Millicent Rogers
Encyclopedia
Mary Millicent Abigail Rogers (February 1, 1902 - January 1, 1953), better known as Millicent Rogers, was a socialite
, fashion icon, and art collector. She was the granddaughter of Standard Oil
tycoon Henry Huttleston Rogers, and an heiress to his wealth.
Rogers is notable for having been an early supporter and enthusiast of Southwestern
-style art and jewelry, and is often credited for its reaching a national and international audience. Later in life, she became an activist, and was among the first celebrities to champion the cause of Native American civil rights. She is still credited today as an influence on major fashion designers.
, Tuxedo Park
, and Southampton, New York
in New York
.
When Millicent contracted rheumatic fever
as a young child, doctors predicted she would not live past the age of 10. She suffered from poor health for the rest of her life, having multiple heart attacks, bouts with double pneumonia, and a mostly crippled left arm by the time she was 40 years old.
In the 1920s, as a young woman Rogers became well-known on the socialite scene, and photographs of her were often featured in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar
. Newspaper gossip columns, such as the one in the Hearst
's New York Journal-American, regularly detailed her personal life. Rogers lived primarily as an ex-pat for many years, and remained in Switzerland
until World War II
broke out.
In the mid-1940s, Rogers retreated to a small adobe
home in Taos, New Mexico
, which she referred to as Turtle Walk. While living there, she purchased more than 2,000 Native American
artifacts. In 1947, Rogers and several prominent friends (including authors Frank Waters
, Oliver Lafarge and Lucius Beebe
) hired lawyers and visited Washington DC to promote the issue of Indian rights and citizenship. She successfully lobbied for Native American art to be classified as "historic", and therefore protected.
She died in January 1953, following surgery for an aneurysm
. Her autopsy revealed that her heart had swollen to four times the normal size. Her legal full name at her time of death was Mary Millicent Abigail Rogers von Salm-Hoogstraeten de Peralta-Ramos Balcom.
Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraten and married in a New York courtroom
; she was 20 years old and the groom was 40. An unemployed film actor through most of their short marriage, Salm-Hoogstraten was characterized by the New York Times as "a gold-digging Austrian count" and TIME magazine called him "penniless." The couple had one son together, Peter Salm, but had legally separated
before the boy was born. Their divorce was finalized in April 1927.
On 8 November 1927, she married Arturo Peralta-Ramos, "a wealthy Argentine." The couple had two children together, Paul Jaime and Arturo Henry Peralta-Ramos Jr. They were married in the parish house of the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Southampton, Long Island, with only Roger's father and a few friends in attendance. Approving of the marriage, Henry Huddleston Rogers II gave the couple a $500,000 trust fund, with the provision that Peralta-Ramos "lay no future claim to the Rogers fortune, estimated at $40,000,000." Peralta-Ramos filed for divorce on December 6, 1935, with both parties citing "extreme cruelty".
Rogers' third and final husband was Ronald Balcom, an American stockbroker. They were married in Vienna
on February 26, 1936, and were divorced in February 1941. They had no children together.
Millicent Rogers was romantically linked to a number of notable men throughout her life, including author Roald Dahl
, actor Clark Gable
, the author Ian Fleming
, the Prince of Wales
, Prince Serge Obolensky
, and an unknown "heir to the Italian throne
".
in Taos, New Mexico. The museum houses a large collection of Native American, Hispanic and Euro-American art, with a specific emphasis on northern New Mexico and Taos pieces. It first opened in a temporary location in the mid-1950s, later moving to its permanent location in the late 1960s, a home built by Claude J. K. and Elizabeth Anderson. It was later remodeled and expanded by noted architect
Nathaniel A. Owings
.
credited Millicent Rogers as an influence on his Spring 2010 Dior
collection.
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....
, fashion icon, and art collector. She was the granddaughter of Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
tycoon Henry Huttleston Rogers, and an heiress to his wealth.
Rogers is notable for having been an early supporter and enthusiast of Southwestern
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
-style art and jewelry, and is often credited for its reaching a national and international audience. Later in life, she became an activist, and was among the first celebrities to champion the cause of Native American civil rights. She is still credited today as an influence on major fashion designers.
Biography
Rogers was born February 1, 1902. Her mother was Mary B. Rogers and her father was Henry Huttleston Rogers II, whose father founded the Standard Oil fortune. She grew up in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Tuxedo Park
Tuxedo Park, New York
Tuxedo Park is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 731 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
, and Southampton, New York
Southampton (village), New York
Southampton is a village in Suffolk County, New York, USA. The village is named after the Earl of Southampton. The Village of Southampton is in the southeast part of the county in the Town of Southampton...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
When Millicent contracted rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
as a young child, doctors predicted she would not live past the age of 10. She suffered from poor health for the rest of her life, having multiple heart attacks, bouts with double pneumonia, and a mostly crippled left arm by the time she was 40 years old.
