Joseph E. Widener

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Joseph Early Widener (August 19, 1871 – October 26, 1943) was a wealthy American

Early life

Widener was born in

Widener used his great wealth to pursue his interest in Thoroughbred horse racing on a large scale. Not only did he become an owner of a large stable of racehorses, Widener acquired the Elmendorf Farm in Lexington, Kentucky and the Belmont Park racetrack in New York, plus he built Hialeah Park racetrack in Miami, Florida.

In 1901, Widener began purchasing Thoroughbred horses to compete in both

As part of the selloff of the August Belmont Jr. estate, in 1925 Widener also acquired majority control of Belmont Park in Elmont, New York and would serve as the race track's president until 1939 when failing health necessitated his stepping down.

In 1930, he imported the stallion Sickle from Lord Derby in England who came to visit the U.S. that year and was Widener's guest at the 1930 Kentucky Derby. A son of the very important sire Phalaris, Sickle would produce 45 Graded stakes race winners and be the leading sire in North America in 1936 and 1938.

Following Chance Shot's win in the 1927 Belmont Stakes, Widener's racing stable won the race two more times with Hurryoff in 1933 and with a son of Chance Shot in 1934 named Peace Chance. He also had five horses compete in the Kentucky Derby with his best finishes a second place earned by Osmand in 1927 and by Brevity in 1936.

Widener's father had had business interests in

• Peter Arrell Browne Widener II (1895–1948)
• Josephine "Fifi" Widener Leidy Holden Wichfeld Bigelow (1902–1961)
  • Joan Widener Leidy (1923–1988) was married from 1941 to 1950 to State Senator George Eustis Paine (1920–1991)

Widener raised his family at

In poor health for several years, Widener died at his Lynnewood Hall estate in 1943 and was interred in the Widener family mausoleum, Section K, Lot 338 at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Hialeah Park

In 1930, Widener built a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m²) mansion in

Widener added to the extensive and valuable art collection he had inherited from his father. His collection included a dozen or more works by Rembrandt as well as those by Johannes Vermeer, Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and others. In 1939, Widener made a number of donations from his assorted collections including manuscripts of historical and artistic importance given to the Rare Book Department at the Free Library of Philadelphia. However, his most important philanthropic endeavor was as a founding benefactor of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Widener's 1939 donation of a vast collection was announced by U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Gallery's opening ceremony. Known as the Widener Collection, the more than 2,000 sculptures, paintings, decorative art, and porcelains went on display in 1942. Widener's own 1921 portrait by Augustus John hangs in the National Gallery of Art.

• 
  The Mill (1645-1648) by Rembrandt, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
• 
  Descent from the Cross (1650-1652) by Rembrandt, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
• 
  Portrait of a Gentleman (1650-1652) by Frans Hals, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
• 
  Lady with an Ostrich Fan (1658-1660) by Rembrandt, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

References