The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 93 text:

67 that Dr. Van Dyke will smash many a table with his vain efforts to drown your applause at his wit and eloquence. Since we last met at the election of this Society, the virtues and qualities of our ancestors have been exhibited again on another Held, by men who have the same blood in their veins which we have, in a way to startle the world. Without entering at all upon a discussion of the merits of the sad war in South Africa, where a great empire is writing with bloody fingers over the graves of men,-and women, too, who have died in the trenches, in defence of their convictions, For the sake of Brit- ish civilization, -I may say in your presence that the pluck and valor of the Dutch, as exhibited on many a hard fought field in Africa, have made them the heroes of the opening of the twentieth century. S Brothers of the Society, to be honored by the descendants of the men of New Netherland as you have honored me deserves more than passing thanks. But my vocabulary' of gratitude is not great enough to permit me 'to give you a proper expression of my feelings. All I can do in closing is to thank you from my heart for the pleasant favors and sweet honors you have bestowed ,upon me. It is a delightful duty to transfer themto one whose brilliant intellectual gifts will shed new lustre upon the name of our Society. On the motion of Judge Augustus Van Wyck the following resolution was unanimously adopted : Res0!z1ea', That the hearty thanks of The Holland Society of New York are hereby expressed to the Honorable Tunis G. Bergen, for his wise, able, and faithful administration of the

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for .W . X IN MEMORIAM. 'ROBERT GOELET, who was elected a member of the Society, April 6, 1886, was born at his father's house, 5 State Street, in this city, on September 29, 1841, and died, April 27, 1899,.on board his yacht Jlfayjfawer, while she was at anchor off Cowes, England. I-le was named for his father, who was a brother and partner of Peter Goelet. His mother was a daughter of jonathan Ggden, of the old family of that name. Peter and the elder Robert Goelet throughout their lives continued the policy of their father in investing in New York real estate, and at the time the subject of this sketch attained his majority his familyowned one of the largest and most valuable estates in New York. His father and uncle were largely instru- mental in founding the Chemical'Bank. lnheriting an inclination and rare capacity for business, Robert Goelet devoted a large part of his time and his energies to the care and development of the extensive property interests left to him and his younger brother Ogden by his father and uncle. Ogden Goelet died abroad about two years ago. Robert studied under private tutors in his youth and was graduated from 'Columbia College 69 '