Colonel William A. Phillips

Frederic Adrian Delano II (September 10, 1863 – March 28, 1953) was an American railroad president[1] who served as the first vice chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1914 to 1916. After his term as vice chairman, Delano continued to serve as a member of the Federal Reserve Board until 1918.

Early life

At Harvard, c. 1885

Delano was born in Hong Kong on September 10, 1863.[2][1] He was a member of the Delano family as a son of Warren Delano Jr. and Catherine Robbins Lyman. He was a brother of Warren Delano IV and Sara Ann Delano, and uncle of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.[2]

Like his older brother Warren, he graduated from Harvard University in 1885.[2]

Career

After his graduation from Harvard, Delano was employed by the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad in various capacities, rising from the position of civil engineer to be general manager at Chicago. For a time he was consulting engineer to the United States War Department in respect to the railroads of the Philippine Islands. In 1905, he became president of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, of the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, and of the Wabash Railroad. Delano was appointed one of the receivers for the Wabash in 1911, and in 1913, he was elected president of the Monon Railroad (succeeding Fairfax Harrison[3]). He was vice president of the American Unitarian Association in 1907.

His addresses were published under the titles Questions of the Hour (1911) and Are Our Railroads Fairly Treated? (1913). He was also the chairman of the influential National Capital Park and Planning Commission and helped approve and oversee the building of the Pentagon.[4]

Legacy

His philanthropic work through the Commercial Club of Chicago, which has been said to have strongly impacted his nephew's presidential policies. Delano was Chairman of the Committee on the Regional Plan for New York and Its Environs, which released the regional plan for New York on May 27, 1929.[5]

He was also a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago which affected the development of Chicago in the 19th and 20th centuries. Delano was the first vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve and the National Resources Planning Board.

His house on 2244 S Street NW in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington DC, designed by Waddy Butler Wood in 1924, survives as the Residence of the Irish Ambassador.[6]

Personal life

In 1888, Frederic was married to Matilda Anne Peasley (1867–1953). Together, they were the parents of five children, all daughters, including:[1]

  • Catherine Lyman Delano (1889–1951),[7] who married Alexander Galt Grant.
  • Louise Delano (1891–1923), who married Sherwood Cheney (1873–1949), Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School.
  • Laura Delano (1893–1978), who married James Lawrence Houghteling (1883–1962). His sister Josephine Houghteling was married to financier Frank Gray Griswold.[8][9]
  • Matilda Delano (1899–1911), who died young.
  • Alice Delano (1903–1904), who died young.

Delano died in Newburgh, New York on March 28, 1953.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Roosevelt Genealogy". www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Frederic A. Delano is Dead in Capital; Uncle of Late President Ran Railroads, Had Long Career as Planner of Cities" (PDF). The New York Times. March 29, 1953. p. 94. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Monon Railroad Historical and Technical Society (2004–2006). "Presidents, Receivers and Trustees". Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  4. ^ This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainGilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ United States. National Capital Planning Commission; Frederick Gutheim; Antoinette J. Lee (November 15, 2006). Worthy of the Nation: Washington, DC, from L'Enfant to the National Capital Planning Commission. JHU Press. pp. 170–. ISBN 978-0-8018-8328-6. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
  6. ^ Emily Hotaling Eig and Julie Mueller, Traceries (1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District".
  7. ^ "Portrait of Catherine Lyman Delano :: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library". www.hrvh.org. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  8. ^ "Roosevelt Will Visit Newport; President and Wife Expected to Be the Guests of Commodore and Mrs. Vanderbilt. Mrs. Canfield Remarries; Wedded to Frank Gray Griswold in London -- Ambassador Reid Present at the Ceremony". The New York Times. Newport (published July 30, 1907). July 29, 1907. p. 7. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Griswold – Canfield". The New York Times. London (published July 30, 1907). July 29, 1907. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Government offices
New office Member of the Federal Reserve Board
1914–1918
Succeeded by
Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve
1914–1916
Succeeded by