Cornelia, Countess of Craven facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Countess of Craven
The Countess of Craven, 1900
Born	Cornelia Martin (1877-09-22)22 September 1877 New York City, New York
Died	24 May 1961(1961-05-24) (aged 84) Newbury, Berkshire, England
Spouse(s)	William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven ​ ​ (m. 1893; his death 1921)​
Children	William Craven, 5th Earl of Craven
Parent(s)	Bradley Martin Cornelia Sherman Martin
Relatives	Frederick Townsend Martin (uncle) William Craven, 6th Earl of Craven (grandson)

Cornelia Craven, Countess of Craven (born Cornelia Martin; 22 September 1877 – 24 May 1961) was an American heiress. She married into a noble British family. People often called her a "Dollar Princess." This was a nickname for wealthy American women who married European aristocrats. Cornelia was also known for collecting art.

Early Life of Cornelia Martin

Cornelia Martin was born in New York City on 22 September 1877. She was the only daughter of Bradley Martin and Cornelia Sherman Martin. Her parents were very ambitious in society. Cornelia had two brothers. One of them, Bradley Martin Jr., became a bank president.

The Bradley-Martin Ball

In 1897, Cornelia's mother hosted a famous costume party. It was called the Bradley-Martin Ball. This event took place at the Waldorf Hotel. Her mother hoped the party would help the economy during a tough time. However, many people criticized it for being too extravagant. Today, it is remembered as one of the most lavish events of the Gilded Age. This was a time in American history when some people had huge amounts of wealth.

Cornelia's Family Background

Cornelia's grandparents were Henry Hull Martin and Anna Townsend Martin. Her uncle was Frederick Townsend Martin. Cornelia's mother was the only child of Isaac Sherman. He was a rich, retired merchant from Buffalo and New York. Isaac Sherman was also a close friend of Abraham Lincoln.

Cornelia's Personal Life

Lady Craven's husband, William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven, in his coronation robe in 1902

Cornelia met William Craven, 4th Earl of Craven, while her family was renting an estate in Scotland. Lord Craven was a British nobleman. He became the Earl of Craven in 1883 when he was only fourteen. William was the oldest son of the previous Earl, George Craven.

Marriage to an Earl

Cornelia was sixteen years old when she met William. He was twenty-four. They married on 18 April 1893 in New York City. This marriage was a big deal. Cornelia received a large annual allowance. The Earl also gained property in London. The marriage also paid for major repairs and updates to his family home, Coombe Abbey. This included a new roof and the first electric lights.

Cornelia and William had one son:

• William George Bradley Craven, 5th Earl of Craven (1897–1932). He married Mary Williamina George in 1916.

Tragedy and Later Years

On 10 July 1921, Lord Craven was racing his boat. He accidentally fell overboard and drowned. He was 52 years old. His body was found two days later.

After her husband's death, Cornelia sold Coombe Abbey in 1923. She then moved to another family estate called Hamstead Lodge. At Hamstead Lodge, Cornelia often hosted Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein. Princess Marie-Louise was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She had divorced her husband in 1900 and never remarried.

Cornelia's only son, the 5th Earl, died in 1932. Her grandson, William Craven, 6th Earl of Craven, then inherited the family titles.

Cornelia's Legacy

In 1956, Cornelia donated Ashdown House, Oxfordshire to the National Trust. The National Trust is an organization that protects historic places. Ashdown House had been used by the British Army during World War II.

Cornelia, the Dowager Countess of Craven, passed away on May 24, 1961. She died at her home in Newbury, Berkshire. After her death, she gave a famous painting to the National Portrait Gallery. The painting was Prince Charles Louis, Count Palatine by Anthony van Dyck.

Cornelia in Popular Culture

Between 1910 and 1914, Cornelia was photographed by H. Walter Barnett. This photograph is now kept at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

From 2014 to 2015, the National Portrait Gallery in London held an exhibition. Cornelia was featured in this exhibition. It showcased famous American heiresses who married into British noble families. Other women in the exhibition included:

• Jeanette ('Jennie') Churchill, Lady Randolph Churchill
• Mary Victoria, Lady Curzon of Kedleston
• Mary Carolyn Campbell ('May'), Lady Grey-Egerton
• Consuelo Montagu, Duchess of Manchester
• Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough
• Marguerite Hyde ('Daisy'), Countess of Suffolk

Gallery

Here are some important artworks once owned by the Countess of Craven:

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  Portrait of a Lady of the Court as a Shepherdess, by Gerard van Honthorst and workshop, c. 1628.

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  Prince Charles Louis, Count Palatine, by Anthony van Dyck, c. 1637.

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  Buronet Helmet and Reinforce for a Field Breastplate of Emperor Maximilian II, c. 1549.

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  View of the Grand Canal: Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana from Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo, by Bernardo Bellotto, c. 1743.

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  Martin Luther and the Wittenberg Reformers by Lucas Cranach the Younger, c. 1543.