Richard Thornton Wilson Jr. (September 11, 1866 – December 29, 1929) was an American investment banker and capitalist who was a prominent figure in

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

in the early decades of the 20th century.

Early life

Wilson was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, one of five surviving children of Richard Thornton Wilson Sr. (1829–1910) and Melissa Clementine Johnston (1831–1908). Born in Georgia, his father was a multimillionaire railroad owner and

investment banker Investment banking pertains to certain activities of a financial services company or a corporate division that consist in advisory-based financial transactions on behalf of individuals, corporations, and governments. Traditionally associated with ...

in New York City who served as the commissary general of the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. Wilson attended private schools and graduated from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

with a B.A. in 1887. While at Columbia, he joined the Fraternity of Delta Psi (

St. Anthony Hall St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the Calendar of saints, feast day of Anthony the Great, Saint Anthony the Great. The frater ...

Career

Wilson joined R. T. Wilson & Co, a cotton trading and investment firm founded by his father in New York City after the Civil War. He eventually succeeded his father as head of company.

Thoroughbred racing

In 1896, Richard Wilson Jr. and

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...

teamed up with a group of investors to purchase the

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actua ...

, which had fallen into the hands of an undesirable

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...

keeper, Gottfried Waldbaum. Wilson served as president of the Saratoga Racing Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses, which operated the facility. Wilson is credited with enlarging the facility and improving its appearance. He also welcomed women horse owners, creating the Lady-Owners Handicap. In addition, Wilson oversaw Belmont Park as a director of the Westchester Racing Association. He was also a steward in the Jockey Club. In 1896, Wilson hired Thomas J. Healey to manage his racing stable. For three decades, they would win a number of the most important

East Coast East Coast may refer to: Entertainment * East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop * East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017 * East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004 * East Coast FM, a ra ...

races, including the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

three times, the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () on ...

, and the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

. In 1916, he bought Kirklevington Nursery in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

, which contained over 500 acres of bluegrass land and was considered "one of the most up-to-date nurseries in the district." Among Wilson's successful racehorses were: *

The Parader The Parader (1898 – August 1902) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1901 Preakness Stakes and finishing second in the Belmont Stakes. Background The Parader was a bay horse bred by the Belle Meade Stud of ...

– 1901

, 1901

Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York (state), New York. T ...

, 1901 Lawrence Realization Handicap * Olambala – 1909

Latonia Derby The Latonia Derby was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1883 through 1937 at Latonia Race Track in Latonia, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, for its first 52 years the Latonia Derby was contested at a mile and a half t ...

, 1910

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

Handicap, and 1910

Suburban Handicap The Suburban Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is now run at the mile distance on dirt for a $700,000 purse. Named after the City and Su ...

Campfire A campfire is a fire at a campsite that provides light and warmth, and heat for cooking. It can also serve as a beacon, and an insect and predator deterrent. Established campgrounds often provide a stone or steel fire ring for safety. Campfires ...

– United States leading money winner in 1916 and

American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing F ...

Hannibal Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...

– 1918

Saratoga Special Stakes The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six furlongs on the dirt. With its first r ...

and 1918 Travers Stakes * Pillory – 1922 Preakness and 1922

. * Wilderness – 1923

, 1923 Toronto Cup Handicap, and 1925 Shenandoah * Sunfire – 1928

Ohio Derby The Ohio Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-to-late June at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. The Grade III stakes for three-year-olds is run on dirt over a distance of 1 miles. The race currently offers a purs ...

and the 1928 & 1929 Toronto Cup Handicap

Personal life

On March 11, 1902, Wilson married Marion Steedman Mason (1875–1947) of Boston, daughter of Louisa Blake Steedman and Dr. Amos Lawrence Mason, a cousin of Bishop of Massachusetts William Lawrence. Marion's grandparents included

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Charles Steedman of

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, captain of the USS ''Ticonderoga'', and Rev. Charles Mason who was the son of the U.S. Senator from New Hampshire,

Jeremiah Mason Jeremiah Mason (April 27, 1768 – October 14, 1848) was a United States senator from New Hampshire. Early life Mason was born in Lebanon, Connecticut on April 27, 1768. He was a son of Jeremiah Mason (1729/30–1813) and the former Elizabet ...

