Theresa Fair Oelrichs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Theresa Fair Oelrichs
Oelrichs (seated) with her son standing on left, c. 1910
Born	Theresa Alice Fair June 30, 1871 Virginia City, Nevada, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1926(1926-11-22) (aged 55) Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Hermann Oelrichs ​ ​ (m. 1890; his death 1906)​
Children	Hermann Oelrichs, Jr.
Parent(s)	James Graham Fair Theresa Rooney
Relatives	Virginia Fair Vanderbilt (sister)

Theresa Alice "Tessie" Fair (June 30, 1871 – November 22, 1926) was a famous American socialite. She started as the daughter of a miner in California. Later, she became very rich from gold and silver mines. She married Hermann Oelrichs, who owned many steamships. Tessie also owned the beautiful Rosecliff estate in Newport, Rhode Island. She was a key member of the most important social group in America.

Tessie's Early Life

Tessie was born on June 30, 1871. Her birthplace was Virginia City, Nevada. Her father, James Graham Fair, was born in Ireland. He moved to the United States when he was twelve.

He worked in mines in California. In 1860, he moved to Nevada. There, he met Theresa Rooney, an innkeeper's daughter. They got married in 1861. Tessie grew up in mining camps. She was the oldest of four children. Her siblings were Virginia (nicknamed "Birdie"), Charles, and James Jr.

The Big Bonanza Discovery

In 1873, Tessie's father and three friends found something amazing. They discovered the "Big Bonanza" in Virginia City. This was the largest gold and silver deposit ever found. Over $100 million worth of gold was taken from this mine. That would be more than $2.5 billion today!

Mr. Fair used his share of the money wisely. He invested in railroads and real estate. This made him a huge fortune of $50 million. His new wealth changed his life. In 1883, Tessie's mother filed for divorce. She gained custody of Tessie and Virginia.

Tessie's Personal Life

In 1889, Tessie met Hermann Oelrichs in Newport. He was a very rich man who owned many steamships. They got married on June 3, 1890. Their wedding in San Francisco was very grand. Tessie's father gave her one million dollars as a gift.

Tessie moved to the East Coast for good. She joined the top social groups in New York, Newport, and Europe. Tessie had one child:

• Hermann Oelrichs, Jr. (1891–1948). He married Dorothy Haydel in 1925.

In New York, Hermann and Tessie lived in a big house. It was located at 1 East 57th Street. Later, Tessie lived at 1 East 72nd Street.

Challenges and Loss

Tessie seemed like a happy wife in public. But privately, she and Hermann were not close. In 1906, a huge earthquake hit San Francisco. When she heard Hermann survived, she hoped they could fix things. Hermann came back east. Tessie planned a special dinner for them.

But Hermann did not come to the dinner. Tessie was very angry. They never made up. Hermann later died from a heart attack. He left all his money to his brother. He thought Tessie had enough money of her own. But Tessie fought against his will. They eventually settled the dispute. She received half of his estate.

Tessie Oelrichs died in Newport on November 22, 1926. Her funeral was held at her beautiful home, Rosecliff. She was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City. Her son inherited most of her money. He later sold her grand home in 1941. Today, Rosecliff is open for everyone to visit.

Tessie's Society Life

Tessie's friends, Alva Vanderbilt and Grace Vanderbilt, had huge mansions in Newport. The rich people called these homes "summer cottages." Tessie wanted her own grand estate. She hired architect Stanford White to redesign her home. This home was called Rosecliff.

Building Rosecliff

Work on Rosecliff began in 1899. Tessie bought the property from George Bancroft's estate. Rosecliff was designed to look like the Grand Trianon. This famous building is at Versailles in France. Rosecliff was finished in 1902. It cost $2.5 million to build.

In 1899, Tessie helped her family gain more social power. She arranged for her younger sister, Birdie, to marry William K. Vanderbilt II. He was the son of Alva and William K. Vanderbilt. His sister was Consuelo Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Marlborough. This wedding was a huge event. It was covered in all the society newspapers.

The Triumvirate of Society

After Caroline Schermerhorn Astor retired, Tessie became a top leader in American society. She was part of a group called the "Triumvirate." This group included Tessie, Mamie Fish, and Alva Belmont. Alva was known for her fancy parties. Mamie threw fun and wild parties.

Tessie was known as the "drill sergeant" of the group. She made sure everyone followed the rules of polite society. Hermann's niece, Blanche, once said Tessie was "strongly addicted to Society as business." This shows how serious Tessie was about her role in high society.

Images for kids

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  Rosecliff's dining room in the Louis XVI style, 1905.

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  Rosecliff's staircase, 1905.

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  Rosecliff's rear steps.