Belknap, Waldron Phoenix, 1899-1949

Waldron P. Belknap, Jr. was born in New York City on May 12, 1899, the son of Waldron Phoenix Belknap and Rey (Hutchings) Belknap. His father was a banker and a sportsman. As a boy, he attended St. Paul's prep school in Concord, N.H., where he graduated magna cum laude. He entered Harvard in 1916; there he was active in clubs and studied business and accounting with an emphasis on banking. After graduating in 1920, Belknap went to New York City and became an investment banker despite having an interest in architecture. Eight years later, he returned to Harvard and received his MA in architecture in 1933. Belknap set up his practice in Boston, Ma. From 1939 until 1943, he was active in the Allied Relief Fund. Once the United States entered the war, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Air Corps in England.

Belknap's active duty ended in August, 1944 due to illness; he returned to civillian life in Boston. Belknap contiunued his activities as a member of the American Institute of Architects, local architects associations, several social clubs, a fellow and life member of the New-York Historical Society, and an hereditary member of the Society of the Cincinnati. He died in Boston on December 14, 1949.

Much of Belknap's time was devoted to the study of his family's history and American portrait painting. In the 1600s, the Belknaps left Holland and settled in New Amsterdam and the Hudson River Valley. This heritage undoubtedly accounted for Belknap's interest in his genealogy. Regarding painting, which included portraits of his ancestors, he delved into the backgrounds of both the artist and sitter. Belknap's thesis was that English mezzotints served as prototypes for American painters. Since his work was unfinished at the time of his death, his mother carried on his research.

From the description of Papers, 1861-1960. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 84665585