File:Robert Francis Ballantine (1836-1905) obituary in New Jersey History (1909), page 93.png

Robert F. Ballantine, born in Albany, New York, January 3, 1836, died at his country home, Linden Neuk, near Madison, Morris county, December 9, 1905. He was the son of Peter Ballantine, who had a small brewing plant at Albany. In 1844 the family removed to Newark, where the father laid the foundation of the present immense business on the Passaic river at the foot of Front street, of which his son later became the head. Robert F. Ballantine left school at the age of seventeen years, and entered into business with his father. When he was twenty-one years old he and his two brothers John H. and Peter H. Ballantine, were admitted as partners, the firm name becoming P. Ballantine and Sons. At his father’s death in 1883, Mr. Ballantine became President of the firm. As a philanthropist, Mr. Ballantine used his wealth for the benefit of the city, county and state in divers ways. He was a trustee of Rutgers College, and presented it with the Ballantine Gymnasium, a building costing, with its equipment, something like $200,000, one of the finest of the kind in the country at the time of its erection. He was always a generous and cordial supporter of the college. When the Essex County Park system was being started, he gave thirty-nine acres of land to the Commission in the upper section of Branch Brook Park. In 1900 he built and presented to the Park Board the imposing gateway at the foot of the parkway which now bears his name, the gateway costing $27,000. He built and presented to the North Reformed Church, of which he was a prominent member, a handsome parsonage. A short time before his death he gave a new building to the Newark Eye and Ear Infirmary on Central avenue, the hospital being founded and endowed by him. He and Mrs. Ballantine were interested in many charitable institutions in and about Madison, where they had long made their summer home. He was singularly modest, and made it a rule to keep silent about his numerous benefactions, and no one but himself knew of the long list of pensioners on his roll. He had been a member of the Essex County Park Commission since 1901; he was president of the Newark Sinking fund Commission. In the financial world he was prominent in Newark and New York, being Vice President of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, and of the Howard Savings Institution, both of Newark; a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce, and director of the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company of New York. He was a member of the Union League Club of New York, and of many clubs in Newark and Morristown. On the occasion of his funeral in the North Reformed Church, that edifice was packed with his numerous friends and employees, and sympathizers with his family in their bereavement. In 1857 he married Miss Anne E; Brown, of Charleston, S. C. His widow and two daughters, Mrs. Charles Bradley and Mrs. John O. H. Pitney, survived him. At a meeting of the board of trustees of the New Jersey Historical Society, held on January 2, 1906, the following minute on the decease of Mr. Ballantine was adopted: Mr. Robert F. Ballantine was elected a Life Member of the Society, May 18, 1871. Two years later he was appointed a member of the Committee on the Library, of which he continued to be a member until the reorganization of the Society in 1897, acting as chairman for many years. In 1888, he was elected a member of the Executive Committee, of which he was the chairman for a time. After the formation of the new constitution, he was elected Second Vice-President and was annually re-elected to that office. He was also appointed to be a member of the Finance Committee, in 1897. His gifts to the Society have been frequent and generous. In the early years he was often a contributor to the Library Fund. In 1898 he became a Patron of the Society, and in 1901 he contributed twenty-five hundred dollars for the purchase of Newark Library Association stock. Ever since he became a member of this Society, Mr. Ballantine has been one of the most generous of contributors to its advancement and to its financial necessities.

Robert F. Ballantine, born in Albany, New York, January 3, 1836, died at his country home, Linden Neuk, near Madison, Morris county, December 9, 1905. He was the son of Peter Ballantine, who had a small brewing plant at Albany. In 1844 the family removed to Newark, where the father laid the foundation of the present immense business on the Passaic river at the foot of Front street, of which his son later became the head. Robert F. Ballantine left school at the age of seventeen years, and entered into business with his father. When he was twenty-one years old he and his two brothers John Holme Ballantine and Peter Hood Ballantine, were admitted as partners, the firm name becoming P. Ballantine and Sons. At his father’s death in 1883, Mr. Ballantine became President of the firm. As a philanthropist, Mr. Ballantine used his wealth for the benefit of the city, county and state in divers ways. He was a trustee of Rutgers College, and presented it with the Ballantine Gymnasium, a building costing, with its equipment, something like $200,000, one of the finest of the kind in the country at the time of its erection. He was always a generous and cordial supporter of the college. When the Essex County Park system was being started, he gave thirty-nine acres of land to the Commission in the upper section of Branch Brook Park. In 1900 he built and presented to the Park Board the imposing gateway at the foot of the parkway which now bears his name, the gateway costing $27,000. He built and presented to the North Reformed Church, of which he was a prominent member, a handsome parsonage. A short time before his death he gave a new building to the Newark Eye and Ear Infirmary on Central avenue, the hospital being founded and endowed by him. He and Mrs. Ballantine were interested in many charitable institutions in and about Madison, where they had long made their summer home. He was singularly modest, and made it a rule to keep silent about his numerous benefactions, and no one but himself knew of the long list of pensioners on his roll. He had been a member of the Essex County Park Commission since 1901; he was president of the Newark Sinking fund Commission. In the financial world he was prominent in Newark and New York, being Vice President of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, and of the Howard Savings Institution, both of Newark; a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce, and director of the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company of New York. He was a member of the Union League Club of New York, and of many clubs in Newark and Morristown. On the occasion of his funeral in the North Reformed Church, that edifice was packed with his numerous friends and employees, and sympathizers with- his family in their bereavement. In 1857 he married Miss Anne E. Brown, of Charleston, South Carolina. His widow and two daughters, Mrs. Charles Bradley and Mrs. John Oliver Halsted Pitney, survived him. At a meeting of the board of trustees of the New Jersey Historical Society, held on January 2, 1906, the following minute on the decease of Mr. Ballantine was adopted. Mr. Robert F. Ballantine was elected a Life Member of the Society, May 18, 1871. Two years later he was appointed a member of the Committee on the Library, of which he continued to be a member until the reorganization of the Society in 1897, acting as chairman for many years. In 1888, he was elected a member of the Executive Committee, of which he was the chairman for a time. After the formation of the new constitution, he was elected Second Vice-President and was annually re-elected to that office. He was also appointed to be a member of the Finance Committee, in 1897. His gifts to the Society have been frequent and generous. In the early years he was often a contributor to the Library Fund. In 1898 he became a Patron of the Society, and in 1901 he contributed twenty-five hundred dollars for the purchase of Newark Library Association stock. Ever since he became a member of this Society, Mr. Ballantine has been one of the most generous of contributors to its advancement and to its financial necessities.

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