George N. Terry

George Nelson Terry (February 6, 1838 - June 2, 1899) was a colonel during the American Civil War, before going on to become a hotelier. In 1867, Terry started a very close friendship with Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, and was the one to find him after his suicide in 1882.

Early life George Terry's great-grandfather came from Connecticut around 1783 and took over the Moriches Inn in Center Moriches, New York, renaming it Terry's Hotel. That November, Major general Benjamin Butler established his military headquarters at Terry's newly opened Hoffman House hotel.

In January 1866, there was discussion of demolishing the United States Hotel to make space to widen the road. Citizens were opposed to the plans, and The New York Times wrote: "Nothing could more completely illustrate the utter helplessness of the taxpayers of this city against any raid that organized self-interest..." In 1867, Terry reopened the United States Hotel which was located on the corner of Fulton and Water streets, with the intention to conduct it on the European plan. In 1869, after a client died of suffocation at the U.S. Hotel, Terry had to testify at the Coroner's Jury trial. Terry was the proprietor of the United States Hotel until May 1872. In 1896, George and William decided to sell the Hotel French to E.B. Hawkins.

In 1892, at the Hotel Florence in Jamestown, which Terry owned, a murder-suicide took place.

Personal life In 1867, George while he was the proprietor of the United States Hotel, met for the first time Cornelius J. Vanderbilt, who was staying at the hotel.

On November 25, 1872, George and Cornelius posed for a photograph with General Robert O. Tyler and two others while in Hong Kong.

Cornelius Vanderbilt trial On December 28, 1877, Terry was called as a witness during Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt's lawsuit attempting to break his father's will. After a two-month break, the lawsuit resumed February 26, 1878, with Terry being the first witness called back to testify. Cornelius' counsel, Mr. Scott Lord, questioned Terry in relation to his meetings with Cornelius J. at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in October and November 1874. Terry testified he had no recollection of meeting with Cornelius in the afternoon, and that they would have met in the evenings. they traveled to Cairo where they were joined by the American representative in the International Court of Egypt. They set out on an exploring expedition up the Nile, before traveling to the Holy Land, and to St. Petersburg. From thence, they crossed the Ural Mountains into Siberia, went to China, before returning back to New York via a Pacific Mail steam-ship.

On March 1, 1881, George and Cornelius traveled to Washington, DC together, because, Cornelius had been invited to attend a reception thrown for President Rutherford B. Hayes by Congressman Simeon B. Chittenden and his wife.

On July 20, 1881, George and Cornelius departed on a trip for Europe via SS Arizona, they arrived to Liverpool on July 28. They returned to New York on September 27, via the SS City of Richmond.

On January 24, 1882, George, and Cornelius, arrived in Chicago together and stayed at the Tremont House.

In February, they traveled to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in the hopes the Hot Springs could improve Cornelius' health which had been failing. From there, George and Cornelius traveled down to Florida, before returning to New York on March 18.

Cornelius' 1882 Suicide

Upon returning to New York on March 18, 1882, George and Cornelius checked into the Glenham Hotel located on Broadway. They were given two rooms, No. 79 & No. 80 on the fifth floor, overlooking Fifth Avenue, until he died at 6:10 pm.

An inquest was held by Coroner Brady on April 6, with a jury composed of by nine physicians. and only $1,000 to his sister. She claimed, "that the writing was not his last will; that its execution was not his voluntary act, and that he was not of sound mind at the time he signed it." She alleged Terry attached himself to Cornelius in hopes of getting his money.

Death On Saturday, June 3, 1899, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Terry died of heart failure, at the home of a friend with whom he had lived for several years. No public funeral announcement was made, as a result when he was interred on Tuesday, June 6, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery few non-relatives were present.