Winthrop, Grenville Lindall, 1864-1943

Lawyer and art connoisseur. Educated at Harvard (Class of 1886). Maintained residences in New York and Lenox, Mass. Made many gifts to the Fogg Art Museum during his lifetime, and left his entire collection to the Museum in 1943.

From the description of Papers of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1885-1943 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 234360169

Grenville Lindall Winthrop, lawyer and art collector, was born in New York, N.Y. on February 11, 1864. He received his A.B. from Harvard College in 1886 and his LL.B., a two year degree, from Harvard Law School in 1888. Winthrop resided in Beck Hall at Harvard from 1883 to 1886 and from 1887 to 1888 as both an undergraduate and a law student. In 1892, Winthrop married Mary Tallmadge Turner (d. Dec. 1, 1900) of Yonkers, N.Y; the couple had two children. He later became a member of the law firm Ludlow, Phillips and; Winthrop. Winthrop was also a prolific art collector. In Forty Prints from Forty Friends, published in 1990 by the Harvard Alumni Association for its 150th anniversary, Winthrop is described as being one of the most important donors of art to Harvard. Upon his death on January 19, 1943 in Lenox, Mass., Winthrop bequeathed nearly 4,000 Asian, European, and American works of art to Harvard; many of these works are currently held by Harvard's Fogg Museum.

Built in 1876, Beck Hall was known for a time as "Centennial Hall." It was originally owned by Mrs. Anna Möring, who was the daughter of Charles Beck (1798-1866); a professor of Latin at Harvard from 1832-1850. Beck Hall was one of Harvard's "Gold Coast" residence halls and served as a private dormitory for many notable upper-class Harvard students, including Theodore Roosevelt (Harvard College Class of 1880), J.P. Morgan (Harvard class of 1889), and John Jacob Astor IV (Harvard College Class of 1888). Beck Hall was never owned by Harvard, but was located in close proximity to Harvard at the intersection of Quincy Street, Harvard Avenue, and Massachusetts Avenue. Among Beck Hall's noteworthy features were its elaborate furnishings and décor, which included high ceilings, chandeliers, marble mantles, ash trim, and oak paneling, as well as a steam heating apparatus. C.C. Stellman (Harvard College Class of 1898) was the last in a series of Harvard alumni to own Beck Hall; he died in 1927. In 1926, a year before Stellman's death, the Beck Hall Trust was created by a group of Harvard alumni to ensure that Beck Hall remained affiliated with Harvard. In 1930, despite the Trust's efforts, Beck Hall was sold at auction to James T. Thurman of Boston, Mass., a businessman in the wool industry. Beck Hall was later demolished, and a Gulf gasoline service station built in its place. As of 2011, the Inn at Harvard stands on the site.

From the description of Photograph album of Grenville Lindall Winthrop, ca. 1886. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 712906132

Grenville Lindall Winthrop, lawyer and art collector, was born in New York, N.Y. on February 11, 1864. He received his A.B. from Harvard College in 1886 and his LL.B., a two year degree, from Harvard Law School in 1888. Winthrop resided in Beck Hall at Harvard from 1883 to 1886 and from 1887 to 1888 as both an undergraduate and a law student. In 1892, Winthrop married Mary Tallmadge Turner (d. Dec. 1, 1900) of Yonkers, N.Y; the couple had two children. He later became a member of the law firm Ludlow, Phillips & Winthrop. Winthrop was also a prolific art collector. In Forty Prints from Forty Friends, published in 1990 by the Harvard Alumni Association for its 150th anniversary, Winthrop is described as being one of the most important donors of art to Harvard. Upon his death on January 19, 1943 in Lenox, Mass., Winthrop bequeathed nearly 4,000 Asian, European, and American works of art to Harvard; many of these works are currently held by Harvard’s Fogg Museum.

Built in 1876, Beck Hall was known for a time as “Centennial Hall.” It was originally owned by Mrs. Anna Möring, who was the daughter of Charles Beck (1798-1866); a professor of Latin at Harvard from 1832-1850. Beck Hall was one of Harvard’s “Gold Coast” residence halls and served as a private dormitory for many notable upper-class Harvard students, including Theodore Roosevelt (Harvard class of 1880), J.P. Morgan (Harvard class of 1889), and John Jacob Astor IV (Harvard class of 1888). Beck Hall was never owned by Harvard, but was located in close proximity to Harvard at the intersection of Quincy Street, Harvard Avenue, and Massachusetts Avenue. Among Beck Hall’s noteworthy features were its elaborate furnishings and décor, which included high ceilings, chandeliers, marble mantles, ash trim, and oak paneling, as well as a ‘steam heating apparatus.’ C.C. Stellman (Harvard class of 1898) was the last in a series of Harvard alumni to own Beck Hall; he died in 1927. In 1926, a year before Stellman’s death, the Beck Hall Trust was created by a group of Harvard alumni to ensure that Beck Hall remained affiliated with Harvard. In 1930, despite the Trust’s efforts, Beck Hall was sold at auction to James T. Thurman of Boston, Mass., a businessman in the wool industry. Beck Hall was later demolished, and a Gulf gasoline service station built in its place. As of 2011, the Inn at Harvard stands on the site.

From the guide to the Photograph album of Grenville Lindall Winthrop, ca. 1886, (Harvard University Archives)