, New York and at 69 East Seventy Ninth Street in New York City.[2] Together Cornelia and Robert had:

In 1909, he founded the Lake Delaware Boys Camp, a summer camp for underprivileged boys outside of Delhi, NY,[26] that is still in operation today. Gerry died at his home in Delhi, New York on October 31, 1957, hours after his brother Peter died.[2]

Descendants

Through his second son, Robert, he was the grandfather of Robert L. Gerry III (b. 1937), businessman and oil executive.[27]

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References

Citations
  1. New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999
  2. Staff (November 1, 1957). "Peter G. Gerry, Ex-Senator, Dies Hours Before His Brother Robert Rhode Island Democrat, 78, Was a Foe of New Deal— Supported Strong Navy". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  3. Class of 1900 Report
  4. Bank History, Farmers Loan and Trust Company
  5. http://www.eclipsepress.com/mediaroom/pdf/SireLines_ex.pdf
  6. New York Times article dated August 31, 1922
  7. New York Times article dated July 17, 1918
  8. New York Times article dated October 18, 1922
  9. http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2002/derby_history/derby_charts/years/1925.html
  10. Page 26, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 9, 1930
  11. Daily Racing Form, Vol. XXVIII, No. 197, Monday, August 18, 1947 and The Saratogian, Monday, August 18, 1947
  12. http://www.monmouthpark.com/uploadedFiles/Stakes%203.pdf
  13. http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipsewinners/pdf/History_Charts.pdf
  14. http://man-o-war.info/race_record.html
  15. Miller, Stephen (September 20, 2007). "Martha Gerry, 88, Bred Forego, Great Gelding of the '70s - The New York Sun". New York Sun. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  16. New York Times article dated March 4, 1908
  17. "Marjorie Y. Kane Engaged To Marry – Her Betrothal to Elbridge T. Gerry 2d Is Announced by Her Parents – Their Wedding in May – Mr. Gerry, a Harvard Graduate and Prominent Polo Player, Is of Distinguished Ancestry". The New York Times. 28 March 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  18. Staff (June 30, 1935). "Daughter to Mrs. R. L. Gerry Jr". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  19. "Paid Notice: Deaths – Bingham, Harry Payne Jr". The New York Times. 23 January 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  20. "Miss Martha Farish Married in Ceremony At St. James to Edward Harriman Gerry; Mrs. William S. Farish Jr., Sister-in-Law, Serves as Matron of Honor—-Eight Others Attend Her". The New York Times. 23 April 1939. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  21. "Paid Notice: Deaths – Gerry, Henry Averell". The New York Times. 4 December 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  22. "NANCY W. GERRY". The New York Times. September 30, 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  23. "In Memoriam: Nancy Whitney Gerry". FishersIsland.net. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  24. World, Times Wide (4 May 1940). "Miss Whitney Wed to Henry Gerry – Becomes the Bride of Harvard Alumnus in the Church of the Epiphany Here". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  25. "Henry Gerry to Wed Miss Nancy Whitney – Their Engagement Announced by Mrs. Richard Whitney". The New York Times. 29 March 1940. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  26. New York Times article dated July 24, 2009
  27. New York Times, October 6, 1963

General sources
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