James F. D. Lanier
James Franklin Doughty Lanier II | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age New York City, U.S. |
| Died | 16 May 1928 (aged 69) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, sports enthusiast |
| Years active | 1880–1926 |
| Known for | Member of New York high society during the Gilded Age; involvement with Winslow, Lanier & Co.; founding Meadow Brook Hunt Club |
James Franklin Doughty Lanier II (June 25, 1858 – May 16, 1928) was a notable American financier and sports enthusiast who held a significant position within New York's high society during the Gilded Age.
Early life
Lanier entered the world on June 25, 1858, at his grandmother’s home located at 10 Fifth Avenue, New York City. He was the son of Charles D. Lanier (1837–1926) and Sarah (née Eggleston) Lanier (1837–1898). Among his siblings were Sarah Eggleston Lanier, who married Francis C. Lawrance Jr.—parents to engineer Charles Lawrance—and Kitty Lanier Lawrance, wife of W. Averell Harriman. Additional siblings included Fanny Lanier, married to Francis R. Appleton, and Elizabeth Gardner Lanier, who wed George Evans Turnure.
On his maternal side, his grandfather was Thomas Eggleston. His paternal grandparents were James Franklin Doughty Lanier, his namesake, and Elizabeth (née Gardner) Lanier. A forebear, Thomas Lanier, was a French Huguenot refugee who arrived in America in 1655 alongside John Washington, the great-grandfather of President George Washington. Thomas established himself in Westmoreland County, Virginia and married Anne Washington, daughter of John Washington.
Lanier completed his education at St. Paul's School in Concord before graduating from Princeton University in 1880.
Career
Upon finishing his studies at Princeton in 1880, Lanier became part of the family banking enterprise, Winslow, Lanier & Co., which had been established by his grandfather in 1849. He remained active in the firm until the passing of his father in 1926, after which his son Reginald took over.
Society life
In 1892, both Lanier and his spouse were included in Ward McAllister’s "Four Hundred", a compilation highlighting New York’s most distinguished families as featured in The New York Times. This list reflected the maximum number of guests Mrs. Astor's ballroom could accommodate.
Lanier played a foundational role in the establishment of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club and was an early adopter of automobile culture, participating in motor touring and racing events. His memberships included the Automobile Club of America, the Knickerbocker Club, the Racquet and Tennis Club, and the Turf and Field Clubs.
Following the incorporation of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club, Lanier commissioned architect James Brown Lord to design an estate situated in Old Westbury, Long Island, which was completed by 1891. He later sold this property in 1900 for $100,000 after leasing it to Clarence Mackay. The family also spent their summers at "Gravel Court" located in Newport, Rhode Island.
Personal life
In 1885, Lanier wed Harriet Bishop (1866–1931), daughter of Heber R. Bishop. Around 1900, he acquired two adjacent brownstone houses dating from 1854 in Murray Hill, Manhattan, for $31,000; these were subsequently demolished to make way for a new family residence. By 1903, they had moved into their newly constructed Beaux-Arts style home at 123 East 35th Street, designed by the architectural firm Hoppin & Koen.
The couple had two sons:
- Charles Day Lanier (1886–1918), who passed away at the expansive 2,000-acre Lanier Ranch located in Sheridan, Wyoming.
- Reginald Bishop Lanier (1888–1979), who married Helen Cameron (deceased 1987), granddaughter of Frederic W. Rhinelander, in 1921.
When his father died in 1926, he left behind an estate valued at approximately $9.7 million, largely inherited by James and his siblings.
Lanier died on May 16, 1928, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in New York City. He was laid to rest alongside his wife at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Upon Harriet's death in 1931, their estate—valued near $10 million—was passed on to their son Reginald.