Edward Beale McLean

Edward B. McLean
Edward & Evalyn McLean, 1912.
Born	1889 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	July 28, 1941 (aged 51–52) Towson, Maryland, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Residence	Friendship Estate
Known for	Owner of Washington Post and the Hope Diamond
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Evalyn Walsh (m. 1908–32)
Children	Vinson Walsh McLean John Roll McLean II Edward Beale McLean Jr. Evalyn Washington McLean
Parent(s)	John Roll McLean & Emily Truxtun Beale

Edward Beale "Ned" McLean (1889 – July 28, 1941) was the publisher and owner of The Washington Post newspaper from 1916 until 1933. His wife Evalyn Walsh McLean was a prominent Washington socialite. McLean was also a thoroughbred racehorse owner, and purchaser of the Hope Diamond, which was traditionally believed to carry a curse. McLean was declared insane and died in a psychiatric hospital.

Edward McLean was born into a publishing fortune founded by his paternal grandfather Washington McLean, who owned The Washington Post and The Cincinnati Enquirer. He was the only child of John Roll McLean, for whom McLean, Virginia, is named, and the former Emily Truxtun Beale, the daughter of Edward F. Beale and the former Mary Edwards. Emily was a hostess and socialite who was the inspiration for the character Victoria Dare in the 1880 comic novel, Democracy: An American Novel by Henry Brooks Adams. He attended Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School.

In 1916, Edward inherited the Washington Post, which he owned and published until 1933. The McLeans lived lavishly and had a large part in Washington society.

In 1915, Edward McLean acquired Belmont Plantation and built a horse stable and training track for Thoroughbreds. Involved with show horses for a number of years, in 1917 Edward McLean purchased thirty-two racehorses and hired trainer H. Eugene Leigh. Among his notable runners, Toro won the 1928 American Derby, ran third in the Kentucky Derby, and second in the Preakness Stakes.