James Temple Gwathmey, Sr. (1867-1924) was elected to The Lambs in 1912 as a non-professional member. He was from an old cotton family in Richmond, Virginia. He was one of the pillars of amateur racing, and for whom the Temple Gwathmey Memorial Steeplechase was named in 1924. Gwathmey was an avid horseman and sportsman. He was a cotton broker and a leader in the industry.
In the Mr. Cotton partnership with friend E.M. Weld, Gwathmey won the 1904 American Grand National riding St. Jude. He owned an English steeplechaser that twice ran in the English Grand National. When Gwathmey died after a long illness at age 57 in 1924, Weld and other friends swiftly joined to fund a memorial steeplechase, the Temple Gwathmey handicap at Belmont Park. Weld commissioned a silver Tiffany trophy for the race; it’s still awarded today.
Gwathmey is buried at the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond alongside many of his ancestors. He’s keeping good company there: also buried at Hollywood are two U.S. presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as Confederate president Jefferson Davis. It is also the resting place of 25 Confederate generals, more than any other cemetery in the nation, including Gen. George Pickett and Gen. J.E.B. Stuart.