Arthur Leary (1830-1893)
Shipowner, Banker & Socialite, of 90 Fifth Avenue, New York City
He was born in New York City where his grandfather emigrated from Ireland as a boy. His father was a childhood friend of William Backhouse Astor and made a fortune as a hatter using Astor beaver pelts. Arthur started his career in the counting house of shipping merchant Bache McEvers, becoming a partner. After McEvers died in 1851 he formed a new partnership with McEvers' son-in-law, Sir Edward Cunard, eventually, "assuming full charge of (their) shipping business". Before the Civil War, Leary owned one of the largest merchant sailing fleets in the United States. He was President of the New York Natural Gaslight Co., Vice-President of the Park National Bank, and a Director of the Illinois Central Railroad, the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., the Union Club, the Emigrant Savings Bank, and the New York Mutual Life Insurance Company. After Boss Tweed was outed, he was appointed Treasurer of the Society of Tammany.
He inherited his mother's "quaint" five-story townhouse at 90 Fifth Avenue from where he entertained lavishly all his life. He was an original Patriarch and a member of Mrs Astor's "Four Hundred". His sister, Annie, was the first Papal Countess in the United States and acted as his chaperone at all society events. In Newport, they became associated with the Paul house and in New York they were associated with the Grammercy Park set with the Coopers and the Hewitts. He was, "constantly sought for on all social occasions, and it is said of him that the kindly impulses of his nature were so strong that he hesitated to decline an invitation, lest he might seem in the remotest way to slight those who had invited him." Like all his brothers, he never married and left his considerable fortune to his philanthropic sister, the Countess, who erected the 'Arthur Leary Memorial Chapel' at Bellevue Hospital to his memory. One announcement read: "In the death of Mr. Arthur Leary, New York society has lost one of its kindliest members. His helpfulness will be sadly missed by friends who turned to him for counsel. Mr. Leary was essentially a peacemaker and had not an enemy on earth. His pallbearers included the most prominent New Yorkers, regardless of politics, though Mr. Leary was an ardent Democrat".
He inherited his mother's "quaint" five-story townhouse at 90 Fifth Avenue from where he entertained lavishly all his life. He was an original Patriarch and a member of Mrs Astor's "Four Hundred". His sister, Annie, was the first Papal Countess in the United States and acted as his chaperone at all society events. In Newport, they became associated with the Paul house and in New York they were associated with the Grammercy Park set with the Coopers and the Hewitts. He was, "constantly sought for on all social occasions, and it is said of him that the kindly impulses of his nature were so strong that he hesitated to decline an invitation, lest he might seem in the remotest way to slight those who had invited him." Like all his brothers, he never married and left his considerable fortune to his philanthropic sister, the Countess, who erected the 'Arthur Leary Memorial Chapel' at Bellevue Hospital to his memory. One announcement read: "In the death of Mr. Arthur Leary, New York society has lost one of its kindliest members. His helpfulness will be sadly missed by friends who turned to him for counsel. Mr. Leary was essentially a peacemaker and had not an enemy on earth. His pallbearers included the most prominent New Yorkers, regardless of politics, though Mr. Leary was an ardent Democrat".
