Leonard Jerome
Leonard Jerome | |
---|---|
Born | Leonard Walter Jerome November 3, 1817 Pompey, New York, U.S. |
Died | March 3, 1891 Brighton, England, United Kingdom | (aged 73)
Education | Princeton University, Union College |
Spouse |
Clarissa Hall (m. 1849) |
Children | 4, including Jennie Jerome |
Relatives | Winston Churchill (grandson) |
Leonard Walter Jerome (November 3, 1817 – March 3, 1891)[1] was an American financier in Brooklyn, New York, and the maternal grandfather of Winston Churchill.
Early life
Leonard Jerome was born in
He originally enrolled in Princeton University, then known as the College of New Jersey (where two of his brothers studied theology and became Presbyterian ministers), as a member of the Class of 1839, before leaving for Union College, where he studied law with his uncle, known as Judge Jerome, and set up a practice in Rochester, New York.[1] He later moved to New York City, where he became a stock speculator and promoter.
Career
Jerome was a flamboyant and successful stock speculator. He made and lost several fortunes, and was known as "The King of
During the
he was not the majority shareholder as is sometimes erroneously claimed.The
Sporting activities
Jerome was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed
In the late 1860s, Jerome was part of several hunting trips in the
In 1866, Jerome bought the estate and mansion of James Bathgate near
Jerome became a resident of Brooklyn. He, Vanderbilt, and other investors founded the Coney Island Jockey Club which in 1884 built the Sheepshead Bay Race Track.
Personal life
On April 5, 1849, Jerome married Clarissa Hall (1825–1895),
- John Strange Spencer-Churchill.
- Clarita Frewen (née Clarita Jerome), known as Clara, who married MP, a charming spendthrift who ran up huge debts trying to operate a ranch in Wyoming, and through gambling, sports, and women. They had two sons, Hugh and Oswald, and one daughter, Clare Sheridan.
- Leonie, Lady Leslie (née Leonie Jerome), who married Sir John Leslie (1857–1944), an Irish baronet, whose family estates covered 70,000 acres (280 km2). They had four sons. For many years, she maintained a liaison with Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.
Jerome was also rumored to be the father of the American opera singer Minnie Hauk.[9] He also had an affair in the 1860s with Fanny Ronalds, then separated from her husband. Ronalds later lived in London, where she remained a friend of Jerome's daughter Jennie.[10]
Leonard Jerome died at the age of 73 in Brighton, England, surrounded by his wife and surviving daughters.[1] He was originally buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in England,[11] and later buried in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.[12]
Legacy
Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, Jerome Avenue in Brooklyn, Jerome Park Reservoir, and the Jerome Stakes are all named after him.
In 2023 Jerome will be posthumously inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as a Pillar of the Turf for his contributions to thoroughbred racing.[13]
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f "LEONARD W. JEROME DEAD THE END CAME QUIETLY AT BRIGHTON TUESDAY NIGHT. A CAREER OF PROMINENCE IN FINANCIAL, PATRIOTIC, TURF, AND YACHTING CIRCLES, AS WELL AS IN NEW-YORK'S SOCIAL LIFE" (PDF). The New York Times. March 5, 1891. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ Burrows & Wallace.
- ^ Baker, Kevin, "Violent City: A Five-day Battle for New York Reveals the Birthing Pains of Our Democracy", American Heritage Magazine, February/March 2003, Volume 54, Issue 1.
- ^ Burrows & Wallace, p. 890.
- ^ Burrows & Wallace, p. 960.
- ^ a b Burrows & Wallace, p. 954.
- ^ "Mrs. Leonard W. Jerome Dead" (PDF). The New York Times. April 3, 1895. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "MRS. LEONARD JEROME'S FUNERAL A Semi-Choral Service Attended by Distinguished Persons" (PDF). The New York Times. April 6, 1895. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ Anne Sebba, American Jennie, Norton, 2008, p. 13.
- ISBN 0-19-514769-3.
- ^ "LEONARD W. JEROME'S FUNERAL" (PDF). The New York Times. March 7, 1891. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "HIS FRIENDS FEEL AGGRIEVED. THEY THINK MR. JEROME SHOULD HAVE HAD A NEW-YORK FUNERAL" (PDF). The New York Times. September 6, 1891. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ Grening, David (April 25, 2023). "Nakatani, Arrogate, California Chrome, Songbird top 2023 Hall of Fame class". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- Bibliography
- ISBN 0-195-11634-8.
- McNamara, John "History in Asphalt: The Origin of Bronx Street and Place Names" (1993) Bronx County Historical Society ISBN 978-0-941980-16-6