George R. Sheldon
George Rumsey Sheldon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 14, 1919 (aged 61) Carbondale, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Financier |
| Known for | Treasurer of the Republican National Committee |
George Rumsey Sheldon (April 16, 1857 – January 14, 1919) was an American financier who held the position of treasurer for the Republican National Committee.
Early life
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sheldon was the son of William Crawford Sheldon and Mary Eliza ( DeForest) Sheldon. His family included siblings such as Catherine "Kate" DeForest Sheldon, married to Alfred Craven Harrison; Ella Crawford Sheldon, spouse of William Saterlee Packer Prentice; and his brother William Crawford Sheldon, also a banker. Among his relatives was Mildred, Countess von Holstein.
He completed his education at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire before graduating from Harvard College as part of the class of 1870.
Career
Following his Harvard graduation, Sheldon ventured into banking by establishing his own firm in New York City. He broadened his business interests and maintained a close association with J. Pierpont Morgan. He founded the Franklin Sugar Company, which focused on sugar importing and refining operations in Pennsylvania. Additionally, he was instrumental in the development of the Trust Company of America and participated in the Grape Sugar Trust alongside figures like Hiram Bond, Thomas C. Platt, and his brother-in-law William W. Frazier.
At the time of his passing, Sheldon held directorships in eighteen companies, including notable firms such as the American Locomotive Company, Bethlehem Steel Company, North American Company, Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company, Electric Securities Company, Detroit Edison Company, Mechanics and Metals National Bank, Union Electric Light Company of St. Louis, Cincinnati Northern Railway Company, West Kentucky Coal Company, and the Wisconsin Edison Company.
Republican politics
In 1908, Sheldon assumed the role of treasurer for the Republican National Committee, a position he maintained for eight years. He played a significant part in bridging differences between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, a critical accomplishment that led to the dissolution of the Progressive Party and consolidated Republican groups, contributing to successes such as the 1918 House elections.
Personal life
Sheldon married Mary Robinson Seney (1863–1913) in December 1881; she was the daughter of Brooklyn financier George I. Seney. Mary made history as the first female president of the New York Philharmonic, credited with revitalizing the orchestra in 1909 and recruiting Gustav Mahler. The couple's residence was located at 24 East 38th Street in Manhattan, and they had two daughters:
- Mary Seney Sheldon (born 1885), who married William Fuller in 1904; after their divorce, she wed Daniel F. Murphy, a Harvard Law alumnus and Police Magistrate. Following Murphy’s death in 1937, she married Col. Arthur W. Little in 1941.
- Gertrude Alison Sheldon (1888–1969), who united with banker Samuel Stevens Sands III in 1910; after his passing in 1913, she married Richard Whitney, former president of the New York Stock Exchange who was later convicted for embezzlement.
Sheldon also served as president of New York’s esteemed Union League Club. In 1903, he purchased a 45-acre property on Hempstead Harbor located in Glen Cove, New York.
His wife passed away in 1913. George Rumsey Sheldon died on January 14, 1919, in Carbondale, Illinois due to injuries incurred while inspecting a coal mine there.