Ava Lowle Willing
Ava Willing Astor ( born September 15, 1868 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Ava Lowle Willing, † June 9, 1958 in New York City, New York) was an American High Society Lady in the New York society ( Belle Epoque ) and later a member of the British aristocracy.
Life
Ava Lowle Willing came from a prominent family and was a direct descendant of General Benedict Arnold ( 1741-1801 ). Her father, Edward Shippen Willing, was a wealthy businessman. Her mother, Alice Barton, died shortly after her birth in tuberculous meningitis. Under the care of her grandmother, the only one -year-old Ava and her older siblings, Susan and John grew up. The Childhood of Ava turned to perfect manners and the social representation. She attended the Girls College Miss Porter 's School in Farmington and was regarded as extremely intelligent - she spoke several languages and was reflected in literature, music and painting interested.
On May 1, 1891 Ava Willing married in Philadelphia the rich heir to the Astor dynasty Lt.- Col. John Jacob Astor IV (1864-1912), only son of wealthy businessman William Backhouse Astor, Jr. and his wife, Caroline Webster Schermerhorn (see also Astor family). The young couple lived in the townhouse on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan - a wedding gift from her in-laws. From the marriage, which by all accounts was turbulent, two children were born:
- William Vincent ( * November 15, 1891; † February 3, 1959 )
- Ava Alice Muriel (* July 7, 1902; † July 19, 1956 )
Ava Astor was an eccentric beauty who practiced Egyptian magic and watched as the reincarnation of the Egyptian princess Aknathon. Your dinner parties, cocktail parties and charity balls for the American plutocracy were famous and filled the society columns of the newspapers; as well as their extravagant wardrobe and its refined hats. In addition to the social obligations Ava Astor engaged in several charitable organizations and was one of the most important art patron inside.
The marriage with John Jacob Astor IV, who was known as capricious and difficult man, broke more and more and in November 1909 gave Ava Astor for divorce. Her husband announced through his lawyer that their daughter was the result of an extramarital relationship. The judge ruled that the allegations that had brought against them her husband, were unfounded - the marriage was divorced in 1910 due to irreconcilable differences. In an out of court settlement Mrs. Astor got the town house on Fifth Avenue and awarded an annual pension of $ 50,000 - the latter, however, only until they would remarry.
Together with her 9- year-old daughter Ava Astor took several months trip to Europe - in the United Kingdom, she lived with Lady Nancy Astor, a cousin of her ex - husband, and their sister Pauline Astor in their London townhouse. Later Mrs. Astor bought a town house in Grosvenor Square and was a prominent member of London society. On one of the many social events, she met the 64 -year-old widower Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale know, both were married in June 1919 in London's St Mary's Church. The couple preferred the London life and rarely stayed in the estate at Gisburne Park. Six years later, her husband died of a stroke and was buried in the family vault. Lady Ribblesdale returned in the 1930s back to New York City and earned again the U.S. citizenship.
Lady Ribblesdale - heiress, philanthropist and Grande Dame - died at the age of 89 years from the effects of pneumonia and was buried at the cemetery Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow. Your assets in excess of one million U.S. dollars and several real estate was divided among her four grandchildren.