Marjorie Merriweather Post
| Marjorie Merriweather Post | |
|---|---|
Post in 1942
|
|
| Born |
March 15, 1887 Springfield, Illinois |
| Died | September 12, 1973 (aged 86) |
| Alma mater | Mount Vernon College for Women |
| Occupation | Postum Cereal Company, General Foods owner; philanthropist, socialite |
| Net worth | USD $5 billion (2008 dollars) |
| Spouse(s) |
Edward Bennett Close (m. 1905; div. 1919) Edward Francis Hutton (m. 1920; div. 1935) Joseph E. Davies (m. 1935; div. 1955) Herbert A. May (m. 1958; div. 1964) |
| Children | Adelaide Close Eleanor Post Hutton Dina Merrill |
| Parent(s) |
Charles William "C. W." Post Ella Letitia Merriweather |
| Relatives | Barbara Hutton (niece) |
| Awards | Legion of Honor |
Marjorie Merriweather Post (March 15, 1887 – September 12, 1973 in Springfield, Illinois) was a leading American socialite and the owner of General Foods, Inc.
She was the daughter of C. W. Post and Ella Letitia Merriweather. At age 27, when her father died, she became the owner of the rapidly growing Postum Cereal Company, founded in 1895. She was subsequently the wealthiest woman in the United States, with a fortune worth about US $250 million.
She attended the Mount Vernon College for Women (now the George Washington University's Mount Vernon Campus). Post maintained a close lifelong relationship with her alma mater and served as the first alumna trustee of Mount Vernon Seminary and College. Today, a collection of her papers, including correspondence, photographs, invitations, and memorabilia, is maintained by GWU's Special Collections Research Center.
In addition to Hillwood and other estates, Marjorie Merriweather Post's other lavish home was Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Designed by Marion Sims Wyeth and Joseph Urban, Mar-a-Lago was willed in 1973 to the U.S. Government as a retreat for Presidents and visiting foreign dignitaries. The mansion was not, however, used for this purpose, prior to being declared a National Historic Landmark in 1980. It was purchased by businessman (later president) Donald Trump in 1985.
Post and her second husband, E. F. Hutton, owned Sea Cloud (Hussar V), the largest privately owned sea-going yacht in the world at the time. Post also owned Camp Topridge on Upper St. Regis Lake in the Adirondacks, which she considered a "rustic retreat". It included a fully staffed main lodge and private guest cabins, each staffed with its own butler. The expansive Great Camp, built in 1923 by Ben Muncil, eventually contained nearly 70 buildings, as well as a Russian dacha, on 300 acres. It was one of only two Adirondack camps to be featured in LIFE magazine. Another home, which she shared with Joseph Davies in Washington, DC, was called Tregaron.
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