The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-07-26

/ rainier. The business was reOr-
gained under the firm name Of
Field, Palmer & Letter, and later
under the title of Field, Letter &
Co. That was the foundation of
Mr.. Letters fortune. He retired
from commercial life in 1881 and
engaged in speculation and the
real estate business, and in this
way the bulk of his fortune was
made. Early in life he married
Miss May Carson, of Chicago, by
whom he had son, Joseph Letter,
and three daughters.
The latter years Of Mr.. Letter S
life were spent in Washington,
which city offered a wider field for
the social ambitions of his wife
and daughters. Here their resi-
derce (the James G. Blaine man
sion) was the scene of many bril-
liant functions. Later they built
one of the finest homes in Wash
ington, on Dupont Circle. But
their social triumphs in Washing
ton were merely preparation for
still greater ones in New York,
Newport and England
During stay in England, Miss
Mary Victoria Letter met George
n. Curzon, eldest son of the Rev.
Alfred Nathaniel Holden Curzon,
fourth Baron Scarsdale. They
were married in 1895, after Cur
zon had held the offices of assis-
tant private secretary to the Mar
quis of Salisbury, under secretary
of state for India and under secre-
tary of state for foreign affairs. In
1898 CurZon was created first Ba-
ron Curzon of Kedleston, and IN
1899 was appointed viceroy and
governor general of India, which
post he resigned in August, 1905,
and was succeeded by the Earl of
Mimic
Lady Curzon's social triumphs
in England, in India and in her
own country gave her the most
important position attained by any
American woman in this or the last
century. Surrounded by every
luxury that wealth could suggest,
an acknowledged beauty, and pos
sesser of many accomplishments
by travel, study and observation,
she was even in her young lady
hood in Washington distinguished
above the other girls. Her bebut
at a series of large receptions Civ
en- by her parents in the early
nlneties at their home, on Dupont
Circle, in Washington, was follow
ed by the triumphal season abroad,
from which she returned the be-
trothed wife of George Nathaniel
! CurZOn, NJ. P.
The announcement of the en-
gagement was made in March, and
the wedding followed on April %,
1895, at St. Johns church, Wash
ton.
The ceremony was attended by
all the notables in official, diplo-
matte and resident circles. Bis
hop Talbot oficiated, assisted by
Rev. Mackay- Smith, then rector of
St. Johns. The brides dress was
made of white satin in princess
style, and the train fell from the
shoulders in a Watseau plat. The
waist had no collar band and was
trimmed with the fine old point
lace worn by her mother at her
wedding, October IS, 1866. The
upper part of the tulle veil was
trimmed with rose point lace worn
by the brides grandmother, Nan
cy Fish, at her marriage to Ben
jamin F. Carver, of Utica, N. Y.
Her jewels were a superb necklace
of large diamonds with deep pend
ants and a coronet of diamond
roses.
The wedding presents, of great
number and value, were shown,
being arranged in cases down in
the cloak rooms in the basement.
Private detectives watched the
treasurers. The marriage regis
| ter. a handsomely bound volume