New-York tribune., 1921-09-29
Aaron A. Healy,'
Art Collector.
Dies Suddenly
Acute Indigestion Ends Life
Of Brooklynite Who Did
So Much for That Bor-
ough's Institute of Art
He Was Born june, 1850
Citizen of Numerous Bene-
factions Is Survived by
His Wife and One Son

Aaron Augustus Healy, art collector,
chief patron Of the Brooklyn institute
of Arts and Sciences and for a genera
tion one of the foremost public spirited
citizens of Brooklyn, died on Tuesday
night at his summer home at Cold
Spring on the Hudson. He had been in
his usual health, but was suddenly
stricken with acute indigestion and
passed away an hour and a half later.
His wife and his SON and daughter.in-
law Mr.. and Mrs. Henry W. Healy,
were with him at the time His funeral
VIII be held tomorrow afternoon at
the First Presbyterian Church, on
Brooklyn Heights, of which he was a
member, and the intelment will be in
Greenwood.
He was the son of Aaron and Eliza
beth (Weston) Healy, born in Brook
llyn on June IS, 1850, and educated at
the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute
lie entered his fathers establishment
as leather manufacturer and mer-
chant IN the Swamp" in this city,
ana eventually became the head of it.
roF many years, until 1910, he was
1lrst II vlce-president of the Central
Leather Company, and he remained q
director OF it to the end of his life
ne was also director of the Nassau
His Father Collector
HIS father was one of the first svs-
tematic and intelligent art collectors
OF TINS city, and from him Mr.. Healy
IiherlLeu the same taste and inclina-
ION @ IN 1877 ne sold at auction large
numoer OF his pictures, including
WORKS WORKS by Mauve, Daubigny, Inness
Wyant, Dupre. Troyon, Corot. Israels
Rousseau. Blakelock and other Ameri,
can and European masters. He gave
to the Brooklyn Institute in 1893 q
splendid lunette by Giovanni della
Hobbla, said to be the only example
OF his work in this country and one
oi the very ilnest in existence.
Mr. tiealy became actively interested
IN the Brooklyn Institute when it was
housed n IN the old granite building or
washington Street, long ago demoI.
ished to make room for the bridge an.
proach; and he was one of the fore
most benefactors of it in developino
II to It's present commanding pronor.
tlons on the Eastern Parkway In 1895
he became president of it's board OF
trustees, and thus served for twenty.
five years. In 1919 he was officially
named "benefactor" of the institu.
tlon, that title being bestowed upor
only those who had given 100000 OF
oA I" ilS luHCS. only two other per.
sons nave received that designation.
His Liberal Benfactions
He gave large sums regularly ever,
year to about fifty other institution
including churches, hospitals, schools
benevolent societies, civic orraniza
tions, libraries and public establish
ments of many kinds, his total bene
factions probably far exceeding nillio,
dollars. He was member Of the Mu
nlclpal Art Commission and a direc+o,
OF the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
In politics he was an independen
Democrat, and from 1893 to 1897 he wa!
! Collector of Internal Revenue for tn.
Eastern District of New York. by an
polntment, of President Cleveland II,
was also a member of the Board d
Education of the former city of Brook
lyn. He received the degree of LID
from Oberlin College some years aro
He was twice married. His first wife
IN 1875, was Miss Elizabeth Bradlev
OF Washington. Many years after he1
death he married, in 1915, his cousin
Miss Mary Theodosia Currier. of Ober
I'm, Ohio, daughter of the Rev. Alber
II: Currier, member of the faculty O,
Oberiin College. His lifelong hom,
was at 1913 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn