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{{Short description|American Olympic fencer, lawyer and politician (1886–1960)}}

factoids

DATE=11 FEBRUARY 1916 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20191208193125/HTTPS://WWW.NEWSPAPERS.COM/CLIP/40272394/THE_SALT_LAKE_TRIBUNE/ URL-STATUS=LIVE VIA=NEWSPAPERS.COM, | president = Woodrow Wilson| predecessor = Robert Shaw Oliver| successor = William Moulton Ingraham| birth_date = May 25, 1886| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois| death_date = May 2, 1960 (aged 73)| death_place = New York City| resting_place = Lexington CemeteryDemocratic Party (United States)>Democratic| alma_mater = Princeton UniversityHarvard Law School| parents = Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr.Louise Ludlow Dudley

• {{marriage|Ruth Bradley Woodman|July 7, 1910|1925|reason=div{edih}
• {{marriage|Aida de Acosta|August 5, 1927|1947|reason=div}}
• {{marriage|Margaret Lucy Smith|March 27, 1947}}

}}| children = 3| relations = See Breckinridge family}}{{MedalTableTop | name = no | medals ={{MedalSport | Men’s fencing }}{{MedalCountry | {{flagIOC|USA|1920 Summer}} }}{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }}{{MedalBronze|1920 Antwerp | Foil, team }}}}Henry Skillman Breckinridge (May 25, 1886 – May 2, 1960) was an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the prominent Breckinridge family and served as the United States Assistant Secretary of War from 1913 to 1916. During the Lindbergh kidnapping trial he served as Charles Lindbergh’s attorney. Breckinridge opposed the New Deal from the right. As an opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 Democratic primaries he polled less than 3 percent of the vote.

Early life

Breckinridge was born in Chicago, on May 25, 1886, to Louise Ludlow Dudley and Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr.Brown, Alexander The Cabells and Their Kin: A Memorial Volume of History, Biography, and Genealogy (1895). Among his many siblings was older brother was Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Jr., an officer in the United States Navy in the Spanish–American War who died while serving on the torpedo boat USS Cushing. Another older brother, Scott Dudley Breckinridge, was a physician and fellow Olympian.NEWS, DR. S. D. BRECKINRIDGE, GYNECOLOGIST, WAS 59; Kentucky Practitioner, Former National Fencing Champion,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/08/02/104299257.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 2 August 1941, Unlike his father’s cousin, John Cabell Breckinridge, a Confederate major general and former Vice President of the United States, his father Joseph was a Union Army officer from Kentucky during the American Civil War who served as Inspector General of the Army and was a major general of volunteers in the Spanish–American War.His paternal grandfather was Robert Jefferson Breckinridge, a Presbyterian minister, politician, public office holder and abolitionist. His maternal grandfather was Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley, a prominent physician in Lexington, Kentucky.BOOK, Dorman, John Frederick, The Prestons of Smithfield and Greenfield in Virginia: descendants of John and Elizabeth (Patton) Preston through five generations, 1982, Filson Club, 113, 9780960107216,archive.org/details/prestonsofsmithf00dorm, registration, 18 June 2019, en, After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, he began practicing law in Lexington, Kentucky.

Career

In 1913, at the age of 27, he was appointed United States Assistant Secretary of War by President Woodrow Wilson, a fellow Democrat. At the same time, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was Franklin Roosevelt. In 1914 was given charge of rescuing Americans trapped in Europe by the outbreak of World War I in August. Observers at the time and historians since give him poor marks for his sloppy work and disregard of duties. Much more important was Herbert Hoover, an engineer who volunteered to help and took change of operations.Branden Little, “Evacuating Wartime Europe: US Policy, Strategy, and Relief Operations for Overseas American Travelers, 1914-15.” Journal of Military History 79.4 (2015) pp 929–958.George H. Nash, The Life of Herbert Hoover: The Humanitarian, 1914-1917 (WW Norton & Company, 1983) pp 1–14. In 1916, Breckinridge resigned, along with Secretary Lindley M. Garrison, who was “advocating a larger army in opposition to the President’s views.” During World War I, he served as commander of a battalion.He was a member of the US fencing teams at the 1920 and 1928 Summer Olympics, and was captain of the latter.WEB,www.olympedia.org/athletes/23669, Henry Skillman Breckinridge, Olympedia, 12 August 2021, At the 1920 Games, he won a bronze medal in the team foil event.WEB,www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BRECKHEN01, Olympics Statistics: Henry Skillman Breckinridge, 2010-04-22, databaseolympics.com, dead,databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BRECKHEN01," title="web.archive.org/web/20101007154747databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BRECKHEN01,">web.archive.org/web/20101007154747databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BRECKHEN01, 2010-10-07, WEB,www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/henry-breckinridge-1.html, Henry Skillman Breckinridge Olympic Results, 2010-04-22, sports-reference.com, dead,www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/henry-breckinridge-1.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20121026070255www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/henry-breckinridge-1.html,">web.archive.org/web/20121026070255www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/henry-breckinridge-1.html, 2012-10-26,

