August Belmont (Encyclopedia America)

BELMONT, August, American banker: b. Alzey, Germany, 1816; d. 24 Nov. 1890. He was educated at Frankfort, and was apprenticed to the Rothschild's banking house in that city when 14 years old. In 1837 he went to Havana to take charge of the firm's interests, and soon afterward was sent to New York, where he established himself in the banking business and as the representative of the Rothschilds. He was Consul-General of Austria 1844-50; became chargé d'affaires at The Hague in 1853; and was Minister-resident there in 1854-58. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1860, and when a portion of the delegates withdrew and organized the convention in Baltimore he was active in that body, and through it became chairman of the Democratic National Committee, an office he held till 1872. He was an active worker in the party till 1876, when he closed his political career.