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Alfonso P. Villa

Count Alfonso Ireneo Pietro Villa de Villarampari (9 March 1875 – 5 March 1968) was an Italian-American industrialist and investment banker.

Early life

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Villa was born on 9 March 1875 in Villanova d'Asti in Northern Italy, which was then the Kingdom of Italy. He was a son of Carlo Francesco Villa (1825–1897). Among his siblings were Faustino Villa, Adolfo Villa, Augusto Villa, Silvio Villa and Vittoria Villa, who married Italian General, Count Ambrogio Clerici,[1] the former aide-de-camp to the King Victor Emmanuel III who was Undersecretary of State for War under General Antonino Di Giorgio (the predecessor to Benito Mussolini).[2]

In 1897, he received a degree from the University of Turin.[3]

Career

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Villa served as president of A. P. Villa & Brothers Inc., silk importers based in Passaic, New Jersey.[4] He was also the president and a director of its affiliates in Canton, Japan, Lyons and Shanghai.[5][6] He also served as a Manager of the Silk Association of America.[7]

Villa later became a partner in the investment banking firm of Grayson M. P. Murphy & Co. (who had been senior vice president of Guaranty Trust). Villa served as a director of W. A. Harriman & Co., the Mechanics and Metals National Bank, the Park Union Foreign Banking Corporation, and the Manhattan Fire and Marine Insurance Company.[8]

In 1910, Villa was decorated as a Chevalier of the Crown of Italy by the Italian King Victor Emmanuel III.[9] In 1924,[10] while in Italy during the summer, King Victor Emmanuel II conferred on him the title of Count, a former title of his family, which for years had been in abeyance,[11] "in recognition of his services, in commerce, to Italy and America."[10]

Personal life

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Charcoal portrait of Mrs. Alfonso P. Villa, c. 1923, Arts & Decoration, September 1923}

On January 20, 1915, Villa was married to Helen Rae Lippincott (1889–1956) at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.[9] She was a daughter of Emilie (née Rennert) Lippincott and Franklin Barclay Lippincott of Philadelphia. At the time of their wedding, Helen was living at the Holland House with her grandmother, Mme. Antonio de Roig, and her mother had remarried to Col. Henry Mapleson of the British Army.[9] While they lived in New York City, they spent summers in Newport and winters in Rome.[12] Together, they were the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters, including:

In the United States, he became a member of the Lotos Club, the Manhattan Club, the Automobile Club of America, the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, and the Rumson Country Club.[3]

After a long illness, the Countess died at the Irving Hotel in Southampton, on August 25, 1956.[28] Count Villa died on 5 March 1968 at his home, 760 Park Avenue, in New York City.[8] He was buried at Cimitero di Villanova d'Asti in the Villa family mausoleum.

Residences

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Fairholme, the Villa residence in Newport

In New York City, the Villas lived at 18 East 72nd Street, the former home of banker Felix M. Warburg and Frieda Schiff Warburg (a daughter of Jacob Schiff). In 1924, they entertained their friend, Prince Gelasio Caetani, the retiring Italian Ambassador to the United States, at their home.[11] Their neighbors included Louis C. Tiffany, Oliver Gould Jennings, W. Bayard Cutting and Lewis Cass Ledyard.[29] They later moved to 760 Park Avenue.[8]

After spending a number of years in Southampton, New York where they had a house,[11] in April 1930,[30] the Villas acquired Fairholme in Newport, Rhode Island, the former residence of John R. Drexels with 425 feet ocean of frontage situated on Ruggles Avenue at Ochre Point, just south of the Vanderbilt's property, The Breakers.[a] The Villas entertained extensively in Newport.[32][33][34][35][36][37] In 1942, the Villas sold Fairholme to Robert R. Young for $38,000.[38] Alfonso Villa also owned a castle in Italy in his native town of Villanova d'Asti.

References

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Notes

  1. ^ In 1934, the A.P. Villa Corporation of New York filed suit against Newport through the Board of Tax Assessors alleging that the tax assessment on Fairholme was excessive. The estate was assessed at $160,000 ($66,100 for the land and $94,000 for the buildings and improvements, and $20,000 on tangible personal property).[31]

