Mary Goelet

For her mother, the American socialite, see Mary Wilson Goelet.

Her Grace The Duchess of Roxburghe
Goelet in 1903
Personal details
Born	Mary Goelet October 6, 1878 New York City, U.S.
Died	April 26, 1937 (1937-04-27) (aged 58) London, England
Spouse	Henry Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe ​ ​ (m. 1903; died 1932)​
Children	George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe
Parent(s)	Ogden Goelet Mary Wilson
Relatives	See Goelet family

Mary "May" Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (née Goelet; October 6, 1878 – April 26, 1937)^[1] was an American-born heiress and socialite who married into Scottish nobility.

Early life

Mary Goelet was born in 1878. Her parents were Mary Wilson Goelet (1855–1929)^[2] and Ogden Goelet (1851–1897), a prominent heir and landlord in New York City and great-grandson of Peter Goelet, heir to one of the largest fortunes of the time. Her only sibling was a younger brother, Robert,^[3] who built Glenmere mansion.^[4]

Through her mother, she was a niece of Richard Thornton Wilson, Jr. and Grace Graham Wilson Vanderbilt and Cornelius Vanderbilt III.^[5] Through her father, she was a niece of Robert Goelet, a first cousin of Robert Walton Goelet, and a granddaughter of Robert Goelet Sr., a co-founder of the Chemical Bank of New York.^[6]

Personal life

In 1897, she was rumored to be engaged to William Montagu (1877–1947), the 20-year-old 9th Duke of Manchester.^[7][8][9] He later married a different American, Helena Zimmerman, daughter of industrialist Eugene Zimmerman of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1900.^[10]

In the late December 1898, she was rumored once more to be engaged to Viscount Crichton (1872–1914), eldest son and heir of the 4th Earl Erne.^[11]

On November 10, 1903, she married Henry Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe (1876–1932).^[12][13][14] He was the son of James Henry Robert Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe and Lady Anne Emily Spencer-Churchill, the fourth daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, who served in Conservative governments as Lord President of the Council and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and his wife, Lady Frances Vane, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry.^[15] His first cousin was Winston Churchill. His younger brother, Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker married the actress Jose Collins in 1920.^[16] After ten years of childlessness, Mary gave birth to a son and heir:

• George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe (1913–1974), who succeeded his father in 1932.^[17]

The Duchess of Roxburghe died on April 26, 1937, in London.^[1][18]

Life in Scotland

The Duchess of Roxburghe's residence in Scotland, Floors Castle

The 8th Duke and Duchess of Roxburgh settled at Floors Castle, where Mary decorated the fortress with her own collection of art including a priceless series of 17th century Gobelins Manufactory tapestries.^[19]

At the time of her marriage to the Duke of Roxburghe, she was the wealthiest American heiress, with a dowry of twenty million dollars, exceeded only by Consuelo Vanderbilt in the wealth brought to the transatlantic marriages of the pre-1914 era (see Gilded Age).

In 1913, she first became a guest of Queen Mary and King George at Windsor Castle. She and the Duke were also the guests of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.^[18]

In 1929, she inherited $3,000,000 from her mother's estate after the death of her mother,^[20] as well as the Goelet art collection.^[18]

See also

• Duke of Roxburghe

References

1. "DUCHESS LEFT FORTUNE; Roxburghe Estate Was Founded by Money of American Heiress" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 November 1937. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
2. "MRS. OGDEN GOELET DIES OF PNEUMONIA; Duchess of Roxburghe's Mother Long Noted for Her Lavish Entertaining. WAS HOSTESS TO ROYALTY Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, Among Guests--Sister of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt and R.T. Wilson. Her Hospitality. Duchess of Roxburghe Daughter" (PDF). The New York Times. 24 February 1929. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
3. "ROBERT GOELET, FINANCIER, DEAD; Real-Estate Millionaire, 86, Was a Social Leader" (PDF). The New York Times. 7 February 1966. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
4. Foreman, John (14 November 2012). "Big Old Houses: A Better Fate Than Many". New York Social Diary. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
5. MacColl, Gail; Wallace, Carol (January 1989). "To Marry an English Lord". Workman. ISBN 0894809393.
6. "Robert W. Goelet Dies In Home At 61. Corporation Director, Owner of Large Realty Holdings Here, Succumbs to Heart Attack. He Inherited $60,000,000. Sportsman, a Leader in Social Circles in Newport and New York, Kin of Early Settlers" (PDF). New York Times. 3 May 1941. Retrieved 26 July 2010. Robert Walton Goelet of New York and Newport, R. I., a member of one of New York's oldest and wealthiest families, died of a heart attack yesterday at his ...
7. "MISS GOELET'S BETROTHAL.; Reason to Believe She Is Engaged to the Young Duke of Manchester, in Spite of Denials" (PDF). The New York Times. 13 July 1897. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
8. "MANCHESTER-GOELET AFFAIR.; The Daily Telegraph Makes no Apology for Its Story" (PDF). The New York Times. 12 July 1897. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
9. "THE DUKE DENIES IT.; His Grace of Manchester Says the Report of His Engagement to Miss Goelet Is Untrue" (PDF). The New York Times. 11 July 1897. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
10. "DUKE OF MANCHESTER WEDS MISS ZIMMERMAN; Married to Daughter of Cincinnati Railway Man Nov. 14. RELATIVES NOT NOTIFIED Dowager Duchess Did Not Credit Re- port Until Examination of Register of London Church Convinced Her It Was True" (PDF). The New York Times. 20 November 1900. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
11. "MISS GOELET MAY MARRY; Handsome Viscount Crichton Thought Likely to be Happy Man". The New York Times. 25 December 1898. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
12. Times, Special To The New York (3 September 1903). "DUKE OF ROXBURGHE TO WED MISS GOELET | Engagement Announced in London and Confirmed at Newport. | NEW YORK WEDDING EXPECTED | It is Believed the Couple Will Be Married Here in the Autumn - The Duke Now Mrs. Goelet's Guest". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
13. "THE ROXBURGHE WEDDING; Private Rehearsal Held at St. Thomas's Church. Programme of Today's Ceremony -- Simple Reception to Follow at the Goelet Residence -- Some of the Gifts" (PDF). The New York Times. 10 November 1903. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
14. "MOTHER AND SISTER OF ROXBURGHE HERE; Duchess Denies Story of Objection to American Brides. Plans for the Wedding Complete -- The Decorations at the Church and Home of the Bride" (PDF). The New York Times. 8 November 1903. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
15. Quinault, Roland (2004). "Churchill, John Winston Spencer, seventh duke of Marlborough (1822–1883)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5403. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
16. "LORD R. INNES-KER WEDS JOSE COLLINS Brother of Duke of Roxburghe Married to Musical Comedy Actress in London. CEREMONY WAS A SECRET Bride, Daughter of Late Lottie Collins, Won First Success Herein "The Merry Countess"" (PDF). The New York Times. 2 November 1920. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
17. Times, Special To The New York (6 January 1954). "DUKE OF ROXBURGHE MARRIES IN LONDON" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
18. Times, Wireless To The New York (27 April 1937). "DOWAGER DUCHESS OF ROXBURGHE DIES; New York Heiress Was a Close Friend of King George V and Queen Mary" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
19. "Illustrated Guide to Places to Visit - Floors Castle". Retrieved 27 March 2016.
20. Times, Wireless To The New York (7 August 1929). "DUCHESS INHERITS FORTUNE; Former Miss Goelet Receives $3,000,000 From Mother's Estate" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 28 November 2016.