Ava Lowle Willing
Encyclopedia
Ava Lowle Willing, Lady Ribblesdale (née
Willing previously Astor) (September 15, 1868 – June 9, 1958) was an American
socialite
and the first wife of John Jacob Astor IV
.
, to Edward Shippen Willing (1822-1906) and his wife, the former Alice Barton. She had two siblings, Susan Ridgway Willing (Mrs. Francis Cooper Lawrance, Jr.) and John Rhea Barton Willing. She was a descendant of Edward Shippen
, the second mayor of Philadelphia and a chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
She married John Jacob Astor IV
in February 1891 in Philadelphia. The newlywed couple was given, among many lavish gifts, a furnished townhouse on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Though the marriage was tumultuous, the Astors had two children, William Vincent
(b. Nov 15, 1891) and Ava Alice Muriel
(b. February 1902). The latter child reportedly was the child of an affair Ava Astor had with a New York society figure surnamed Hatch.
On November 19, 1909, Ava Astor sued her husband for divorce and March 5, 1910 the State of New York decreed in her favor. Their son lived with his father before leaving to attend Harvard College
. Their daughter would be raised by her mother. In the second year of Vincent's education, John Jacob became one of the RMS Titanic casualties while returning from his honeymoon with his new bride, Madeleine Talmadge Force
. This event left young Vincent as one of the wealthiest men in the United States.
In 1911, Ava Astor and her daughter moved to England where she would become the second wife of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
, in 1919. Lord Ribblesdale died on October 21, 1925. Ava had no children from her second marriage, and she did not remarry. Though she reclaimed her American citizenship after returning to the United States and announced to the press that she would be known as Mrs. Ribblesdale, she nonetheless continued to be known by her former title.
Lady Ribblesdale died on June 9, 1958 in New York City. She left a token bequest to her son, Vincent, but the bulk of her estate was left to her daughter's four children: Prince Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky
, Princess Sylvia Obolensky, Romana von Hofmannsthal, and Emily Harding.
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Willing previously Astor) (September 15, 1868 – June 9, 1958) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
and the first wife of John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV was an American businessman, real estate builder, investor, inventor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War and a member of the prominent Astor family...
.
Biography
Ava Lowle Willing was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, to Edward Shippen Willing (1822-1906) and his wife, the former Alice Barton. She had two siblings, Susan Ridgway Willing (Mrs. Francis Cooper Lawrance, Jr.) and John Rhea Barton Willing. She was a descendant of Edward Shippen
Edward Shippen
Edward Shippen was the second mayor of Philadelphia. He was appointed to a one year term by William Penn in 1701. In 1702, he was elected to a second one year term, making him the first elected mayor of Philadelphia...
, the second mayor of Philadelphia and a chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
She married John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV was an American businessman, real estate builder, investor, inventor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War and a member of the prominent Astor family...
in February 1891 in Philadelphia. The newlywed couple was given, among many lavish gifts, a furnished townhouse on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Though the marriage was tumultuous, the Astors had two children, William Vincent
Vincent Astor
William Vincent Astor was a businessman and philanthropist and a member of the prominent Astor family.-Early life:...
(b. Nov 15, 1891) and Ava Alice Muriel
Ava Alice Muriel Astor
Ava Alice Muriel Astor was the daughter of John Jacob Astor IV and Ava Lowle Willing and sister of Vincent Astor.-Early life:...
(b. February 1902). The latter child reportedly was the child of an affair Ava Astor had with a New York society figure surnamed Hatch.
On November 19, 1909, Ava Astor sued her husband for divorce and March 5, 1910 the State of New York decreed in her favor. Their son lived with his father before leaving to attend Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
. Their daughter would be raised by her mother. In the second year of Vincent's education, John Jacob became one of the RMS Titanic casualties while returning from his honeymoon with his new bride, Madeleine Talmadge Force
Madeleine Astor
Madeleine Astor Dick was the second wife and widow of millionaire John Jacob Astor IV and a survivor of RMS Titanic.-Early life:...
. This event left young Vincent as one of the wealthiest men in the United States.
In 1911, Ava Astor and her daughter moved to England where she would become the second wife of Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale , was a British Liberal politician.-Background:Born in Fontainebleau, France, Ribblesdale was the eldest son of Thomas Lister, 3rd Baron Ribblesdale, and his wife Emma daughter of William Mure, and succeeded his father in the barony in 1876.-Political...
, in 1919. Lord Ribblesdale died on October 21, 1925. Ava had no children from her second marriage, and she did not remarry. Though she reclaimed her American citizenship after returning to the United States and announced to the press that she would be known as Mrs. Ribblesdale, she nonetheless continued to be known by her former title.
Lady Ribblesdale died on June 9, 1958 in New York City. She left a token bequest to her son, Vincent, but the bulk of her estate was left to her daughter's four children: Prince Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky
Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky
Ivan Sergeievich 6th Prince Obolensky-Neledinsky-Meletzky is a Russian American New York City-based financial analyst and corporate officer. He served in the United States Navy and worked as a publisher.-Early life:...
, Princess Sylvia Obolensky, Romana von Hofmannsthal, and Emily Harding.