Susan Ridgway Willing

Susan Ridgway Willing Lawrance
Born	Susan Ridgway Willing (1865-08-02)August 2, 1865 Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	May 2, 1933(1933-05-02) (aged 67) Paris, France
Spouse	Francis Cooper Lawrance Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1899; died 1904)​
Children	Frances Alice Willing Lawrance, Princess Poniatowski
Relatives	John Rhea Barton Willing (brother) Ava Lowle Willing (sister) Vincent Astor (nephew) Ava Alice Muriel Astor (niece) John Rhea Barton (grandfather) Charles Lanier Lawrance (stepson)

Susan Ridgway Willing Lawrance (August 2, 1865 – May 2, 1933) was an American socialite who was prominent in New York society during the Gilded Age.

Early life

Willing was born on August 2, 1865, in Newport, Rhode Island. She was the eldest child of Edward Shippen Willing (1822–1906) and Alice Caroline (née Barton) Willing (1833–1903).^[1] Her siblings included^[2] John Rhea Barton Willing, who did not marry,^[3] and Ava Lowle Willing, who was married to John Jacob Astor IV until their divorce in 1910,^[4] and, thereafter, to Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale.^[5][6]

Her maternal grandfather was the wealthy Dr. John Rhea Barton, an orthopedic surgeon best remembered for describing Barton's fracture.^[7][8] Her maternal grandmother, Ann Fries (née Frazer) Barton, died in 1837 and his grandfather remarried to Willing's namesake, heiress Susanna Ridgway Rotch, the daughter of merchant Jacob Ridgway.^[9] Her grand-uncle, Dr. William P.C. Barton, was also a renowned doctor and surgeon.^[9] Willing's father, the son of Richard Willing, was the paternal grandson of Thomas Willing, who served as Mayor of Philadelphia and the first president of First Bank of the United States, and the great-grandson of Charles Willing, also a Mayor of Philadelphia.^[9]

Society life

In 1892, Willing, along with her brother Barton and sister Ava, was included in Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred", purported to be an index of New York's best families, published in The New York Times.^[10] Willing and her siblings inherited the approximately $1,000,000 estate left by her father upon his death in 1906.^[11] Upon her unmarried brother's death in 1913, Susan and her sister Ava inherited the bulk of his estate.^[12][13][14]

Personal life

Susan's grandson, Prince Marie-André Poniatowski (1921–1945)

On November 3, 1899, Willing was married to Francis Cooper Lawrance Jr. (1858–1904) at Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island.^[15][16] At the wedding, Susan was walked down the aisle by her father while the St. Cecilia Quartet sang the bridal chorus from Lohengrin; Winthrop Rutherfurd was the best man.^[16][17] Lawrance, a Yale graduate and lawyer, was the widower of Sarah Eggleston Lanier (a daughter of Charles D. Lanier) and the father of Charles Lanier Lawrance (1882–1950)^[18] and Kitty Lanier Lawrance (1893-1936).^[19] Francis' sister, Frances Margaret Lawrance, was married to George Venables-Vernon, 7th Baron Vernon.^[20] Following their marriage, they bought a large home in Newport. Just five years after their marriage, forty-six year old Francis died in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France on March 18, 1904.^[21] Before his death, they were the parents of:

• Frances Alice Willing Lawrance (1901–1989), who married Prince Andrzej "Andre" Poniatowski (1899–1977) of the House of Poniatowski in 1919.^[22][23] His father was Prince André Poniatowski (himself a son of Prince Stanisław August Poniatowski) and his mother was the former Elizabeth Sperry, a Stockton flour mill heiress.^[24]

After her husband's death, she moved to Paris with her daughter and her step-children were looked after by their paternal grandfather.^[22]

Susan, who lived at 23 rue Octave-Feuillet in Paris, died on May 2, 1933, in Paris, France. She was buried at the American Cathedral in Paris. In her will, she left her estate to her daughter and grandson.^[25] Her daughter received all of her jewelry, personal effects, a life estate in a trust of $250,000, a remainder interest in a $40,000 trust and the residuary estate.^[25]

Descendants

Through her daughter Frances, she was the grandmother of Marie-André Poniatowski (1921–1945), a soldier who died during the World War II.^[25][26]

Through her stepson Charles, she was the step-grandmother of Emily Lawrance (1911–2004),^[27] who married author Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Jr.,^[28] and Francis Cooper Lawrance (1916–2004).^[29] In 1915, her stepdaughter Kitty married W. Averell Harriman, who later became the Governor of New York. They divorced in 1928 after having two children together.^[30]

