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

Page 95 text:

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 '

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71 movements for the promotion of the common wel- fare. Although unostentatious in his methods, it was his aim to aid in every worthy effort to im- prove the condition of the community in which he lived. He was liberal in contributing in a quiet way to projects of a semi-public character both here and in Newport. Mr. Goelet was very fond of music, and he did much to promote its study and to increase the pub- lic facilities' for hearing it. He was one of the original stockholders of the Metropolitan Opera House, and one of the most earnest advocates of the rebuilding of that structure after it had been destroyed by Ere. Mr. Goelet was also one of the founders of the Metropolitan Club in this city, and was one of the financial pillars of that institution. When in New York he wasp in the habit of spend- ing much of his time there. He was likewise a lib- eral patron of the club at Newport and of the Casino at Tuxedo. Any project or suggestion for the beautifying or betterment of those institutions elicited prompt co-operation on his part. In a conservative way Robert Goelet was fond of sports. He knew and appreciated a good trot- ting horse, and derived much pleasure from holding the ribbons over some speedy animals. He was an enthusiastic yachtsman, and took a healthful in- terest in the various out-of-door sports which from time to time engage the attention of fashionable society. His steam yacht Nahma, which was with him abroad, is one of the Hnest vessels of the kind ever built. Persons who knew Robert Goelet best esteemed him most highly. He was not a man to make ac- quaintances promiscuously, yet there was no trace of arrogance or selfish exclusiveness in his disposi- tion. He weighed his friendships carefully, but when once a person gained his confidence, that person found in Mr. Goelet a friend of steadfast loyalty. ' --