Major John Vernou Bouvier Jr. (August 12, 1866 – January 15, 1948) was an American

Wall Street Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for t ...

lawyer and stockbroker. He was the father of

John Vernou Bouvier III John Vernou "Black Jack" Bouvier III ( ; May 19, 1891 – August 3, 1957) was an American Wall Street stockbroker and socialite. He was the father of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and of socialite Lee Radziwill, and was the father-in- ...

as well as a grandfather of First Lady

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...

, socialite

Lee Radziwill Caroline Lee Bouvier ( ), later Canfield, Radziwiłł (), and Ross (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019), usually known as Princess Lee Radziwill, was an American socialite, public-relations executive, and interior decorator. She was the y ...

, and

Edith Bouvier Beale Edith Bouvier Beale (November 7, 1917 – January 14, 2002), nicknamed Little Edie, was an American socialite, fashion model, and cabaret performer. She was a first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Jacqueline Onassis and Lee Radziwill, Lee ...

Early life

Bouvier was born on August 12, 1866 in

Torresdale, Philadelphia Torresdale, also formerly known as Torrisdale, is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia. Torresdale is located along the Delaware River between Holmesburg and Bensalem Township in neighboring Bucks County. The adjacent co ...

, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Captain John Vernou Bouvier (1843-1926) and Caroline Maslin (née Ewing) Bouvier (1844-1929). His father was a

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states t ...

veteran who served as aide-de-camp on the staff of General

Marsena R. Patrick Marsena Rudolph Patrick (March 15, 1811 – July 27, 1888) was a college president and an officer in the United States Army, serving as a general in the Union Army, Union volunteer forces during the American Civil War. He was the provost marshal fo ...

and was one of the earliest members of the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...

. Bouvier's grandparents were Louise Clifford (née Vernou) Bouvier (1811-1872), of Philadelphia, the second wife of Michel Charles Bouvier (1792-1874), a French

cabinetmaker A cabinet is a case or cupboard with shelves and/or drawers for storing or displaying items. Some cabinets are stand alone while others are built in to a wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet. Cabinets are typically made of wood (s ...

from

Pont-Saint-Esprit Pont-Saint-Esprit (, literally "Holy Spirit Bridge"; oc, Lo Pònt Sant Esperit) is a commune in the Gard département in southern France. It is situated on the river Rhône and is the site of a historical crossing, hence its name. The Ardèche fl ...

in southern France who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1815 after having served in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

. In addition to crafting fine furniture, Bouvier had a business distributing firewood which led to his acquisition of nearly 800,000 acres of forest, some of which turned out to contain large reserves of coal. Michel further grew his fortune in real estate speculation. John's father and uncles, Eustes and Michel Charles Bouvier Jr., distinguished themselves in the world of finance on

. As the only remaining male Bouvier heir, John Jr. inherited the Bouvier fortune from his father and uncles. His early education was from private tutors in the United States and in France, then he attended the

Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School ("Columbia Grammar", "Columbia Prep", "CGPS", "Columbia") is the oldest nonsectarian independent school in New York City, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan (5 West 93rd Street). The school serves gr ...

in New York City. He graduated with an A.B. degree from Columbia University in 1886 as the president of his class. The following year, he received an A.M. degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, followed by an LL.B. degree from the Columbia Law School in 1889.

Career

On June 28, 1888, Bouvier was admitted to the bar in New York and began working with the Hoadley, Lauterbach & Johnson firm. During World War I, he was commissioned a major in the Judge Advocate General's Department of the Army, the legal arm of the United States Army. After the war, he resumed the practice of law, with various firms, including Bouvier & Beale at 165 Broadway with his son-in-law

Phelan Beale Phelan Beale (May 23, 1881 – June 12, 1956) was an American attorney and sportsman in New York City who was married to Edith Ewing Bouvier, an aunt of Jacqueline Bouvier Onassis. Beale is probably best remembered as the absent father chronicl ...

, until his retirement in 1930. Bouvier, who also held a seat on the Exchange, kept a diary and wrote on October 29, 1929, also known as "Black Tuesday" of the

1929 crash The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...

, "XXXX Blackest Panic Day of All. Record 16,410,000 shares traded. No bids at last prices. No bids--no bids". By the end of the crash, Bouvier had lost half of the $250,000 (equivalent to $ today) inheritance he received from his parents nine months before the crash. His retirement was short-lived because a year later he joined his uncle's firm, M.C. Bouvier & Co., members of the New York Stock Exchange, as a general partner. His uncle wisely unloaded most of his common stock positions before the 1929 crash, thereby preserving much of his $7,000,000 wealth (equivalent to $ today). Upon his uncle's death in 1935, the firm was dissolved. Bouvier worked as an trial attorney for 40 years, specializing in contracts, testamentary law, torts, securities, and stock exchanges. He served as general counsel for the Aetna Life Insurance Company, the Travelers Insurance Company, the Equitable Life Insurance Company, and the Metropolitan Street Railway Company.

Personal life

On April 16, 1890, Bouvier was married to

Brearley School The Brearley School is an all-girls private school in New York City, located on the Upper East Side neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan. The school is divided into lower (kindergarten – grade 4), middle (grades 5–8) and upper (grades 9– ...

graduate Maude Frances Sergeant (1869–1940). She was the daughter of British born merchant William Roberts Sergeant and Edith Matilda (née Leaman) Sergeant. Together, they lived at Woodcroft, an estate in

Nutley, New Jersey Nutley is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 30,143. What is now Nutley was originally incorporated as Franklin Township by an act of the New Jersey Legisla ...

built in 1895, and, later, at 521

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...

in New York, and were the parents of five children: *

(1891–1957), who married Janet Norton Lee, daughter of real estate developer James T. Lee, in 1928. They divorced in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

in July 1940. * William Sergeant "Bud" Bouvier (1893–1929), a 1915

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

graduate who died in

Los Olivos, California Los Olivos (; Spanish for "the olive trees") is an unincorporated community in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tourism is popular in this rural area which is an agricultural region with an emphasis on w ...

