August Belmont, Jr.
| August Belmont II | |
|---|---|
Belmont circa 1890
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| Born |
February 18, 1853 New York, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1924 (aged 71) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place |
Island Cemetery Newport, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Residence |
Manhattan, New York North Babylon, New York, U.S. |
| Other names | August Belmont Jr. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Businessman Racehorse owner/breeder |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Hamilton Morgan (m. 1881; d. 1898) Eleanor Robson (m. 1910) |
| Children |
August Belmont III Raymond Belmont II Morgan Belmont |
| Parent(s) |
August Belmont I Caroline Slidell Perry |
| Relatives | Matthew C. Perry (maternal grandfather) |
August Belmont Jr. (February 18, 1853 – December 10, 1924) was an American financier, the builder of New York's Belmont Park racetrack, and a major owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. He was chairman of the board of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He also served as a director of the National Park Bank.
He was born in New York City on February 18, 1853 to Caroline Slidell Perry and August Belmont. His maternal grandfather was Commodore Matthew C. Perry.
He graduated from St. Mark's School and was an 1875 graduate of Harvard University. At Harvard on the track team he introduced spiked track shoes to the United States. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon at Harvard. Belmont was also a member of the Porcellian Club.
After graduation he worked at the Belmont banking house, August Belmont & Co. At the death of his father in 1890 he became the head of the company.
Belmont founded the Interborough Rapid Transit Company in 1902 to help finance the construction of and operate the first underground subway line. He served as president, and, in 1907, chairman of the company. Belmont holds the distinction of owning the world's only purpose built private subway car. Named Mineola, it was used by Belmont to give tours of the IRT.
Following the United States' entry into World War I, Belmont, at age 64, volunteered to assist the war effort and was sent to France by the United States Army. He received a commission as major in the United States Army Air Service on November 9, 1917 in France.
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