. Together, they had two daughters: Louisa Steedman Wilson (1904–1974) and Marion Mason Wilson (1906–1982). Their main home include 300 Park Avenue in New York City; with summer homes "Shady Lawn" in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

; and "Indian House" in

Middletown, Rhode Island Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,075 at the 2020 census. It lies to the south of Portsmouth and to the north of Newport on Aquidneck Island, hence the name "Middletown". History Vari ...

. In 1902, Wilson purchased an 18,000 hunting estate at Palmetto Bluff in

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

where he raised livestock and champion horses, hunted, road, and farmed. So his wife would also enjoy winters in South, he built a four-story mansion there in 1916. The mansion had a gold-gilded ballroom and a vast library. The home burned on March 2, 1926, and the property was sold shortly afterwards. Because of Wilson's and his siblings' advantageous marriages, the Wilsons were known in New York and Newport society as the "marrying Wilsons." His sister

Grace Graham Wilson Grace Graham Vanderbilt ( Wilson; September 3, 1870 – January 7, 1953) was an American socialite. She was the wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt III. She was one of the last Vanderbilts to live the luxurious life of the "head of society" that her pred ...

married Cornelius "Neily" Vanderbilt III. His older brother,

Marshall Orme Wilson Marshall Orme Wilson (June 20, 1860 – April 1, 1926) was an American banker and prominent member of New York Society during the Gilded Age. Early life Wilson was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 20, 1860. He was the eldest surviving son ...

, married Caroline Schermerhorn "Carrie" Astor. His sister Belle married the Sir

Michael Henry Herbert Sir Michael Henry Herbert, (25 June 1857 – 30 September 1903), was a British diplomat and ambassador. Early life Sir Michael Herbert was the fourth and youngest son of distinguished parents: Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, the Briti ...

, the

British Ambassador to the United States The British Ambassador to the United States is in charge of the British Embassy, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom's diplomatic mission to the United States. The official title is His Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America. T ...

and the brother of the

Earl of Pembroke Earl of Pembroke is a title in the Peerage of England that was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title, which is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, has been recreated ten times from its origin ...

. His sister Mary Wilson married New York real estate heir

Ogden Goelet Ogden Goelet (June 11, 1851 New York City – August 27, 1897 Cowes, Isle of Wight) was an American heir, businessman and yachtsman from New York City during the Gilded Age. With his wife, he built Ochre Court in Newport, Rhode Island, his so ...

. Wilson was a member of many prominent social clubs, including

The Brook The Brook is a private club located at 111 East 54th Street in Manhattan inNew York City. It was founded in 1903 by a group of prominent men who belonged to other New York City private clubs, such as the Knickerbocker Club and the Union Club.

, the

Knickerbocker Club The Knickerbocker Club (known informally as The Knick) is a gentlemen's club in New York City that was founded in 1871. It is considered to be the most exclusive club in the United States and one of the most aristocratic gentlemen's clubs in th ...

, and 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 ...

. His sports clubs included the

Racquet and Tennis Club The Racquet and Tennis Club, familiarly known as the R&T, is a private social and athletic club at 370 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. History The Racquet Court Club opened in 1876 at 55 We ...

, the

South Side Sportsmen's Club South Side Sportsmen's Club was a recreational club that catered to the wealthy businessmen of Long Island during the gold coast era from the 1870s through the 1960s. Its main clubhouse and other facilities were added to the National Register o ...

, and the Turf & Field Club at the

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

He was also a member of the

Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American Congressional charter, congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky. A non-prof ...

. After an illness lasting several months, Wilson died of pneumonia at his home in New York City on December 29, 1929, at the age of 63. Wilson's funeral service at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York on January 1, 1930, was attended by more than 1,000 people. His Delta Psi fraternity brothers conducted a special ceremony at the funeral. He was interred in the family mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

. His estate was estimated at $10,000,000 at his death.

Early life

Career

Thoroughbred racing

Personal life

Notes

References

Further reading