Mary Goelet - Wikidata
American-British heiress (1878–1937)
www.wikidata.orgI currently don’t have live access to up-to-the-minute news sources in this chat. Here’s what I can share based on reliable background information about Mary Wilson Goelet, commonly known as May Goelet.
Core answer
- Mary Wilson Goelet (May Goelet) was a prominent American social figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was born Mary Rita Wilson on December 12, 1855, and died February 23, 1929. She married Ogden Goelet and had notable prominence in New York and Newport society.[1]
Biographical context
- May Goelet came from the Wilson family, often described as “the marrying Wilsons,” and her family rose to wealth and social standing in New York City in the late 19th century.[1]
- She and her husband owned and operated properties such as Ochre Court in Newport, Rhode Island, which is a major part of the Goelet legacy; Ochre Court was completed in the 1890s and later donated to a Catholic institution for Salve Regina College after the family’s involvement there.[2][3][7]
- May’s husband, Ogden Goelet, died in 1897 aboard his yacht, and she continued to manage the family affairs and estates, including the Goelet holdings in New York and Newport.[1]
Notable related figures
- Mary’s son and other relatives continued the family’s social and philanthropic footprint, including connections to Newport and New York real estate and charitable institutions.[3][2]
- The family’s prominence extended into the mid-20th century with continued public interest in their properties and legacy (e.g., Ochre Court’s later use by Salve Regina College).[3]
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