References

1. Klein, Randolph Shipley (1975). Portrait of an Early American Family: The Shippens of Pennsylvania Across Five Generations. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812277005. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
2. Browning, Charles Henry (1891). Americans of Royal Descent: A Collection of Genealogies of American Families Whose Lineage is Traced to the Legitimate Issue of Kings. Porter & Costes. p. 86. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
3. "J.R. BARTON WILLING DEAD. Brother of Mrs. John Astor Succumbs to Diphtheria at 48" (PDF). The New York Times. September 3, 1913. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
4. "Would Probably Share $100,000,000 Estate with Stepmother in Event of His Father's Death". The New York Times. April 17, 1912. Retrieved 2008-08-11. Mrs. Ava Willing Astor, obtained her divorce from John Jacob Astor, in November, 1909
5. "Lady Ribblesdale Dead. First Wife of John Jacob Astor IV. Mother of Vincent Astor". The New York Times. June 11, 1958. Retrieved 2008-08-11. Ava Willing Ribblesdale, she took up residence here. She continued to be listed in the telephone directory as Lady Ribblesdale.....
6. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP), Frank Willing Leach, Genealogies of Old Philadelphia Families Published in the Sunday North American, vol. 1, p. 133.
7. Kelly, Howard A.; Burrage, Walter L. (eds.). "Barton, John Rhea" . American Medical Biographies . Baltimore: The Norman, Remington Company.
8. Barton JR. Views and treatment of an important injury of the wrist. Medical Examiner, Philadelphia, 1838; 1: 365-368
9. VanSant, Kimber (May 4, 2009). "Dr. John Rhea Barton Residence | 512 South Broad Street" (PDF). vansant.us. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
10. McAllister, Ward (16 February 1892). "THE ONLY FOUR HUNDRED | WARD M'ALLISTER GIVES OUT THE OFFICIAL LIST. HERE ARE THE NAMES, DON'T YOU KNOW, ON THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR GREAT LEADER, YOU UNDER- STAND, AND THEREFORE GENUINE, YOU SEE" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
11. "United States Investor". F.P.Bennett. May 5, 1906: 710. Retrieved 16 July 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
12. "VINCENT ASTOR INHERITS $1,500 J.R.B. Willing's Penciled, Undated, and Unwitnessed Will Probated" (PDF). The New York Times. October 18, 1913. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
13. New York Times Index for the Published News. New York Times Company. 1914. p. 29. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
14. "$1,500 NOT LEFT TO ASTOR. Uncle Wrote "Mr. and Mrs. Vincent," Not "My Nephew Vincent."" (PDF). The New York Times. October 19, 1913. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
15. "THE NEWS OF NEWPORT" (PDF). The New York Times. October 17, 1899. Retrieved 16 July 2018. NEWPORT, R.I., Oct. 16. — Mrs. Edward S. Willing entertained at dinner this evening in honor of her daughter, Miss Susan Willing, whose engagement to Frank C. Lawrance of New York was formally announced. The wedding will occur Nov. 2.
16. "F.C. LAWRENCE, JR., MARRIED. Bride Was Miss Susan Willing, a Sister of Mrs. J.J. Astor — Ceremony Performed at Newport" (PDF). The New York Times. November 3, 1899. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
17. Keen, Gregory Bernard (1913). The Descendants of Jöran Kyn of New Sweden. Swedish Colonial Society. p. 188. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
18. "C.L. LAWRANCE, 67, AN INVENTOR, DIES; Developed Wright Whirlwind Engine That Powered Noted Distance Plane Flights". The New York Times. June 25, 1950. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
19. Staff (July 3, 1915). "MISS LAWRANCE TO WED W. A. HARRIMAN Romance in Match of Late Railroad Magnate's Son and C. Lanier's Granddaughter. FIANCEE A SPORTS DEVOTEE Just Recovered from Injury Received While Horseback Riding with the Young Financier". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
20. Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,^{[page needed]}
21. "DEATH LIST OF A DAY. | Obituary Notes" (PDF). The New York Times. March 19, 1904. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
22. Staff (December 5, 1919). "Frances Lawrance Asks 160,000-Franc Allowance to Wed Prince Poniatowski" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
23. "MME. PONIATOWSKA SEEKS MORE INCOME Referee Recommends Additional $19,000 Grant from Francis Lawrence Fund. BRIDE OF FRENCH OFFICER His Means small and She Wishes to Open a House in Paris" (PDF). The New York Times. March 7, 1920. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
24. "MISS LAWRANCE WEDS PRINCE'S SON Daughter of Mrs. Francis C. Lawrance of New York Marries Andre Poniatowski. | CEREMONY HELD IN PARIS | Bride is Sister of Baroness Ribblesdale, Once the Wife of the late Colonel John Jacob Astor" (PDF). The New York Times. December 29, 1919. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
25. "MRS. BLODGETT LEFT $200,000 TO PUBLIC; Eight Religious and Charitable Institutions Receive Funds in Philanthropist's Will. $1,000,000 IN CASH GIFTS Distant Relatives Share Residue -- Mrs. Lawrance's Estate Goes to Daughter and Grandson" (PDF). The New York Times. June 4, 1933. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
26. "Historical Matters: A Parisian prince of Poland who'd never been there, but lived in Burlingame instead". The Mercury News. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
27. "FRELINGHUYSEN, EMILY LAWRANCE". The New York Times. December 26, 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
28. Bayot, Jennifer (January 13, 2005). "Joseph S. Frelinghuysen, Memoirist of Wartime Escape, Dies at 92". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-01. Joseph S. Frelinghuysen, whose memoir, "Passages to Freedom," chronicled his escape from a prison camp in Italy during World War II, died on Saturday in Morristown, N.J. He was 92 and lived in Far Hills, N.J. The cause was pneumonia, said his daughter Barbara F. Israel.
29. Staff (February 15, 1981). "Anne Dunn Bride Of F.C. Lawrance". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
30. "Mrs. W. Averell Harriman Dies; Former Governor's Wife Was 67". New York Times. September 27, 1970. Retrieved February 17, 2015.