Eugene Delano (1844-1920)

He was born at Utica, New York, and was sent to Colonel Russell's Military School in New Haven, Connecticut. From there, he went straight into a career with Phelps, Dodge & Co., New York, that allowed him to secure the funds to graduate from Williams College in 1866. After graduating he established himself in the glass business funded by Marcellus Hartley before joining Brown Brothers & Co., of London and New York, who sent him to manage their Philadelphia office. In 1896, his success there was recognized when he was made a partner and called to New York and he became the senior partner after the death of his brother-in-law, John Crosby Brown.

He was President of the Musical Art Society; President of the Orthopaedic Hospital of New York; Trustee of the Presbyterian Hospital of New York; Trustee of Williams College; Trustee of the New York City Missions; and Trustee & Treasurer of the Grenfell Association of America. He was a member of the Century Association; Thursday Club of New York; Essex County County Club; University Club; Riding Club; and, Republican Club. After living at 42 Fifth Avenue, in 1906 he purchased 12 Washington Square North (see images) from Lloyd S. Bryce that after his death in 1920 his heirs sold for $150,000. The three-and-a-half story house had a frontage of 62-feet on the square and 141-feet on Fifth Avenue. He kept also kept a summer home "Suelena" near Philadelphia that was sold in 1907 to Sabin Woolworth Colton who remodelled it completely.

In 1872, he married Susan, daughter of Rev. William Adams, 1st President of the Union Theological Seminary, New York. Their youngest son committed suicide and Eugene was survived by his two elder sons (including the famous architect William Adams Delano, of Delano & Aldrich) and two daughters (including the botanist Susan Delano McKelvey).