An owner and partner in a shipping company in New York City, who is perhaps best identified today as an uncle and namesake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was married in September 1844 to Laura Astor, daughter of William B. Astor, who presented the couple with land near Red Hook (Dutchess Co.), N.Y. upon which to build a house. In 1851, they contracted with Frank Wills, prominent architect, to design and construct a villa style mansion that was to be called "Stein Veletje," Dutch for "little stone valley." The estate remained in the Delano family until 1967 when it was purchased by William Wasserman of New York City, who renamed it "Madera." The dwelling house had been added to and altered several times over the years.
From the description of Inventory of Stein Valetje Mansion, 1855. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122641233
