Ralph B. Strassburger
Encyclopedia
Ralph Beaver Strassburger (March 26, 1883 – March 5, 1959) was an American businessman (See Biography Website) born in Norristown, Pennsylvania
, who was also a prominent Thoroughbred
racehorse owner and breeder.
Educated at Phillips Exeter Academy
in Exeter, New Hampshire
, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy
in 1905 and served in the U.S. Navy
until 1909. He then went into business and in 1911 married May Bourne, the daughter of Frederick Gilbert Bourne
, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company
. An unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives
in the elections of 1914, following America's entry in World War I
he rejoined the Navy and served as a transport officer until being discharged in 1919.
In 1921, Strassburger entered the newspaper
business in his hometown, acquiring the Herald then the following year the other local, the Times. He merged the papers to create the Norristown Times Herald which still operates to this day. Of importance to historian
s and genealogists is Strassburger's book Pennsylvania German Pioneers: a publication of the original lists of arrival in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808 published in 1934 in two volumes.
and manor house
in Whitpain Township
, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
where he raised horses and Ayrshire cattle
. They spent a considerable amount of money on renovations and the construction of new utility buildings plus land acquisitions that over time expanded the property from 82 to 1500 acres (6.1 km²). They called the place Normandy Farm, the name coming from an area of France
that the Strassburgers loved and was renowned for its many important horse farms.
The Normandy Farm remained in the Strassburger family for several decades after Ralph Strassburger's death in 1959. Today, the property is listed on the United States government's
National Register of Historic Places
and is used as a hotel and conference center.
, and/or estates on the French Riviera
, some like William Kissam Vanderbilt
, Joseph E. Widener
and Ralph Strassburger were involved in the very popular sport of Thoroughbred horse racing
and acquired breeding farms in the renowned horse region of Lower Normandy.
In the 1920s, Ralph and May Strassburger purchased a villa from Baron Henri de Rothschild in Normandy's exclusive resort city of Deauville
. They also acquired the Haras des Monceaux
Thoroughbred horse farm at Lisieux
, about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Deauville. Their French racing stable enjoyed considerable success at the Deauville-La Touques Racecourse as well as at other racecourses in France and in England. Widely respected, France Galop
refers to Ralph Strassburger as a "great friend of France." http://www.france-galop.com/COURSES/noms1.htm
To avoid seizure by the Nazis during the German occupation of France during World War II, all of the Strassburger horses raced under the name of a French friend, Mme. de Bonard. Among the Strassburgers' major successes were victories in both the French
and British Classic Races as well as in the prestigious Washington, D.C. International Stakes in the United States.
United Kingdom
United States
Following Strassburger's death in 1959, his widow continued to race horses. Eventually, their bloodstock was sold and their horse Worden went to Brickfields Stud in England
where he became the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
in 1975 and 1976. The Villa Strassburger, listed in the French Monuments historiques register in 1975, remained in family hands until 1980 when his son donated it to the city of Deauville.
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Norristown is a municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of the city limits of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The population was 34,324 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
, who was also a prominent Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse owner and breeder.
Educated at Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1905 and served in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
until 1909. He then went into business and in 1911 married May Bourne, the daughter of Frederick Gilbert Bourne
Frederick Gilbert Bourne
Frederick Gilbert "Commodore" Bourne was President of the Singer Manufacturing Company between 1889 and 1905. He made the business "perhaps the first modern multinational industrial enterprise of any nationality." Bourne greatly expanded global production as well as international sales of the...
, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
. An unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in the elections of 1914, following America's entry in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he rejoined the Navy and served as a transport officer until being discharged in 1919.
In 1921, Strassburger entered the newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
business in his hometown, acquiring the Herald then the following year the other local, the Times. He merged the papers to create the Norristown Times Herald which still operates to this day. Of importance to historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
s and genealogists is Strassburger's book Pennsylvania German Pioneers: a publication of the original lists of arrival in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808 published in 1934 in two volumes.
Normandy Farm
In 1913, Ralph Strassburger and his wife purchased an early 18th century farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
and manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in Whitpain Township
Whitpain Township, Pennsylvania
Whitpain Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1701, it has grown to a total population of 18,875 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
where he raised horses and Ayrshire cattle
Ayrshire cattle
The Ayrshire cattle is a breed of dairy cattle originated from Ayrshire in Scotland. The average mature Ayrshire cow weighs 1,000-1,300 pounds . Ayrshires have red markings. The red can be an orange to a dark brown, with or without coloured legs. They are known for low somatic cell counts,...
. They spent a considerable amount of money on renovations and the construction of new utility buildings plus land acquisitions that over time expanded the property from 82 to 1500 acres (6.1 km²). They called the place Normandy Farm, the name coming from an area of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
that the Strassburgers loved and was renowned for its many important horse farms.
