American philanthropist and wife of George Washington Vanderbilt II and Peter Goelet Gerry. Edith was born on January 17, 1873, in Manhattan to Major George Warren Dresser and Susan Fish Le Roy. She was the great-niece of Hamilton Fish, a U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and New York Governor. Through the Fish family, she was a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the last governor of Dutch colonial New York through Hamilton Fish's mother, Elizabeth Stuyvesant, Peter Stuyvesant's great-great-granddaughter. She was orphaned at the age of 10 and was raised by her maternal grandmother. On June 1, 1898, she married George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914), the owner of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Together, they had one daughter Cornelia.
Edith was a compassionate person; many said that one would not have known she was the mistress of the Biltmore Estate. She was very involved with the families who worked on the Biltmore Estate, as well as the surrounding community. Edith and her husband, George Vanderbilt, were socially progressive thinkers who played pivotal roles in the improvement of the lives of many people in western North Carolina. Some of her initiatives included sponsoring literacy and educational programs, and promoting crafts through which women might support themselves. On the estate, she took maternity baskets to women who had just given birth to make sure they had everything they needed. Edith also took her daughter Cornelia's old clothing to families with girls who were about the same age. After her husband's death in March 1914, she continued her work for the community. She became the first woman president of the State Agricultural Society. With this title, Edith helped build a new hospital, among numerous other deeds. Later, she decided to honor George Vanderbilt, her husband, by selling 87,000 acres to create the Pisgah National Forest for the public to enjoy.
On October 22, 1925 she married Peter Goelet Gerry (1879–1957), a United States senator from Rhode Island, in London. Gerry had previously been married to Mathilde Scott Townsend (1885–1949), until their divorce in 1925, and was the son of Elbridge Thomas Gerry and Louisa Matilda Livingston, and the great grandson of Elbridge Gerry, the fifth Vice President of the United States.
Edith died on December 21, 1958 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Edith was a compassionate person; many said that one would not have known she was the mistress of the Biltmore Estate. She was very involved with the families who worked on the Biltmore Estate, as well as the surrounding community. Edith and her husband, George Vanderbilt, were socially progressive thinkers who played pivotal roles in the improvement of the lives of many people in western North Carolina. Some of her initiatives included sponsoring literacy and educational programs, and promoting crafts through which women might support themselves. On the estate, she took maternity baskets to women who had just given birth to make sure they had everything they needed. Edith also took her daughter Cornelia's old clothing to families with girls who were about the same age. After her husband's death in March 1914, she continued her work for the community. She became the first woman president of the State Agricultural Society. With this title, Edith helped build a new hospital, among numerous other deeds. Later, she decided to honor George Vanderbilt, her husband, by selling 87,000 acres to create the Pisgah National Forest for the public to enjoy.
On October 22, 1925 she married Peter Goelet Gerry (1879–1957), a United States senator from Rhode Island, in London. Gerry had previously been married to Mathilde Scott Townsend (1885–1949), until their divorce in 1925, and was the son of Elbridge Thomas Gerry and Louisa Matilda Livingston, and the great grandson of Elbridge Gerry, the fifth Vice President of the United States.
Edith died on December 21, 1958 in Providence, Rhode Island.
American philanthropist and wife of George Washington Vanderbilt II and Peter Goelet Gerry. Edith was born on January 17, 1873, in Manhattan to Major George Warren Dresser and Susan Fish Le Roy. She was the great-niece of Hamilton Fish, a U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and New York Governor. Through the Fish family, she was a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the last governor of Dutch colonial New York through Hamilton Fish's mother, Elizabeth Stuyvesant, Peter Stuyvesant's great-great-granddaughter. She was orphaned at the age of 10 and was raised by her maternal grandmother. On June 1, 1898, she married George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914), the owner of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Together, they had one daughter Cornelia.
Edith was a compassionate person; many said that one would not have known she was the mistress of the Biltmore Estate. She was very involved with the families who worked on the Biltmore Estate, as well as the surrounding community. Edith and her husband, George Vanderbilt, were socially progressive thinkers who played pivotal roles in the improvement of the lives of many people in western North Carolina. Some of her initiatives included sponsoring literacy and educational programs, and promoting crafts through which women might support themselves. On the estate, she took maternity baskets to women who had just given birth to make sure they had everything they needed. Edith also took her daughter Cornelia's old clothing to families with girls who were about the same age. After her husband's death in March 1914, she continued her work for the community. She became the first woman president of the State Agricultural Society. With this title, Edith helped build a new hospital, among numerous other deeds. Later, she decided to honor George Vanderbilt, her husband, by selling 87,000 acres to create the Pisgah National Forest for the public to enjoy.
On October 22, 1925 she married Peter Goelet Gerry (1879–1957), a United States senator from Rhode Island, in London. Gerry had previously been married to Mathilde Scott Townsend (1885–1949), until their divorce in 1925, and was the son of Elbridge Thomas Gerry and Louisa Matilda Livingston, and the great grandson of Elbridge Gerry, the fifth Vice President of the United States.
Edith died on December 21, 1958 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Edith was a compassionate person; many said that one would not have known she was the mistress of the Biltmore Estate. She was very involved with the families who worked on the Biltmore Estate, as well as the surrounding community. Edith and her husband, George Vanderbilt, were socially progressive thinkers who played pivotal roles in the improvement of the lives of many people in western North Carolina. Some of her initiatives included sponsoring literacy and educational programs, and promoting crafts through which women might support themselves. On the estate, she took maternity baskets to women who had just given birth to make sure they had everything they needed. Edith also took her daughter Cornelia's old clothing to families with girls who were about the same age. After her husband's death in March 1914, she continued her work for the community. She became the first woman president of the State Agricultural Society. With this title, Edith helped build a new hospital, among numerous other deeds. Later, she decided to honor George Vanderbilt, her husband, by selling 87,000 acres to create the Pisgah National Forest for the public to enjoy.
On October 22, 1925 she married Peter Goelet Gerry (1879–1957), a United States senator from Rhode Island, in London. Gerry had previously been married to Mathilde Scott Townsend (1885–1949), until their divorce in 1925, and was the son of Elbridge Thomas Gerry and Louisa Matilda Livingston, and the great grandson of Elbridge Gerry, the fifth Vice President of the United States.
Edith died on December 21, 1958 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Gravesite Details
Note: Remains removed from Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, Rhode Island on May 4, 1959 to Lake Delaware Cemetery in New York.
