Clara Longworth de Chambrun
Encyclopedia
Clara Eleanor Longworth de Chambrun, Comtesse de Chambrun (October 18, 1873 – June 1, 1954) was an American
patron of the arts and scholar of Shakespeare.
to Nicholas Longworth and Susan Walker, Clara belonged to a wealthy family that was involved in Ohio
politics. Her father was an Ohio State Supreme Court judge, and her brother (also named Nicholas Longworth
) was a congressman from Ohio for three decades, eventually becoming Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
from 1925 to 1931.
Her brother Nicholas married Alice Roosevelt
, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt
in 1906. Clara was reputed to dislike Alice. Clara was friends with Josephine Crane, the second wife of Winthrop M. Crane
, governor of Massachusetts
.
December 12, 1895.
She married Count Aldebert de Chambrun, later General de Chambrun, a direct descendant of the Marquis de Lafayette on February 19, 1901 in Cincinnati. She bore him two children, Suzanne Eleanore, born 1902 and René
, born 1906-died 2002. He was the French Military attaché in Washington, D. C. at one time, before serving as an artillery officer in World War I. He is reputed to have written his wife about the pleasure he had in shelling his own château, near St. Mihiel, with artillery as part of a six-week siege because it was occupied by German forces. http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F70613FB3F5C15738DDDA90B94D8415B848DF1D3
In 1921, Suzanne died of heart disease in Paris
. http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=FA0E1EFB3A5A1B7A93CBA81789D95F458285F9 That same year, at the age of 48, Clara earned a doctorate from the Sorbonne
and five years later she received the Bordin Prize of the Académie française
for a book on Shakespeare which she wrote in French
. She was one of the founding members of the American Library in Paris
, and served as a trustee from 1921 through 1924. This was followed in 1928 by her election as a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
In 1935 her son René married Josée Marie Laval, daughter of Pierre Laval
, who was then serving as Premier of France. Through such connections as this, the Countess was able to keep the American Library open past France's declaration of war in September 1939, organised an administrative set-up which made it possible to keep it independent after the US entered the war. She acted as its director until the fall of 1944 when her ties to Laval became a liability.
Before she died however thanks were given her for he action
In the fall of 1935, the countess rented her apartment at 58 rue de Vaugirard, at the corner of the Luxembourg Gardens to the young poet Elizabeth Bishop
, where Bishop wrote "Cirque d'Hiver", her first poem to be published in The New Yorker
, and "Paris, 7 AM".
into French
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
patron of the arts and scholar of Shakespeare.
Life
Born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
to Nicholas Longworth and Susan Walker, Clara belonged to a wealthy family that was involved in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
politics. Her father was an Ohio State Supreme Court judge, and her brother (also named Nicholas Longworth
Nicholas Longworth
Nicholas Longworth IV was a prominent American politician in the Republican Party during the first few decades of the 20th century...
) was a congressman from Ohio for three decades, eventually becoming Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
from 1925 to 1931.
Her brother Nicholas married Alice Roosevelt
Alice Roosevelt Longworth
Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth was the oldest child of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. She was the only child of Roosevelt and his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee....
, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
in 1906. Clara was reputed to dislike Alice. Clara was friends with Josephine Crane, the second wife of Winthrop M. Crane
Winthrop M. Crane
Winthrop Murray Crane was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 40th Governor of Massachusetts between 1900 and 1903. He also served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1904 until 1913...
, governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
.
Family
She was attendant at her cousin Margaret Reeves Nichols's marriage to the Marquis Charles de Chambrun, Charles de Chambrun (1875-1952)Charles de Chambrun (1875-1952)
Charles Pineton de Chambrun was a French diplomat and writer.-Life:He was the son of a judicial counsellor to the French ambassador to the United States...
December 12, 1895.
She married Count Aldebert de Chambrun, later General de Chambrun, a direct descendant of the Marquis de Lafayette on February 19, 1901 in Cincinnati. She bore him two children, Suzanne Eleanore, born 1902 and René
René de Chambrun
René de Chambrun , was a lawyer at the Court of Appeals of Paris and of the New York State Bar Association and a descendant of Lafayette, as well as a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, and honorary president of the Sons of the American Revolution in France...
, born 1906-died 2002. He was the French Military attaché in Washington, D. C. at one time, before serving as an artillery officer in World War I. He is reputed to have written his wife about the pleasure he had in shelling his own château, near St. Mihiel, with artillery as part of a six-week siege because it was occupied by German forces. http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F70613FB3F5C15738DDDA90B94D8415B848DF1D3
In 1921, Suzanne died of heart disease in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=FA0E1EFB3A5A1B7A93CBA81789D95F458285F9 That same year, at the age of 48, Clara earned a doctorate from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and five years later she received the Bordin Prize of the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
for a book on Shakespeare which she wrote in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. She was one of the founding members of the American Library in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and served as a trustee from 1921 through 1924. This was followed in 1928 by her election as a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
In 1935 her son René married Josée Marie Laval, daughter of Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval was a French politician. He was four times President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France's Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government, signing orders permitting the deportation of...
, who was then serving as Premier of France. Through such connections as this, the Countess was able to keep the American Library open past France's declaration of war in September 1939, organised an administrative set-up which made it possible to keep it independent after the US entered the war. She acted as its director until the fall of 1944 when her ties to Laval became a liability.
Before she died however thanks were given her for he action
In the fall of 1935, the countess rented her apartment at 58 rue de Vaugirard, at the corner of the Luxembourg Gardens to the young poet Elizabeth Bishop
Elizabeth Bishop
Elizabeth Bishop was an American poet and short-story writer. She was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 1949 to 1950, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1956 and a National Book Award Winner for Poetry in 1970. Elizabeth Bishop House is an artists' retreat in Great Village, Nova Scotia...
, where Bishop wrote "Cirque d'Hiver", her first poem to be published in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, and "Paris, 7 AM".
Works
She translated HamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
- Playing with souls: A novel, 1922
- Shakespeare, actor-poet: As seen by his associates, explained by himself and remembered by the succeeding generation, 1927
- His wife's Romance, 1929
- Two loves I Have: the romance of William Shakespeare, (Philadelphia, London, J.B. Lippincott Co., 1934)
- Cincinnati: Story of the Queen City, (New York, London: Scribner, 1939)
External links
- http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/maack/BetweenTwoWorlds.doc Between Two Worlds: The American Library in Paris