Robert Livingston Gerry Sr. (May 31, 1877 – October 31, 1957) was an American businessman and owner of thoroughbred racehorses.
Gerry was born on May 31, 1877 and was the son of Louisa Matilda Livingston (1836–1920) and Elbridge Thomas Gerry (1837–1927), founder of New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. His younger brother was Peter G. Gerry (1879–1957), a U.S. Senator. He was the grandson of Thomas Russell Gerry, the great-grandson of Elbridge Gerry, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the 5th Vice President of the United States of America, and the great-great-great grandson of Francis Lewis, also a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
His mother was the granddaughter of Maturin Livingston (1769–1847) and Margaret Lewis (1780–1860). Margaret was the only child and sole heiress of Gov. Morgan Lewis (1754–1844), the governor of New York.
Attended Cutler's School in New York City and graduated from Harvard University in 1900.
Gerry was the owner of the Aknusti Estate in the Catskill Mountains of New York, adjoining his family's estate at Lake Delaware, New York. The Aknusti manor house was designed by architectural firm of Walker and Gillette with landscaping by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm.
Gerry served as a director of The Farmers Loan and Trust Company, a predecessor firm of Citigroup and kept his office at 258 Broadway in Manhattan.
He was a successful thoroughbred horse owner and breeder and a member of The Jockey Club. It has been published that he was the underbidder for Man o' War, at the auction won by Samuel D. Riddle at the Saratoga yearling sale in 1918. He bred and raced Thoroughbred horses under the name Aknusti Stable. Some of his racing successes include:
Privately printed at his own cost a detailed book on thoroughbred racehorses titled "The Matriarchy Of The American Turf" in 1931 for which he wrote the forward. Book was authored by Marguerite F. Bayliss.
His daughter-in-law, Martha, was also involved in thoroughbred racing and was the owner of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Forego. Martha Gerry was one of only five people ever named an Exemplar of Racing by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
On March 3, 1908, he married Cornelia Averell Harriman (1884-1966) at Grace Church at 802 Broadway in New York City. Cornelia was the second daughter of railroad executive E. H. Harriman and his wife Mary Williamson Averell. Cornelia was the sister of W. Averell Harriman the New York Governor, E. Roland Harriman, and Mary Harriman, founder of the Junior League. They lived at the Aknusti Estate in Delhi, New York and at 69 East Seventy Ninth Street in New York City. Together Cornelia and Robert had:
In 1909, he founded the Lake Delaware Boys Camp, a summer camp for underprivileged boys outside of Delhi, NY, that is still in operation today. Gerry died at his home in Delhi, New York on October 31, 1957, hours after his brother Peter died.
Through his second son, Robert, he was the grandfather of Robert L. Gerry III (b. 1937), businessman and oil executive.
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