New York lawyer

After the war, he went to New York City and soon became a prominent attorney. He was president of the Navy League of the United States from 1919 to 1921 and at that time organized the first Navy Day, which was celebrated in 1920.NEWS, Breckenridge, Henry, DEMOCRATIC IDEALS OF 1924; Henry Breckinridge Calls for a Return to Woodrow Wilson’s Policies.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1924/06/16/119039854.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 16 June 1924, In 1933, he was counsel to the Joint Congressional Committee to Investigate Dirigible Disasters.In 1934, he ran for U.S. Senator from New York as the nominee of the “Constitutional Party,“NEWS, BOOM IS STARTED FOR BRECKINRIDGE; Aide to Wilson Now Seeking Senatorial Nomination on Independent Ticket.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/08/07/93636029.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 7 August 1934, NEWS, Gruin, Frederick, BRECKINRIDGE OUTLINES HIS POLITICAL BELIEFS; Candidate for the Senate, He Declares His Stand for Recovery ‘Along Constitutional Lines’,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/09/23/94565429.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 23 September 1934, to oppose Roosevelt’s New Deal policy,NEWS, Breckinbridge, Henry, TAMMANY IN WASHINGTON.; Col. Breckinridge Sees National Spoils System as an Issue.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1934/10/26/93648433.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 26 October 1934, but polled only 24,000 votes, half as much as the Communist vote, and one eighth as much as the Socialist candidate Norman Thomas.

1936 Democratic primary

In the 1936 Democratic primaries, Breckinridge, a strong opponent of the New Deal, was the only serious candidate opposing the highly popular incumbent Roosevelt. FDR was otherwise opposed within the party only by favorite son candidates. Breckinridge’s test of the popularity of the New Deal among Democrats failed, as he lost by wide margins. However, in New Jersey, President Roosevelt did not file for the preference vote and lost that primary to Breckinridge.NEWS, ROOSEVELT IS CRITICIZED; Breckinridge Says He Has Lost ‘Moral Right’ to Jersey Support.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/04/13/93520130.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 13 April 1936, Roosevelt did receive 19% of the vote on write-ins. Roosevelt’s candidates for delegate swept the race in New Jersey and elsewhere. In other primaries, Breckinridge’s best showing was his 15% in Maryland.NEWS, Breckinridge to File as Foe of New Deal In the Maryland Presidential Primary,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/03/03/87917407.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 3 March 1936, NEWS, The Associated Press, ROOSEVELT CARRIES MARYLAND BY 5 TO 1; Returns Show Breckinridge Trailing Everywhere in Preferential Ballot. POLL INSTRUCTS 16 VOTES Jackson’s Candidate for House Is Victor Over Curran Rival in Baltimore.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/05/05/88657954.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 5 May 1936, The Associated Press, Roosevelt won a total of 4,830,730 votes in all state primaries combined (93.19%) against Breckinridge’s 136,407 (2.63%). Breckinridge endorsed Republican nominee Alf Landon against Roosevelt in the general election.NEWS, The Associated Press, Breckinridge Assails Roosevelt,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/05/04/88656603.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 4 May 1936,

Personal life

Breckinridge was married three times. His first marriage took place on July 7, 1910, to Ruth Bradley Woodman (1888–1941) in Geneva, Switzerland. Ruth was the daughter of Edgar Horace Woodman,NEWS, No title,www.newspapers.com/clip/33005289/1910_breckinridge_wedding_announcement/, 18 June 2019, The Advocate-Messenger, 19 Jul 1910, 8, en, a lawyer who served as mayor of Concord, New Hampshire, in 1883 and 1884.BOOK, Bell, Charles Henry, The Bench and Bar of New Hampshire: Including Biographical Notices of Deceased Judges of the Highest Court, and Lawyers of the Province and State, and a List of Names of Those Now Living, 1893, Houghton, Mifflin, 764,archive.org/details/bub_gb_lAE9AAAAIAAJ, en, Before they divorced in 1925, Ruth and Henry were the parents of two daughters:NEWS, DIVORCE IS GRANTED TO HUSBAND AND WIFE; Geneva Court Issues Decree to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Breckinridge Without Blame to Either.,www.nytimes.com/1925/05/10/archives/divorce-is-granted-to-husband-and-wife-geneva-court-issues-decree.html, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, May 10, 1925,

