Isaac Vail Brokaw

He was born on November 27, 1835, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Simeon Brokaw (1792–1854) and Prudence Vail (1795–1887). His siblings included Jemima Vail Brokaw (1824–1838) and William Vail Brokaw (1831–1907).^[2]

His paternal grandparents were Isaac Brokaw (1759–1838), who fought in the American Revolution, and Maria (née Van Nortwick) Brokaw (1759–1826).^[2] His mother's side of the family were the Vail Quakers of New Jersey.^[1] He was descended from Bourgeon Broucard,^[2] a French Huguenot who settled on Long Island in 1675 and founded the first French Protestant church in New York.^[3]

Brokaw went into business with the cloth importing firm of Wilson G. Hunt & Co.^[4][5] In 1856, Brokaw organized a clothing firm with his brother which they called Brokaw Brothers.^[1] The business sold:

Boys' and children's outfits in every style; men's garments of all kinds, adapted to all seasons, load the long counters and the immediate shelves of this extensive establishment. Each season finds them changing their make and style to suite the various wants of the time, and nothing which the most fashionable custom houses in the City produce is wanting to the stock of Brokaw Brothers.^[6]

Brokaw was a Republican in politics, though he never held office. He was a member of the Union League Club^[2] and the Huguenot Society.^[1]

After Brokaw's death in 1913, his son Howard became president and head of the clothing firm.^[7][8]

In 1887, Brokaw hired Rose & Stone to build a mansion for him at Fifth Avenue and 79th Street. The grand and imposing mansion was completed in 1891.^[9]

In 1905, Brokaw built twin Gothic style adjoining houses at 984 and 985 5th Avenue, designed by Charles Frederic Rose, for Howard and Irving.^[10] Henry Mandel attempted to purchase the homes in 1940.^[11] The land where the properties were was bought by Bernard Spitzer in 1968.^[12]

In 1911, Brokaw built 7 East 79th Street for his daughter, Elvira, designed by Harold Van Buren Magonigle.

After his death, his wife and youngest son, George, lived in the mansion. After his wedding in 1923 to Clare Boothe, they lived in the house together. After his mother's death in 1926, George filed a lawsuit requesting permission to tear down the mansion and erect an apartment house. He also asked that his brothers, Irving and Howard, who opposed the demolition plans, be prevented from interfering with the new building.^[10] George won his suit and in November of the same year and filed plans for the construction of a 13‐story building.^[13] The Supreme Court, however, reversed its decision on appeal and the plans were dropped.^[10] Again in 1928, George sued for permission to tear down the mansion, but lost on grounds that his father's will would be violated.^[14]

After George's death in 1935, his daughter inherited half of the house. After the daughter's death in an automobile accident, George's ex-wife, Clare, sold her share to her then husband, Henry Luce.^[10] After being designated a landmark by the City of New York, Brokaw's home was torn down in 1964.^[10]

Following the death of his eldest son, Frederick, in 1891, Brokaw paid for The Brokaw Memorial at Princeton University, in memory of his son's tragic death.^[15] The $42,000 gift, made in 1892, was for a memorial athletic grounds.^[16] The building was completed and in use by 1896.^[17]

In 1893, he donated $50,000 to the Madison Avenue Reformed Church, on the corner of Madison Avenue and Fifty-Seventh Street, so they could build a missionary building.^[18] Abbott Eliot Kittredge, then pastor of the Church, was in charge of raising funds to purchase land where the missionary could be built upon.^[18]