Caustic wit and lavish parties: What you should know about Gilded Age hostess Mamie Fish
Caitlin Emery Avenia | Newport Life
A dinner at Mamie Fish’s house was never just dinner. Guests who found themselves in possession of a coveted invitation would discover surprise and delight around every corner.
They might be entertained by a celebrity performer, enthralled by a vaudeville act, charmed by a royal visitor, or enchanted by the decor at a thematic ball. Or perhaps — as was the case on one occasion in — they might be surprised by the appearance of a little donkey, cantering into the ballroom, laden down with favors.
Cleveland Amory rightly declared that “more people had more fun on more occasions” at Mamie Fish’s house than anywhere else.
Among the storied Gilded Age society hostesses of Newport, few loom larger than Marion “Mamie” Fish. Celebrated for her lavish parties, and better known for her caustic wit than her social diplomacy, Mamie’s legacy as a grande dame is well-documented in memoirs, reminiscences and society pages.
A symbol of ultrafashionable society, at the height of her reig
She was born in to a prosperous, but not particularly wealthy or socially prominent family. But little Marion (as she was christened), despite her lack of connections, married well&#;her childhood neighbor and sweetheart, Stuyvesant Fish, scion of an important and wealthy family. Mr. Fish was no rich idler; despite his inheritance, he worked his way up through the ranks to become president of the Illinois Central Railroad. He and Mamie were, unusually for their time and class, a devoted couple; at least once a week Mamie made sure they dined alone at home together, usually on Mr. Fish&#;s favorite corned beef and cabbage. She was also an involved and loving mother to their three children, all of whom turned out shockingly normal.
If Mamie were to summarized in one word, that word would probably be
When Marion Graves Anthon Fish a.k.a. "Mamie" decided she wanted a cottage in Newport, she wasn't thinking of a French chateau or a French Renaissance palace, but a colonial estate, American through and through. This was surprising because most cottages were based off of European castles and palaces, but Mamie, as always, loved knowing she was doing something no one else would do, so she commanded her husband Stuyvesant "Stuyvie" Fish to build them a Newport estate.
Mr. And Mrs. Fish Were One Of The Few Gilded Age Couples Happily Married, They Were Childhood Sweethearts
In the Spring of , Stuyvesant began negotiations to purchase a large, elevated plot with views of both Bailey's Beach and Gooseberry Beach. Because of Fish's shrewd negotiating, the plot had been acquired for only $11, But because of it's rocky topography (which no house could be built on) Fish had to acquire additional land. Unfortunately the owner of the land west of the property was asking a sum Fish felt was outrageous, so it took an additional 3 years of negotiations before the land was obtained.
"Crossways" Was Built On A Large Hill Off Of Ocean Avenue Surrounde
Hamilton Fish
As secretary of state under President Ulysses S. Grant, Hamilton Fish () settled the Alabama Claims and avoided war with Spain over the Cuban insurrection.
Hamilton Fish was born on Aug. 3, , in New York City. His father was a socially prominent lawyer and Federalist; his mother was from the old Stuyvesant family. Fish graduated with highest honors from Columbia College in and was admitted to the bar in He entered politics as a Whig; he was elected to Congress in and to the governorship in His administration expanded the New York canal system and established a statewide framework for public education. In he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Conservative in background and patrician in taste, he joined the upstart Republican party only after it was clear that the Whig party was dead beyond revival.
Fish was not known nationally when President U.S. Grant appointed him secretary of state in Fish accepted reluctantly but found the job to his liking and remained for the entire two terms. His influence helped rescue Grant's presidency from total failure.
Three major foreign policy problems confronted Fish during his tenure. The first was Grant's effort to annex Santo Do
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