George W. Loft
George William Loft | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 6, 1943 (aged 78) Baldwin, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician, property developer, racehorse owner and breeder |
| Years active | c. 1900–1943 |
| Known for | United States House of Representatives member from New York; founder of George W. Loft Markets Inc. and George W. Loft Realty Company; owner of thoroughbred racehorses |
George William Loft (February 6, 1865 – November 6, 1943) was an American entrepreneur, politician, property developer, and owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.
Biography
George Loft was born in New York City to William Loft (1828–1919), an English immigrant who established the candy company Loft, Inc. in 1860. Building on the family’s confectionery business, George expanded his ventures into banking, real estate, and retail sectors.
Family
His first spouse, Elizabeth Marie Loft (née Lyons), passed away in 1910. The following year, he married Julia McMahon (1883–1962), whom he had met while she worked as a sales clerk at his store located at 54 Barclay Street in New York. The couple lived in Baldwin on Long Island. On May 12, 1921, Julia Loft received the honorary title of Deputy Police Commissioner for New York City and actively served full-time in this capacity.
Congressional service
Loft represented New York as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Democrat to complete the term in the Sixty-third Congress following the death of Timothy D. Sullivan in 1906. Later, he secured reelection to the Sixty-fourth Congress, serving from November 4, 1913, until March 3, 1917. He chose not to run for another term in 1916.
Later years
In recognition of Loft’s contributions, New York City named a Staten Island Ferry boat George W. Loft in 1923.
He founded George W. Loft Markets Inc., overseeing retail operations, alongside George W. Loft Realty Company which focused on leasing retail properties. In 1938, he subdivided a forty-acre portion of his Baldwin estate to develop twelve upscale residences.
In Manhattan at Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street, Loft established Emerald National Bank & Trust Co. in 1927 within a building he owned. Two years later, he launched South Shore Trust Co. in Rockville Centre, New York, where he remained president until his passing. Frank W. Breitbach succeeded him as president of South Shore Trust Company.
Thoroughbred racing
Around 1915, Loft began involvement in Thoroughbred horse racing with a stable managed by Max Hirsch, who would later be inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame.
Among his prominent horses were Papp, a colt victorious in the 1917 Belmont Futurity Stakes, and Julialeon, a filly who won the 1917 Stuyvesant Handicap at Jamaica Race Course. In 1920, he acquired Tippity Witchet, a gelding that competed until fourteen years old and retired with seventy-eight wins—ranking fourth all-time among American racehorses. The gelding Pepp secured victory in the Manhattan Handicap for Loft in 1925. Additionally, his steeplechase horse Sweepment earned the title of Champion timber-topper in 1921.
Death and interment
George W. Loft passed away on November 6, 1943, in Baldwin, New York. He was laid to rest at St. Raymond's Cemetery located in The Bronx.
External links
- 1865 births
- 1943 deaths
- American bankers
- Businesspeople in confectionery
- American businesspeople in retailing
- American real estate and property developers
- American racehorse owners and breeders
- Politicians from New York City
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
- Catholics from New York (state)
- Burials at Saint Raymond's Cemetery (Bronx)
- 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives