Delano Family Papers, 1568-1919 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Collection Overview
Title: Delano Family Papers, 1568-1919
Primary Creator: Delano, Franklin Hughes
Other Creators: Delano, Warren II, Delano, Warren III
Extent: 27.73 Cubic Feet
Arrangement: The Delano Family Papers is arranged into five distinct series: Papers of Franklin Hughes Delano, Papers of Warren Delano II, Papers of Warren Delano III, Other Family Papers & Accretions to the Delano Family Papers.
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
Many members of the Delano family in the United States, descended from Philippe de la Noye who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621, were involved in the New England sea trade. Captain Warren Delano (1779-1866), Franklin Delano Roosevelt's great-grandfather, was a sea captain and ship owner who sailed from Fairhaven, Massachusetts. He and his first wife, Deborah Perry Church (1783-1827), had the following children: Warren II (1809-1898), Frederick A. (1811-1857), Franklin Hughes (1813-1893), Louisa Church (1816-1846), Edward (1818-1881), Deborah Perry (1820-1846), Sarah Alvey (1822-1880), & Susan Maria (1825-1841).
Warren Delano II, President Roosevelt's grandfather, born July 13, 1809 in Fairhaven, also embarked upon a maritime career. In 1833, he sailed to China as supercargo on board the Commerce bound for Canton where he became associated with the shipping firm, Russell Sturgis and Company. In January 1840 he became a partner in the house of Russell and Company, also of Canton. During the Opium War, Warren remained in Canton and Macao, serving as acting counsul for the United States. In 1843 he returned to the United States where he married Catherine Robbins Lyman (a daughter of Judge Joseph Lyman of Massachusetts). Shortly thereafter the couple departed for Macao and remained there until 1846. After returning to the United States, the Delanos lived in New York until 1851 when they moved to "Algonac" near Newburgh, New York. At this time Warren's financial interests were settled in real estate and mining. During the panic of 1857 Delano suffered severe financial losses and in 1859 he returned to China to refresh his fortune. His family, which included the President's mother, Sara, joined him at Hong Kong in 1862, returning to the United States after the Civil War. Warren Delano died at "Algonac" on January 17, 1898, nearly two years after the death of his wife Catherine on February 10, 1896.
Warren and Catherine's children were as follows: Susan Maria (1844-1846), Louise Chuch (1846-1869), Deborah (Dora) Perry (1847-1940), Annie Lyman (1849-1926), Warren (1850-1851), Warren (1852-1920), Sara (1854-1941), Philippe deLannoy (1857-1881), Katharine (Kassie) Robbins (1863-1953), & Laura Franklin (1864-1884).
Warren's brother, Franklin Hughes Delano, born July 27, 1813, became a partner in the New York shipping firm of Grinnell, Minturn and Company in January 1839. In September 1844 he married Laura Astor (a daughter of William Backhouse Astor and granddaughter of John Jacob Astor). As a wedding present the couple received a portion of William Backhouse Astor's "Rokeby" estate near Barrytown, New York; their house called "Steen Valetje" was constructed there around 1850. Franklin H. Delano was involved in many financial ventures with his brothers Warren, Frederick, and Edward; he also had control over a large piece of property in the city of New York which his wife had inherited. He served as Consul for Chile at New York from 1840 until 1851 when he resigned that office and also retired as an active partner in Grinnell, Minturn and Company. He and his wife travelled to Europe that year; they later spent much of their time in Italy and Monte Carlo. Franklin H. Delano died in Monte Carlo in December 1893; Laura died there in 1902.
Franklin's nephew, Warren Delano III, who inherited "Steen Valetje" in 1894, was born at "Algonac" in 1852. After graduating from Harvard University in 1874 he joined the management of the Union Mining Company at Mt. Savage, Maryland. In the summer of 1876 he married Jennie Walters of Baltimore. Warren III had many mining, banking and railroad interests; as a hobby he bred horses at "Steen Valetje". He was killed on September 9, 1920 when his horse ran into the path of an oncoming train at Barrytown, New York. At the time of his death, Delano was a director of the Union Mining Company, President of the Delano Coal Company, and Chairman of the Board of the Vinton Colliery Company.
Administrative Information
Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Access Restrictions: None
Use Restrictions: The writings of Franklin D. Roosevelt within this collection are in the public domain. The official writings of United States government officials within this collection are in the public domain. The writings of Eleanor Roosevelt within this collection are subject to Mrs. Roosevelt's literary estate. All other materials are subject to the United States Copyright law, 17 U.S.C. 101, et seq. Literary property rights have been donated to the United States Government.
Acquisition Method: The majority of these papers from "Steen Valetje", the Delano house at Barrytown, New York, were received at the Library from Warren Delano on April 21 and May 8, 1967. A small accretion to the papers was received from Mr. Delano on May 22, 1978. Literary property rights have been donated to the United States Government.
Related Materials: Additional Delano family material, given to the Library by President Roosevelt and other donors, has been filed with the Roosevelt Family Papers. The papers of Frederic Adrian Delano also contain family material dating from the 1830's. Correspondence from various Delano family members may also be found in the papers of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Papers of Franklin Hughes Delano],
[Series 2: Papers of Warren Delano II],
[Series 3: Papers of Warren Delano III],
[Series 4: Other Family Papers,, 1568-1890],
[Series 5: Accretions to the Delano Family Papers],
[All]
-
Series 3: Papers of Warren Delano III -
Sub-Series 1: Family Correspondence,, 1864-1915 - Boxes 35-49: Correspondence addressed to Warren or Jennie Walters Delano, arranged alphabetically. Letters from father, Warren Delano II, include some discussion of the Union Mining Company at Mt. Savage, Maryland where Warren III was employed after his graduation from Harvard University. Related material may be found in the Franklin Hughes Delano Family Correspondence and the Warren Delano II General Correspondence.
-
Box 35 -
Adams, Ellen Delano (Warren III's daughter), 1892-1903 -
Adams, Ellen Delano, 1905-1913 -
Church, Nancy F. ("Nannie") (Warren II's cousin) -
Collier, Katharine Delano Robbins ("Kassie") (Warren III's sister), 1873-1893 -
Collier, Katharine Delano Robbins, 1897-1900 -
Collier, Katharine Delano Robbins, 1901-1905
-
-
Box 36 -
Collier, Katharine Delano Robbins, 1906-1908 -
Collier, Katharine Delano Robbins, 1909-1915 -
Collier, [Hiram] Price (Kassie's second husband) -
Delano, Catherine Robbins Lyman (Warren III's mother), 1866-1874 -
Delano, Catherine Robbins Lyman, 1879-1896 -
Delano, Edward (Warren III's "Uncle Ned") -
Delano, Edward: Passports
-
-
Box 37 -
Box 38 -
Box 39 -
Delano, Jennie Walters (Mrs. Warren Delano III) -
Delano, Julia (daughter of Capt. Joseph C. Delano) -
Delano, Laura Astor (Warren III's aunt, Mrs. Franklin H. Delano) -
Delano, Laura Franklin (Warren III's sister) -
Delano, Laura Franklin ("Polly") (Warren III's sister), 1892-1903 -
Delano, Laura Franklin, 1905-1906 -
Delano, Leila Burnett (Mrs. Lyman Delano) -
Delano, Louise Church (Warren III's sister) -
Delano, Lyman (Warren III's son), 1891-1901
-
-
Box 40 -
Box 41 -
Box 42 -
Box 43 -
Box 44 -
Box 45 -
Box 46 -
Box 47 -
Box 48 -
Hitch, Frederic Delano, 1899-1901 -
Hitch, Frederic Delano, 1902-1909 -
Howe, Archibald M. (cousin) -
Lesley, Susan Lyman (Warren III's aunt) -
Lyman, Edward H. R. (Warren III's uncle) -
Martineau, Cyril (Muriel's husband) -
Martineau, Muriel Robbins (Kassie's daughter) -
Redmond, Sara Delano (Warren III's daughter) -
Robbins, Warren Delano (Kassie's son) -
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (Warren III's nephew) -
Roosevelt, James (Sara's husband) -
Roosevelt, Sara Delano (Warren III's sister), 1872-1890
-
-
Box 49 -
Roosevelt, Sara Delano, 1892-1901 -
Roosevelt, Sara Delano, 1902-1903 -
Roosevelt, Sara Delano, 1904-1915 -
St. George, Katharine Collier (Kassie's daughter) -
Walters, Harry (Jennie Delano's brother) -
Weekes, Alice Delano (daughter of Capt. Joseph C. Delano) -
Weekes, Frederick Delano (Alice's son) -
Weekes, Henry deForest (Alice's son)
-
-
-
Sub-Series 2: General Correspondence,, 1891-1919 - Boxes 50-51: Correspondence, often from Dutchess County residents, mostly concerning stock and equipment for the Barrytown estate. Letters of condolence on the death of his father, Warren II, and some newspaper clippings and other material memorializing Warren Delano II, Catherine Lyman Delano, and John Murray Forbes. Arranged alphabetically by correspondent or subject.
-
Box 50 -
A General -
Acetylene Generator and Manufacturing Company -
Agriculture -
B General -
Burwell, P. L. -
C General -
Chanler, Lewis -
A. J. Corcoran, Inc -
D General -
Delano, Franklin H., Estate of -
E General -
Edgewood Club -
F General -
First National Bank, Rhinebeck -
G General -
Galvin, James (superintendent at Steen Valetje) -
Griffin, Percy -
H General -
Hackett and Williams -
Hale, Edward -
In Memorian (Warran Delano II, Catherine Delano, and John Murray Forbes) -
J General -
K General -
L General -
Letters of condolence of the death of his father, Warren Delano II -
M General -
Mills Creek Coal Co. -
Miscellaneous
-
-
Box 51 -
N General -
New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Co. -
Norwegian Ponies -
O General -
P General -
Pinehurst Stock Farm -
Plass, William (coachman at Steen Valetje) -
Q General -
R General -
Red Hook Telephone Company -
Robert, Fernand -
S General -
Harry Smillie and Company -
Sturgeon, Alex -
T General -
U General -
Van Keuren, A. -
Van Keuren, D. W. And Richard Stickles -
W General -
Wager, A. Lee -
XYZ General -
Unidentified
-
-
-
Sub-Series 3: Financial Papers,, 1894-1918 - Boxes 52-53: Receipts kept by William Anderson, superintendent at "Steen Valetje"; monthly accounts kept by Anderson and his successor, James Galvin, 1894-1918. Cancelled checks from Rhinebeck and New York banks, 1915-1917. Arranged chronologically.
-
Sub-Series 4: Diaries and Scrapbooks - Box 54: Diaries kept by Warren Delano III and H.A. deWindt during a trip to Wyoming and Yellowstone Park in August and September 1899. They were accompanied by Warren's brother and son, Frederic A. and Lyman Delano. Also a scrapbook kept by Warren III in Hong Kong in 1861 which includes a list of "Imports of Rice into Canton Waters in 1862" entered by his father. A scrapbook with newspaper clippings dated 1880-1909 includes an article concerning the history of Russell and Company's financial interests in China.
-
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Papers of Franklin Hughes Delano],
[Series 2: Papers of Warren Delano II],
[Series 3: Papers of Warren Delano III],
[Series 4: Other Family Papers,, 1568-1890],
[Series 5: Accretions to the Delano Family Papers],
[All]