The Normandy Farm remained in the Strassburger family for several decades after Ralph Strassburger's death in 1959. Today, the property is listed on the United States government's
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and is used as a hotel and conference center.
European Thoroughbred horse racing
In an era when many wealthy Americans maintained secondary residences in Paris, FranceParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and/or estates on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, some like William Kissam Vanderbilt
William Kissam Vanderbilt
William Kissam Vanderbilt was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. He managed railroads and was a horse breeder.-Biography:...
, Joseph E. Widener
Joseph E. Widener
Joseph Early Widener was a wealthy American art collector who was a founding benefactor of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C...
and Ralph Strassburger were involved in the very popular sport of Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
and acquired breeding farms in the renowned horse region of Lower Normandy.
In the 1920s, Ralph and May Strassburger purchased a villa from Baron Henri de Rothschild in Normandy's exclusive resort city of Deauville
Deauville
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and...
. They also acquired the Haras des Monceaux
Les Monceaux
-References:*...
Thoroughbred horse farm at Lisieux
Lisieux
Lisieux is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Lisieux is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland...
, about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Deauville. Their French racing stable enjoyed considerable success at the Deauville-La Touques Racecourse as well as at other racecourses in France and in England. Widely respected, France Galop
France Galop
France Galop is the governing body of flat and steeplechase horse racing in France. It was founded on May 3, 1995 as the result of the amalgamation of four different industry organizations...
refers to Ralph Strassburger as a "great friend of France." http://www.france-galop.com/COURSES/noms1.htm
To avoid seizure by the Nazis during the German occupation of France during World War II, all of the Strassburger horses raced under the name of a French friend, Mme. de Bonard. Among the Strassburgers' major successes were victories in both the French
French Classic Races
In France, the Classics of horse racing are a series of Group One Thoroughbred horse races run annually on the flat. The four races are organized by France Galop.The Prix de Diane is restricted to filles....
and British Classic Races as well as in the prestigious Washington, D.C. International Stakes in the United States.
Notable race wins
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- Grand Prix de DeauvilleGrand Prix de DeauvilleThe Grand Prix de Deauville is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,500 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The race was first run on August 6, 1866, and it was...
- Asteroide 1926, Celerina (1931) - Prix du CadranPrix du CadranThe Prix du Cadran is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 4,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October....
- Asteroide (1927), Cambremer (1957) - Prix Maurice de GheestPrix Maurice de GheestThe Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
- Mordicus (1927), Guam (1952), Vamarie1954) - Critérium de Saint-CloudCritérium de Saint-CloudThe Critérium de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in November....
- De Beers (1931), Lofoten 1956) - Prix d'Astarté - Celerina (1931)
- Prix HocquartPrix HocquartThe Prix Hocquart is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
- Bishop's Rock (1932), Angers (1960), Moutiers (1961) - Critérium de Maisons-LaffitteCritérium de Maisons-LaffitteThe Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 1,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.-History:The event was established in...
- Pensbury (1942) - Grand Prix de ParisGrand Prix de ParisThe Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
- Pensbury (1943) - Prix GreffulhePrix GreffulheThe Prix Greffulhe is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
- Pensbury (1943) - Prix LupinPrix LupinThe Prix Lupin was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in May....
- Pensbury (1943) - Grand CritériumPrix Jean-Luc LagardèreThe Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.It is the oldest and most prestigious race in France...
- Clarion (1946), Angers (1959) - Prix QuinceyPrix QuinceyThe Prix Quincey is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late August.-History:...
- Clarion (1947) - Prix du Rond PointPrix Daniel WildensteinThe Prix Daniel Wildenstein is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The event was established in...
- Clarion (1948) - Prix Jean PratPrix Jean PratThe Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:...
- Le Tyrol (1951), Angers (1960) - Prix du Conseil de ParisPrix du Conseil de ParisThe Prix du Conseil de Paris is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October....
- Worden (1952), Mahan (1955) - Prix de BarbevillePrix de BarbevilleThe Prix de Barbeville is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.-History:The event is named after the stud farm...
- Mahan (1955), Clichy (1958) - Prix Gontaut-BironPrix Gontaut-BironThe Prix Gontaut-Biron is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
- Montaval (1956) - Prix DollarPrix DollarThe Prix Dollar is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,950 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The event was introduced in 1905, and it...
- Montaval (1957)
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
Cambremer (1956) - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - Montaval (1957)
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Washington, D.C. International - Worden (1953)
Following Strassburger's death in 1959, his widow continued to race horses. Eventually, their bloodstock was sold and their horse Worden went to Brickfields Stud in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he became the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of broodmares in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1899. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:*...
in 1975 and 1976. The Villa Strassburger, listed in the French Monuments historiques register in 1975, remained in family hands until 1980 when his son donated it to the city of Deauville.