Ruth Vanderbilt Twombly
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Ruth Vanderbilt Twombly | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1885 New York City, United States |
| Died | September 1, 1954 (aged 69) Hôtel Ritz, Paris, France |
| Parents | |
Ruth Vanderbilt Twombly (April 15, 1885 – September 1, 1954) was an American philanthropist, tennis coach, socialite,[1] and heiress to the Vanderbilt family fortune.
In 1931, she was the Chairman of the Peacock Ball,[2][3] later called "the greatest charity event ever held."[2]
Twombly was born in New York, New York, on April 15, 1885. Her parents were Florence Adele Vanderbilt, an American socialite and heiress, and Hamilton McKown Twombly, an American businessman.[4] Her great-grandfather was Cornelius Vanderbilt, railroad magnate.[5][6]
Some time during the Gilded Age, Twombly and her mother commissioned American architect Whitney Warren to design a playhouse for their estate. It included a pool and "a scenic landscape by Chanler that featured a broad assortment of bird life, including turkeys, peacocks, flamingos and cranes."[7]
In 1908, Twombly was a bridesmaid during a "notable international marriage event" of Gladys Vanderbilt and Count László Széchenyi of Hungary. Széchenyi was chamberlain to the Austrian emperor.[8] The ceremony, led by St. Patrick's Cathedral Monsignor Michael J. Lavelle, took place at the Cornelius Vanderbilt II House at 1 West 57th Street, New York.[8]
In 1918, she attended the Easter parade on 5th Avenue, and Issues and Events magazine reported on her outfit.[9]
In 1923, fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar described Twombly as wearing a "deep, rose-colored satin" outfit to the Met Opera in a fashion article.[10]
In 1928, her address is included in Dau's New York Social Blue Book, a listing of prominent family's addresses.[11]