James Hampden Robb (1846-1911)

He was born at Philadelphia and was educated in Europe and at Harvard (1866). Settling in New York City, he was a merchant banker and became a Member of the New York State Senate and General Assembly. He was Commissioner of the Niagara Falls Reservation; Commissioner & President of the Department of Parks, New York City; and, Vice-President of the Union Club. He belonged to the Southern, Geographical, Historical, Art, Sculpture & Archaeology Societies. He lived between his Stanford White-designed mansion at 23 Park Avenue (see images) and "The Dolphins" at Southampton, L.I. He married Cornelia, daughter of Nathaniel Thayer and had 5-children.