Evelyn Walsh McLean

Evelyn Walsh McLean was a prominent American socialite and heiress, known for her high-society status and her association with the infamous Hope Diamond. As the daughter of Thomas Walsh, a wealthy Gold Rush miner, and Carrie Bell Walsh, she was born into a life of luxury, surrounded by the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. Her family's wealth and influence allowed her to mingle with the elite, including J.P. Morgan, John Jacob Astor IV, and Henry Clay Frick. Evelyn's life was marked by both privilege and tragedy, as she navigated the complexities of her family's fortune and the weight of her own personal struggles, often seeking solace in the company of friends like Dorothy Parker and Edith Wharton.

Early Life and Family

Evelyn Walsh McLean was born in Washington, D.C. in 1886, to a family of considerable wealth and influence, with connections to notable figures like Mark Twain and Grover Cleveland. Her father, Thomas Walsh, had made his fortune in the Gold Rush of California, and later became a successful miner in Colorado, befriending fellow mining magnates like John Hays Hammond and George Hearst. Evelyn's mother, Carrie Bell Walsh, was a woman of refinement and culture, who ensured that her daughter received a proper education, attending schools like Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School and Spence School, alongside other prominent young women like Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Evelyn's family was part of the Washington, D.C. elite, and she grew up surrounded by the city's high society, including families like the Roosevelts, the Tafts, and the Lodges, often attending events at The White House and The Capitol.

Marriage and Social Status

In 1908, Evelyn married Edward Beale McLean, the son of John Roll McLean, the owner of the Washington Post and Cincinnati Enquirer, and a prominent figure in Washington, D.C. society, with ties to the Democratic Party and Republican Party. The couple had four children together, including Vincent McLean, John McLean, and Jeraldine McLean, and were considered one of the most prominent families in Washington, D.C., often socializing with other notable families like the Astor family, the Vanderbilt family, and the Morgan family. Evelyn's marriage to Edward solidified her position in high society, and she became a regular at social events, including parties hosted by Theodore Roosevelt at The White House and Sagamore Hill, as well as gatherings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York City Opera. Her social status was further enhanced by her family's connections to the British royal family, including King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, as well as other European aristocrats like Prince Henry of Prussia and Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The Hope Diamond

In 1911, Evelyn's husband, Edward Beale McLean, purchased the infamous Hope Diamond from Cartier, a renowned French jeweler, for $180,000, a significant amount at the time, equivalent to the annual salary of J.P. Morgan or John D. Rockefeller. The diamond, which was said to be cursed, had previously been owned by Henry Thomas Hope, a British banker, and Tavernier, a French merchant, who had acquired it from the Kollur Mine in India, a region also associated with other notable gemstones like the Tavernier's Blue and the Orlov Diamond. Evelyn was said to be fascinated by the diamond, and it became a central part of her social status, with many of her friends and acquaintances, including Dorothy Parker and Edith Wharton, marveling at its beauty and supposed curse, which was said to have been responsible for the misfortunes of its previous owners, including Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.

Personal Struggles and Later Life

Despite her privileged life, Evelyn faced numerous personal struggles, including the loss of her son, Vincent McLean, who died in a car accident in 1919, and her husband's struggles with alcoholism and infidelity, which led to a very public divorce in 1931, with Evelyn receiving a significant settlement, including the Hope Diamond, which she later sold to Harry Winston in 1958, for $180,000, the same amount her husband had paid for it in 1911. Evelyn's later life was marked by a series of personal tragedies, including the loss of her daughter, Jeraldine McLean, who died of tuberculosis in 1937, and her own struggles with depression and addiction, which she battled with the help of friends like Eleanor Roosevelt and Frances Perkins. Despite these challenges, Evelyn remained a prominent figure in Washington, D.C. society, and continued to attend social events, including parties hosted by Franklin D. Roosevelt at The White House and gatherings at the National Gallery of Art and the Kennedy Center.

Legacy

Evelyn Walsh McLean's legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting both the privilege and the tragedy of her life, with connections to notable figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as other prominent women like Eleanor Roosevelt and Dorothy Parker. Her association with the Hope Diamond has become legendary, and the diamond remains one of the most famous in the world, with a history that spans centuries and continents, from the Kollur Mine in India to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. Evelyn's story has been the subject of numerous books, articles, and films, including The Hope Diamond and Evelyn Walsh McLean: A Life of Privilege and Tragedy, and continues to fascinate people to this day, with her life and legacy serving as a reminder of the complexities and challenges of living a life of privilege and wealth, alongside notable figures like John Jacob Astor IV and Henry Clay Frick. Category:American socialites