Sources

  1. ^ Clerici, Carlo Alfredo; Clerici, Enrico E. (4 November 2014). IL CONTE GENERALE AMBROGIO CLERICI (in Italian). Carlo Alfredo Clerici. p. 98. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  2. ^ Sarfatti, Margherita (18 October 2013). My Fault: Mussolini As I Knew Him. Enigma Books. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-936274-39-0. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b One Thousand American Men of Mark Today. American Men of Mark. 1916. p. 334. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  4. ^ "CONSPIRACY CHARGE IN $28,000,000 SUIT; Gerseta Corporation Says Silk Association of America Injured Its Business. ANTI-TRUST LAWS INVOLVED Declares Organization Dominates Industry and Disregards Court Rulings". The New York Times. 27 February 1925. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  5. ^ Directory of Directors in the City of New York. Audit Company. 1915. p. 716. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  6. ^ Assessment, New Jersey State Board of Taxes and (1918). "Annual Report of the State Board of Taxes and Assessment". MacCrellish & Quigley Company: 21. Retrieved 12 July 2023. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "The Silkworm". Silk Association of America. 1925: 20. Retrieved 12 July 2023. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ a b c "Count Alfonso P. Villa, 92, Retired Investment Banker". The New York Times. 7 March 1968. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Villa-Lippincott Wedding Today". The New York Times. 20 January 1915. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Passaic Silk Man Now Italian Count A.P. Villa New Member of Nobility to Be Presented to Royalty". The News. 14 April 1924. p. 7. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "HOSTS AT DINNER TO PRINCE CAETANI; Count and Countess Villa Entertain for Retiring Italian Ambassador at Home". The New York Times. 3 December 1924. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  12. ^ a b TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (15 June 1935). "DEBUT IN NEWPORT FOR ELENA T. VILLA; Daughter of Count and Countess A.P. Villa to Bow at Dance on Aug. 16". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  13. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (11 July 1938). "MISS ELENA VILLA ENGAGED TO WED; Eldest Daughter of Count and Countess to Be the Bride of Robert Grant 3d". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  14. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (21 August 1938). "Miss Elena Villa Becomes Bride Of Robert Grant 3d in Newport; Daughter of Count and Countess Is Married in Colorful Ceremony at Fairholme--Her Sister, Consuelo, Is Maid of Honor". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  15. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (22 August 1936). "Consuelo Villa Makes Debut in Newport; 500 Colonists Present at Brilliant Fete". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  16. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (2 August 1940). "TROTH ANNOUNCED OF CONSUELO VILLA; Second Daughter of Count and Countess Will Be Wed to John T. Hamilton 2d". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  17. ^ Hill, Ira L. (11 October 1940). "MISS VILLA IS WED IN HOME CEREMONY; She Becomes the Bride Here of John Taylor Hamilton 2d, Princeton Graduate COUPLE ATTENDED BY 19 Mrs. Robert Grant 2d Honor Matron for Sister--Hugo Rutherfurd Best Man". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  18. ^ Petersen, William John (1952). The Story of Iowa: The Progress of an American State. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 16. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Paid Notice: Deaths VILLA, ANTHONY L." The New York Times. 15 January 2001. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Anthony L. Villas Honored". The New York Times. 3 June 1949. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  21. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (28 July 1945). "DIANA B. GAMBRILL ENGAGED TO MARRY; Kin of C. Ledyard Blair to Be Bride of Antonio L. Villa, Son of Count and Countess". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  22. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (30 September 1945). "DIANA B. GAMBRILL MARRIED AT HOME; BRIDE AT CEREMONY IN PEAPACK, N.J." The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  23. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (18 August 1940). "Newport Debut For Miss Villa; Count and Countess Present Daughter to Society at Dance at Fairholme". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  24. ^ "RUTHERFURD, HUGO". The New York Times. 2 February 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  25. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (30 June 1941). "FRANCESCA VILLA PROSPECTIVE BRIDE; Her Troth to Hugo Rutherfurd, Amateur Golfer, Made Known at Home in Newport FOXCROFT SCHOOL ALUMNA She Also Attended Bryn Mawr--Fiance Is a Grandson of the Late Levi P. Morton". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  26. ^ Times, Special To The New York (8 July 1941). "FRANCESCA VILLA'S PLANS; She Sets Aug. 16 as Date for Marriage to Hugo Rutherfurd". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  27. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (17 August 1941). "Francesca Villa Becomes Bride; Wed to Hugo Rutherfurd in a Ceremony Performed in Church at Newport Miss Francesca Villa Has Ten Attendants At Newport Wedding to Hugo Rutheifurd". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  28. ^ Times, Special to The New York (26 August 1956). "COUNTESS HELEN VILLA". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  29. ^ Miller, Tom (31 January 2011). "Daytonian in Manhattan: The Warburg-Villa House - No. 18 East 72nd Street". daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com. Daytonian in Manhattan. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  30. ^ "New York". Hartford Courant. 27 April 1930. p. 69. Retrieved 12 July 2023. Mrs. John R. Drexel has sold Fairholm, her Newport estate, to Count Alfonso P. Villa
  31. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (15 February 1934). "Sue Newport on Villa Taxes". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  32. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (3 July 1933). "COUNT ALFONSO VILLA IS HOST AT NEWPORT; Gives Luncheon for Fifty Guests at Clambake Club -- Several Dinner Parties". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  33. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (8 July 1934). "NEWPORT IS SCENE OF MANY DINNERS; Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth Wickes Are Among Hosts -- A.P. Villas Entertain". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  34. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (22 September 1935). "VILLAS GIVE PARTY FOR 30 AT NEWPORT; Count and Countess Are Dinner Hosts -- The Robert K. Cassatts Entertain". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  35. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (29 October 1936). "NEWPORT CLUB PLANS ELECTION NIGHT FETE; William H. Vanderbilts to Give Dinner on Saturday -- Count Alfonso P. Villa Returns". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  36. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (14 August 1939). "ALFONSO P. VILLAS GIVE NEWPORT PARTY; Count and Countess Are Among Those Giving Luncheons". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  37. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (3 August 1940). "ALFONSO P. VILLAS HOSTS AT NEWPORT; Entertain for Daughter and Her Fiance, John T. Hamilton 2d". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  38. ^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (27 December 1942). "BUYS ESTATE AT NEWPORT; Robert R. Young Acquires Former John R. Drexel Property". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
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