• Elizabeth Foster Breckinridge (1911–2005),NEWS, Staff, Elizabeth Graham, WASHINGTON, D.C. -,www.concordmonitor.com/article/elizabeth-graham-washington-dc, 26 March 2016, Concord Monitor, October 29, 2005, {{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} who married John Stephens Graham (1905–1976), an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.NEWS, Flint, Peter B., John Graham Dead; Ex‐Treasury Official A Member of A.E.C,www.nytimes.com/1976/10/21/archives/john-graham-dead-extreasury-official-a-member-of-aec.html, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 21 October 1976,
• Louise Dudley Breckinridge ({{Circa|1916}}–1934), who was killed, aged 17, when a bullet accidentally discharged from a target rifle she was carrying. At the time of her death, she was a student at Vassar College.NEWS, Shot Kills Daughter of Col. Breckinridge; Girl, 17, Discharges Own Rifle by Accident,www.nytimes.com/1934/07/21/archives/shot-kills-daughter-of-col-breckinridge-girl-17-discharges-own.html, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 21 July 1934,

He married for the second time on August 5, 1927, to socialite Aida de Acosta (1884–1962) in Washington, D.C. Aida, the first woman to fly a powered aircraft solo, was a daughter of Cuban emigre Ricardo de Acosta, who was a steamship-line executive and sugar refiner. Before their marriage, Aida was married to Oren Root IIII, a son of Oren Root II and nephew of Elihu Root.NEWS, OREN ROOT ENGAGED.; Nephew Of Secretary Root to Wed Miss Ada de Acosta.,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1908/01/31/106773400.pdf, 22 May 2019, The New York Times, 31 January 1908, In New York, they lived at 455 East 57th Street. After twenty years of marriage and a three-year separation, they divorced in 1947.NEWS, Henry Breckinridge Seeks Reno Divorce,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/02/18/87505859.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 18 February 1947, NEWS, Divorces Henry Breckinridge,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/03/28/87724214.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 28 March 1947, Breckinridge married for the third, and final, time on March 27, 1947, to Margaret Lucy Smith (1913–2011), daughter of horticulturist John Raymond Smith of Gloucestershire, England. Together, they lived at 67-38B 190th Lane in Fresh Meadows, Queens, and were the parents of one daughter:BOOK, Hess, Stephen, America’s Political Dynasties, 2017, Routledge, 9781351532143, 558,books.google.com/books?id=-iIxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT558, 18 June 2019, en,

• Madeline Houston Breckinridge.

Breckinridge died at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City on May 2, 1960.NEWS, Col. Henry Breckinridge Dies; Ex-Assistant Secretary of War; Wilson Cabinet Aide at 27-- Was Intermediary in the Lindbergh Kidnapping,timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1960/05/03/105430998.pdf, 18 June 2019, The New York Times, 3 May 1960,

Electoral history

New York Senate election, 1934Our Campaigns – NY US Senate Race – Nov 06, 1934

• Royal S. Copeland (Democratic, Incumbent) – 2,046,377 (55.34%)
• Ernest Harold Cluett (Republican) – 1,363,440 (36.87%)
• Norman Thomas (Socialist) – 194,952 (5.27%)
• Max Bedacht (Communist) – 45,396 (1.23%)
• Henry S. Breckinridge (Constitutional) – 24,241 (0.66%)
• William Sheafe Chase (Law Preservation) – 16,769 (0.45%)
• Olive M. Johnson (Socialist Labor) – 6,622 (0.18%)

1936 United States presidential election (Democratic primaries)Our Campaigns – US President – D Primaries Race – Feb 01, 1936

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (Incumbent) – 4,830,730 (93.19%)
• Henry S. Breckinridge – 136,407 (2.63%)
• Upton Sinclair – 106,068 (2.05%)
• John S. McGroarty – 61,391 (1.18%)
• Joseph A. Coutremarsh – 39,730 (0.77%)
• Al Smith – 2,974 (0.06%)
• Charles Coughlin – 2,854 (0.06%)
• John Nance Garner – 108 (0.00%)
• William E. Borah – 87 (0.00%)

See also

• List of Princeton University Olympians

References

{{reflist|30em}}

References

• Our Campaigns
• {{Pg}} Political Graveyard

{{USSecArm}}{{Kentucky Breckinridges}}{{Lindbergh kidnapping}}{{United States presidential election, 1936}}{{Authority control}}