Archive Of Letters From Early 20th Century Insurance Executive George Wilson Regarding Entertaining The U.S. Atlantic Fleet And Yachting

GEORGE WILSON (1859-1933). Wilson rose from office boy to President of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, the world's oldest mutual insurer. Archive. 7 TLsS. April 28, 1915 to May 19, 1915. New York. A collection of seven typed letters signed Geo. J. Wilson as Chairman of the Dinner Committee on the Mayors Committee for the Entertainment of the United States Atlantic Fleet. Six of the letters are to Cornelius Vanderbilt III (1873-1942), the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt; he was an American military officer, inventor, engineer, and yachtsman. Six of the seven letters in this archive are addressed to Vanderbilt and discuss personnel (including Wilsons appointment as Chairman of the Dinner Committee), meetings, and plans. Some of these letters contain hand-written notes made by Vanderbilt. The other letter in the archive is addressed to Commander H.L. Sawyer, accepting the invitation of the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to review the Atlantic Fleet. Each letter is 6 x 7 and one page, except for one letter. Other names mentioned in the letters include George W. Burleigh, a steel executive and leader of the New York National Guard (who Vanderbilt refused to add to the Executive Committee), Samuel W. Fairchild, a founder of the drug manufacturer, Fairchild Brothers & Foster, and Philip Rhinelander, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania from 1911 to 1923. Notably, no letter refers to the sinking of the Lusitania, which occurred during the correspondences on May 7, 1915. All the letters are in fine condition, with some age toning.