Frederic P. Olcott Explained

Frederic Pepoon Olcott
Office:24th New York State Comptroller
Term Start:1877
Term End:1879
Predecessor:Lucius Robinson
Successor:James Wolcott Wadsworth
Birth Date:23 February 1841
Birth Place:Albany, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Bernardsville, New Jersey, U.S.
Resting Place:Albany Rural Cemetery
Education:The Albany Academy
Party:Republican
Otherparty:Democrat (1877-1896)
Relations:Dudley Olcott (brother)

Frederic Pepoon Olcott (February 23, 1841, in Albany, Albany County, New York  - April 15, 1909, in Bernardsville, Somerset County, New Jersey) was an American banker and politician.

Early life

Olcott was born on February 23, 1841, in Albany, New York. He was the eleventh and last child of Thomas Worth Olcott (1795–1880)[1] and Caroline Dwight (Pepoon) Olcott (1797–1867). His father, as well as his elder brother Dudley, served as President of the Mechanics' and Farmers' and the Mechanics' and Farmers' Savings Bank of Albany.[2]

He was educated at The Albany Academy, and then began working at his father's bank. After leaving the bank, he joined the lumber firm of Bissell, Fassett & Co.[3]

Career

In 1866, he relocated to New York City and became a stockbroker in Wall Street.

On January 1, 1877, he was appointed New York State Comptroller to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of Lucius Robinson who had been elected Governor.[4] At the New York state election, 1877, he was elected on the Democratic, German-American Independent and Bread-Winners' League tickets to succeed himself,[5] and remained in office until the end of 1879. He was defeated for re-election at the New York state election, 1879.

From 1884 to 1905, he was President of the Central Trust Company of New York, which after mergers and acquisitions found its way into the JPMorgan Chase company. In this capacity he was involved in the re-organization of many railroads in financial trouble, like the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad, the Third Avenue Railroad, and the Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad. He also was a director of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.

In 1896, because of his opposition to William Jennings Bryan whom he accused of trying to destroy the American economy, he became a Republican and was a delegate from New Jersey to the 1900 Republican National Convention.[6]

Personal life

Olcott was married to Mary Esmay, a daughter of Isaac Esmay and Eliza (Angus) Esmay.[7] Together, they had two children, a son and a daughter:[3]

After suffering from heart trouble and chronic Bright's disease, he died at his farm in Bernardsville, New Jersey.[14] He was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery, Section 53, Lot 12.[15]

Descendants

Through his daughter Edith, he was a grandfather of Howell Van Gerbig (1902–1965),[16] who married four times,[17] including to Geraldine Livingston Thompson and Dorothy Randolph Fell,[18] and was the mother of Howell John "Mickey" van Gerbig (1941–2006),[19] and Barend "Barry" van Gerbig (b. 1939), best known as the owner of the NHL's California Seals.

Through his son Dudley, he was a grandfather of Jeanne "Jean" Grubb Olcott, who married George M. Owens,[20] and Gladys Grubb Olcott (1904–1978), who married French soldier and diplomat, Jean de Pendril Waddington, in 1922.[21] They divorced in 1932,[22] and she married Count Josef Graf von Ledebur-Wicheln a month later.[23] They also divorced.

References

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External links

Notes and References

  1. News: A VETERAN BANKER DEAD. . 20 October 2021 . . 24 March 1880.
  2. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . THOMAS OLCOTT, 82, STREET CAR OFFICIAL; Ex-Secretary and Treasurer of Union Railway Co. Dies . 20 October 2021 . . 20 July 1938.
  3. Book: Rathbone . Albert . Josiah Olcott and Deborah Worth, His Wife: A Record of Their Descendants and Notes Regarding Their Ancestors . 1937 . Press of B.H. Tyrrel . 39–40 . 20 October 2021 . en.
  4. Book: Weeks . Lyman Horace . Prominent Families of New York: Being an Account in Biographical Form of Individuals and Families Distinguished as Representatives of the Social, Professional and Civic Life of New York City . 1898 . Historical Company . 433 . 20 October 2021 . en.
  5. News: FOR STATE OFFICERS . 20 October 2021 . . October 29, 1877.
  6. News: "ACTING LIKE A SET OF IDIOTS." F. P. Olcott's Criticism of Democrats--Will Be Republican Delegate . 20 October 2021 . . June 16, 1900.
  7. Book: Rathbone . Albert . Captain Daniel Pepoon and Levina Phelps, His First Wife; Elizabeth James, His Second Wife: A Partial Record of Their Descendants and Notes Regarding Their Ancestors . 1940 . Press of B.H. Tyrrel . 89 . 20 October 2021 . en.
  8. News: Deaths -- VAN GERBIG . 20 October 2021 . . 16 July 1953.
  9. News: DUDLEY OLCOTT 2D, LONG A BANKER, 72 . 20 October 2021 . . 28 June 1946.
  10. News: Syndicate Gets Estate In Locust Valley, L.I. (Published 1946) . 20 October 2021 . . 29 September 1946 . en.
  11. News: Married -- OLCOTT-HOWARD . 20 October 2021 . . 19 August 1903.
  12. News: Marriages -- OLCOTT-BERRY . 20 October 2021 . . 2 March 1932.
  13. News: TIMES . Special Cable to THE NEW YOBK . MRS. SARAH OLCOTT IS WED; Is Married to Prince Basil Narisch- kine in Paris. . 20 October 2021 . . 5 April 1932.
  14. News: FREDERIC P. OLCOTT, FINANCIER, IS DEAD. He Was ex-President of the Central Trust Company and Once Controller of the State DEATH FOLLOWS A SHOCK He Reorganized Many Tottering Railroads--Flowers and Fast Trotters His Hobbies--Died on His Farm. . 20 October 2021 . . April 16, 1909.
  15. Albany Rural Cemetery Burial Cards, 1791-2011, entry for Frederick P. Olcott, accessed June 29, 2013
  16. News: Howell Van Gerbig, 63, Is Found Dead in Florida . 20 October 2021 . . 14 May 1965.
  17. News: Howell van Gerbig; Weds Mrs. Barry . 20 October 2021 . . 24 December 1964.
  18. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . HOME BRIDAL HELD FOR DOROTHY FELL; Daughter of Mrs. Ogden Mills Wed to Howell van Gerbig in Woodbury, L. I. . 20 October 2021 . . 13 June 1937.
  19. News: Bachrach . Special to the New York TimesBradford . Linda W. Hicklin Will Be Married; Nuptials June 29; Fiancee of Howell van Gerbig Jr.--Both Are Seniors at Rollins . 20 October 2021 . . 25 April 1963.
  20. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . MISS JEAN OLCOTT WED.; New York Girl Has Been Wife of George M. Owens Since Last May. . 20 October 2021 . . 19 March 1933.
  21. News: MISS GLADYS OLCOTT TO WED A FRENCHMAN; Becomes Engaged to Jean de Pendrill Waddington of Chateau de Vert en Dronair. . 20 October 2021 . . 4 August 1922.
  22. News: SUES JEAN WADDINGTON.; Former Gladys Olcott Files Secretly in Nevada for a Divorce. . 20 October 2021 . . 19 August 1932.
  23. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . Mrs. G.O. Waddington Is Wed. . 20 October 2021 . . 22 November 1932.