In the 1920s, as a young woman Rogers became well-known on the socialite scene, and photographs of her were often featured in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
. Newspaper gossip columns, such as the one in the Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
's New York Journal-American, regularly detailed her personal life. Rogers lived primarily as an ex-pat for many years, and remained in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out.
In the mid-1940s, Rogers retreated to a small adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
home in Taos, New Mexico
Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico, incorporated in 1934. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,700. Other nearby communities include Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, and El Prado. The town is close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American...
, which she referred to as Turtle Walk. While living there, she purchased more than 2,000 Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
artifacts. In 1947, Rogers and several prominent friends (including authors Frank Waters
Frank Waters
Frank Waters was an American writer. He is known for his novels and historical works about the American Southwest...
, Oliver Lafarge and Lucius Beebe
Lucius Beebe
Lucius Morris Beebe was an American author, gourmand, photographer, railroad historian, journalist, and syndicated columnist.-Early life and education:...
) hired lawyers and visited Washington DC to promote the issue of Indian rights and citizenship. She successfully lobbied for Native American art to be classified as "historic", and therefore protected.
She died in January 1953, following surgery for an aneurysm
Aneurysm
An aneurysm or aneurism is a localized, blood-filled balloon-like bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can commonly occur in arteries at the base of the brain and an aortic aneurysm occurs in the main artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart...
. Her autopsy revealed that her heart had swollen to four times the normal size. Her legal full name at her time of death was Mary Millicent Abigail Rogers von Salm-Hoogstraeten de Peralta-Ramos Balcom.
Marriage and family
Rogers was married three times during the course of her life. Her first marriage was in January 1924, when she eloped with AustrianAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraten and married in a New York courtroom
Courtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
; she was 20 years old and the groom was 40. An unemployed film actor through most of their short marriage, Salm-Hoogstraten was characterized by the New York Times as "a gold-digging Austrian count" and TIME magazine called him "penniless." The couple had one son together, Peter Salm, but had legally separated
Legal separation
Legal separation is a legal process by which a married couple may formalize a de facto separation while remaining legally married. A legal separation is granted in the form of a court order, which can be in the form of a legally binding consent decree...
before the boy was born. Their divorce was finalized in April 1927.
On 8 November 1927, she married Arturo Peralta-Ramos, "a wealthy Argentine." The couple had two children together, Paul Jaime and Arturo Henry Peralta-Ramos Jr. They were married in the parish house of the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Southampton, Long Island, with only Roger's father and a few friends in attendance. Approving of the marriage, Henry Huddleston Rogers II gave the couple a $500,000 trust fund, with the provision that Peralta-Ramos "lay no future claim to the Rogers fortune, estimated at $40,000,000." Peralta-Ramos filed for divorce on December 6, 1935, with both parties citing "extreme cruelty".
Rogers' third and final husband was Ronald Balcom, an American stockbroker. They were married in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on February 26, 1936, and were divorced in February 1941. They had no children together.
Millicent Rogers was romantically linked to a number of notable men throughout her life, including author Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
, actor Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
, the author Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
, the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, Prince Serge Obolensky
Serge Obolensky
Sergei Platonovich 5th Knyaz Obolensky-Neledinsky-Meletzky was a Russian Prince and Vice Chairman of the Board of Hilton Hotels Corporation....
, and an unknown "heir to the Italian throne
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
".
Legacy
Millicent Rogers Museum
In 1956, the Rogers family founded the Millicent Rogers MuseumMillicent Rogers Museum
In 1956, the Millicent Rogers family founded the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico. Initially the artworks were from the multi-cultural collections of Millicent Rogers and her mother, Mary B. Rogers, who donated many of the first pieces of Taos Pueblo art...
in Taos, New Mexico. The museum houses a large collection of Native American, Hispanic and Euro-American art, with a specific emphasis on northern New Mexico and Taos pieces. It first opened in a temporary location in the mid-1950s, later moving to its permanent location in the late 1960s, a home built by Claude J. K. and Elizabeth Anderson. It was later remodeled and expanded by noted architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Nathaniel A. Owings
Nathaniel A. Owings
Nathaniel Alexander Owings was an American architect, a founding partner of Skidmore Owings and Merrill , which became one of the largest architectural firms in the United States and the world. Owings viewed skyscrapers as his firm's specialty...
.
Fashion
Fashion designer John GallianoJohn Galliano
John Charles Galliano CBE, RDI is a Gibraltan-born British fashion designer who was best known as head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy and Christian Dior , and his own self titled fashion house.-Family:He was born in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father, Juan Galliano, and a...
credited Millicent Rogers as an influence on his Spring 2010 Dior
Dior
Dior can mean:* Christian Dior SA, a French clothing retailer* In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth legendarium:**Dior Eluchíl, a Half-elven of the First Age**Dior , a Steward of GondorDior is a surname, and may refer to:...
collection.
External links
- Official website of The Millicent Rogers Museum
- Millicent Rogers at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...