. *

Edith Ewing Bouvier Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (October 5, 1895 – February 5, 1977) was an American socialite and singer known for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle. Known as Big Edie, she was a sister of John Vernou Bouvier III and an aunt of Jacqueline ...

(1895–1977), who married Phelan Beale Sr. in 1917. They separated in 1931 and he obtained a "

Mexican divorce In the mid-20th century, some Americans traveled to Mexico to obtain a "Mexican divorce". A divorce in Mexico was easier, quicker, and less expensive than a divorce in most U.S. states, which then only allowed at-fault divorces requiring extensive ...

" in 1946. * Michelle Caroline Bouvier (1905–1987), a twin of Maude. She married Henry Clarkson Scott in 1926. They divorced in 1939 and she remarried to Harrington Putnam Jr. (1906–1978) in 1946. In 1955, they also divorced. * Maude Reppelin Bouvier (1905–1999), a twin of Michelle. She was married to stockbroker John Ethelbert Davis (1900–1966), a half-brother of

Flora Curzon, Lady Howe Flora Curzon, Lady Howe (born Florence Hamilton Davis; January 27, 1870 – April 15, 1925) was an American heiress and singer who twice married into the British aristocracy. Early life Florence Hamilton Davis was born in New York City around 186 ...

. Around 1910, Bouvier bought a home on Long Island, known as Wildmoor on Apaquogue Road in the

Georgica Pond Georgica Pond is a coastal lagoon on the west border of East Hampton Village and Wainscott, New York, and was the site of a Summer White House of Bill Clinton in 1998 and 1999. The lagoon is separated by a sandbar and is managed by the East H ...

section of East Hampton. In 1925, his wife bought the much larger estate, known as

Lasata Lasata is an estate in East Hampton, New York that was the childhood summer home of the then future First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis until she was about 12. Description The two-story, gray-stucco mansion (also known as t ...

, which was built for George Schurman in 1917. The home was two blocks from the ocean and three from the

Maidstone Club The Maidstone Club is a private country club on the Atlantic Ocean in the village of East Hampton, New York. Maidstone has both an 18-hole and nine-hole private golf course. History The Club derives its name from the original name for East Ham ...

, where he was a member in 1926. He entertained many friends, including Columbia President

Nicholas Murray Butler Nicholas Murray Butler () was an American philosopher, diplomat, and educator. Butler was president of Columbia University, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the deceased Ja ...

, Judge

Samuel Seabury Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalist ...

among others, on a grand scale in East Hampton and was well known in society there. He was a member of the Maryland

Society of Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

(admitted in 1918), the

Sons of the Revolution Sons of the Revolution is a hereditary society which was founded in 1876 and educates the public about the American Revolution. The General Society Sons of the Revolution headquarters is a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation located at Willia ...

(of which he was General-President for two terms), and the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

. He served on the boards of the

New York Foundling The New York Foundling, founded in 1869 by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity, is one of New York City's oldest and largest child welfare agencies. The Foundling operates programs in the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland County, and ...

Hospital and the

New-York Historical Society The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library in New York City, along Central Park West between 76th and 77th Streets, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The society was founded in 1804 as New York's first museum. ...

and was a member of the

Union Club of the City of New York The Union Club of the City of New York (commonly known as the Union Club) is a private social club in New York City that was founded in 1836. The clubhouse is located at 101 East 69th Street on the corner of Park Avenue, in a landmark building de ...

for over 50 years. His wife died at their home, 765 Park Avenue in Manhattan, in April 1940, a few weeks before their 50th wedding anniversary. Bouvier died at the same home almost eight years later on January 15, 1948. He was buried at

Most Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery Most Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery is a cemetery in East Hampton (town), New York, East Hampton, New York that is the burial ground for the paternal ancestors and relatives of First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The cemete ...

in East Hampton.

Descendants

Through his eldest son John, he was the grandfather of

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

(who married

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

in 1953 and

Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; el, Αριστοτέλης Ωνάσης, Aristotélis Onásis, ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975), was a Greek-Argentinian shipping magnate who amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and wa ...

in 1968) and socialite

, who married Prince

Stanisław Albrecht Radziwiłł Stanisław Albrecht "Stash" Radziwiłł (21 July 1914 – 27 July 1976) was a Polish diplomat, chargé d'affaires of the Polish government in exile at the League of Nations, delegate of the Polish Red Cross, real estate dealer, director o ...

. Through his daughter Edith, he was the grandfather of

, Phelan Beale, Jr., and

Bouvier Beale Bouvier Beale (February 13, 1922 – May 3, 1994) was a prominent American lawyer. Beale was one of the sons of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale and was also a brother of Edith Bouvier Beale, whose lives were highlighted in the documentary ''Grey Ga ...

. Through his daughter Maude, he was the grandfather of author John Hagy Davis.

References

;Notes ;Sources

External links

* *
The Bouviers: From Waterloo to the Kennedys and Beyond
', by John H. Davis, National Press Books, 1993. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bouvier, John Vernou 02 1866 births 1948 deaths 19th-century American lawyers 20th-century American lawyers United States Army personnel of World War I American Roman Catholics Bouvier family Burials at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery Columbia College (New York) alumni Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School alumni Columbia Law School alumni Lawyers from New York City Lawyers from Philadelphia Military personnel from New York City Military personnel from Philadelphia New York Stock Exchange people People from East Hampton (town), New York People from Nutley, New Jersey People from the Upper East Side