Robert Livingston Gerry, Sr.

Robert Livingston Gerry, Sr.
Born	May 31, 1877(1877-05-31) New York, New York
Died	October 31, 1957(1957-10-31) (aged 80) Aknusti Estate, Delhi, New York
Occupation	Businessman Racehorse owner/breeder
Spouse	Cornelia Averell Harriman
Children	Elbridge T. Gerry II (1908–1999) Robert L. Gerry, Jr. (1911–1979) Edward Harriman (1914–2003) Henry Averell (1914–2000)

Robert Livingston Gerry, Sr. (May 31, 1877 – October 31, 1957) was an American businessman and owner of thoroughbred racehorses.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Thoroughbred horse racing 3 Family 4 Articles 5 Sources 6 References

Biography

Owner of the Aknusti Estate in the Catskill Mountains of New York, adjoining his family's estate at Lake Delaware, New York. The Aknusti manor house was designed by architectural firm of Walker & Gillette with landscaping by the fame Olmsted Brothers firm.

Successful thoroughbred horse owner & breeder and a member of The Jockey Club.

It has been published that he was the underbidder for Man o' War^[1], at the auction won by Samuel D. Riddle at the Saratoga yearling sale in 1918.

Attended Cutler's School in New York City and then was in the Class of 1900 at Harvard University,^[2] but left in his senior year before graduating.

Served as a director of The Farmers Loan and Trust Company,^[3] a predecessor firm of Citigroup.

Married railroad baron, E.H. Harriman's second daughter, Cornelia Averell Harriman, on March 3, 1908 at Grace Church at 802 Broadway in New York City.^[4]

He officed at 258 Broadway in Manhattan.^[2]

Founded the Lake Delaware Boys Camp, a summer camp for underprivileged boys outside of Delhi, NY, in 1909.^[5] It is still in operation today.

Thoroughbred horse racing

Robert Gerry bred and raced Thoroughbred horses under the name Aknusti Stable. Some of his racing successes include:

• Winner of the first ever running of the Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in 1922 as owner of the thoroughbred horse "Emotion".^[6] Trained by George M. Odom.
• Owner of "Lady Rosebud" which won the Demoiselle Stakes in 1918 at the old Empire City Race Track.^[7]
• Owner of "Cyclops" which won the Hartsdale Stakes in 1922 at the Empire City Race Track.^[8] Also won The Emerald Purse the same day as owner of the horse "Bee's Wax". Both horses trained by George M. Odom.
• Owner of "Peanuts" whose wins included the 1925 Saranac Stakes, the 1925 & 1926 Edgemere Handicap, the 1927 Brooklyn Handicap.
• Owner of "Voltaic" which ran in the Kentucky Derby in 1925.^[9] The trainor was George M. Odom.
• Owner of "Sarmaticus" which won the Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct Race Track in 1926. Trained by George M. Odom.
• Co-owner of "High Strung" which won the Pimlico Futurity (now called Laurel Futurity) in 1928
• Owner of "Ironside" which won the Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park in 1929. Trained by George M. Odom.
• Owner of "Straying" which won the Tomboy Handicap (by a neck)^[10] at Belmont Park in 1930. Trained by George M. Odom. "Straying" also won the Demoiselle Stakes in 1930.
• Owner of "Perpetuate" which won the The Tremont Stakes in 1937. The jockey was James Stout.
• His wife, Cornelia, owned "Young Peter" which won the prestigious Travers Stakes in 1947. The trainor was George M. Odom. Mrs. Gerry was ill and did not attend the race, but instead listened to the race on the radio from the Gerry family house at Aknusti.
• Wife, Cornelia, also won the Oceanport Stakes as owner of "Master Ace" in 1954.^[11]
• Owner of "Emotion" which won the Eclipse Award for 3 Year Old Filly in 1922.^[12]
• Owner of "Shoal" which ironically finished third to Man o' War in the Hudson Stakes at Acqueduct in 1918.^[13]

Privately printed at his own cost a detailed book on thoroughbred racehorses titled "The Matriarchy Of The American Turf" in 1931 for which he wrote the forward. Book was authored by Marguerite F. Bayliss.

His eldest son, Elbridge T. Gerry II, would become a nine-goal polo player and was involved with standardbred horses. He was elected to the Polo Hall of Fame and the Harness Racing Hall of Fame.

His third son, Edward Harriman Gerry, married Martha Farish, daughter of Standard Oil president, William Stamps Farish II. She was involved in Thoroughbred racing and was the owner of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Forego. Martha Gerry was one of only five people ever named an Exemplar of Racing by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Family

• Son of Elbridge Thomas Gerry, founder of New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
• Brother of U.S. Senator Peter G. Gerry
• Great grandson of Elbridge Gerry, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• Also a great great great grandson of Francis Lewis, signer of the Declaration of Independence. - Robert L. Gerry's great grandmother on his mother's side was Margaret Lewis, the daughter of Morgan Lewis.
• His wife, Cornelia, was the sister of Governor W. Averell Harriman and the sister of E. Roland Harriman. She was also the sister of Mary Harriman, founder of the Junior League.
• Children: Elbridge Thomas II (1908–1999), Robert Livingston, Jr. (1911–1979), Edward Harriman (1914–2003), Henry Averell (1914–2000).

Articles

• Information on Robert L. Gerry, Sr.
• New York Times articles

Sources

• The Saranac at New York Racing Association
• Manhattan Handicap at New York Racing Association
• The Tremont at New York Racing Association
• Obituary in Sports Illustrated

References