Oliver Belmont

Birth Name:

Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont

Birth Date:

November 12, 1858

Birth Place:

New York City, New York

Death Date:

June 10, 1908

Place of Death:

Brookholt Estate, East Meadow, New York

Age:

Cause of Death:

Appendicitis

Cemetery Name:

Woodlawn Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Business and Finance

Associates:

Oliver Belmont was an American socialite and United States Representative from New York. Belmont was a member of the banking firm of August Belmont and Co., New York City. He became publisher of the Verdict, a weekly paper. Oliver was husband to the prominent multi-millionaire American socialite and a major figure in the American women's suffrage movement, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont.

Fun Fact

Yes, the Belmont Stakes are named after August Belmont, a financier who made quite a name and fortune for himself in New York politics and society. Obviously, Mr. Belmont was also quite involved in horse racing, and his imprint is even intertwined within the history of the Kentucky Derby. However, the one thing the Belmont does have over the Derby is that it is the oldest of the three Triple Crown events. The Belmont predates the Preakness by six years, the Kentucky Derby by eight. The first running of the Belmont Stakes was in 1867 at Jerome Park, on, believe it or not, a Thursday. At a mile and five furlongs, the conditions included an entry fee of $200, half forfeit with $1,500 added. Furthermore, not only is the Belmont the oldest Triple Crown race, but it is the fourth oldest race overall in North America.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Woodlawn Cemetery

4199 Webster Avenue

Bronx, New York, 10470

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City

Grave Location:

Whitewood Plot, Section 134

Grave Location Description

From the Jerome Avenue entrance turn right on West Border Avenue until you reach the first intersection. Look to your left and you will see the large, chapel-like structure which is actually the mausoleum of Alva and her husband Oliver.

Grave Location GPS

40.886798, -73.876808

Visiting The Grave:

Photos:

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Videos Featuring Oliver Belmont:

History of Belmont Racetrack

Belmont Stakes History

History of The Game: Belmont Park

Moments in History: Alva Belmont, Socialite to Suffragist

Explore the History of Belcourt Castle with Newport Living and Lifestyles

What is the Belcourt Mansion in Newport?

The Social Climber Who Ruined America’s Richest Family | Alva Belmont

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Adam Smith

Walter Knott

popular name: Walter Knott

date_of_death: December 3, 1981

age: 91

cause_of_death: Parkinson's disease

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Walter Knott was an American farmer who created the Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in California. In the 1920s, Walter Knott was a somewhat unsuccessful farmer, whose fortunes changed when he nursed several abandoned berry plants back to health. The hybrid boysenberry, named after its creator, Rudolph Boysen, was a cross between a blackberry, red raspberry and loganberry. The huge berries were a hit, and the Knott family sold berries, preserves and pies from a Buena Park, California roadside stand. In 1934, Knott's wife Cordelia (née Hornaday, January 23, 1890 – April 12, 1974) began serving fried chicken dinners, and within a few years, lines outside the restaurant were often several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from Old West towns. Even after Disneyland opened in 1955 a mere 8 miles away, Knott's Berry Farm continued to thrive. Walt Disney and Walter Knott are rumored to have had a cordial relationship; it is known that they each visited the other's park, and they were both members of the original planning council for Children's Hospital of Orange County. Early additions to the farm included a narrow gauge railroad, a San Francisco cable car, a Pan-for-Gold attraction, the Calico Mine Train dark ride and a log flume ride. In 1968, the Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became an amusement park. Because of his interest in American pioneer history, Knott purchased and restored the real silver mining ghost town of Calico, California in 1951. As a child Walter spent a lot of time in Calico living with his uncle. During World War I he helped to build a silver mill in Calico. This period in his life influenced his decision to buy the town and restore it. In 1966, he deeded Calico to San Bernardino County, California. Walter remained active in the operation of Knott's Berry Farm until the death of Cordelia in 1974, leaving day-to-day park operations to his children.