The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-25
BRADLEY MARTINS
WIDOW DIES ABROAD
Former Social Leader in U. S,
Had Lived in England
About Twenty Years.

Gable messages were received last
night by Bradley Martin Of 400 Park
avenue telling OF the death Of his mother,
Mrs. Cornolia Sherman Martin, widow
az Bradley Martin. and one of the best
known Of American society leaders. Mrs.
Martin died at her estate. Hampstead
Marshall, Newbury, Berks, England,
where she has been living since 1914.
though spending part Of her time in her
London house, in 4 Chesterfield Gar
dens. No announcement has been made
by Mrs. Martins family regarding her
funeral, but it is presumed She will be
buried in England beside the body of
her husband, who died in London on
February 8, 1913
Mrs. Martin for many years perhaps
the most talked OF figure in American
society was the daughter Of the late
Isaac Sherman of Buffalo, who had made
an immense fortune in the cooperage
business. Until his death people had mag
ined that Mr.. Sherman was only fairly
well To do, but when the details Of his
will became known it was found that
he was millionaire many times over.
Virtually his entire fortune went to his
daughter and this vast sum was aug
mented by $4,000, 900 more when her
mother died some years later.
The then Miss Cornelia Sherman be-
came acquainted with Bradley Martin
while the latter, then an aide-de-camp on
the staff of Gov Reuben f. Fenton and
prominent in National Guard circles, was
in Buffalo acting as best man at the we'd
ding Of Col Elliott T.. Shepard. Their
marriage took place a few months later
Goes to the Top Socially.
For several years Mr.. and Mrs. Brad
ley Martin lived quietly in their New
York home, taking a part in society, but
doing nothing to attract any particulars
attention But Mrs. Martin was deter
mined to win to the very front Of soci-
ety's most exclusive circles. II was only
a short time until the Bradley Martins
had assumed the place that they desired
and they became known both in the
United States and in Europe as givers
of extraordinary balls and dinners.
The Bradley Martin dinners became
known to two continents. and soon they
began that extraordinary series of balls
and dances that made them internal
tionally famous. The greatest Of these
affairs was the one Of March 10. 1897.
when almost the whole of the Waldorf
Astoria. then a new hotel and one Of the
most exclusive IN the world. was turned
over to their guests This was perhaps
the most magnificent and the most eN-
pensive ball ever given IN the United
States-at least that always has been
the popular opinion, although probably
no one but Mr. and Mrs. Martin ever
knew exactly how much ii cost
But it Is certain that few II any ever
nave equalled il Tor the display Of jewels.
OF priceless lace. Of rich fabrics and
magnificent costumes. The leaders of
society and others TO the number Of
more than n thousand attended in cos
tunes OF the utmost magniticence.
Announcer 1uts OF the ball had at
tractcd so much attention that news
papers all over the United States wrote
columns of it and editors in Paris and
London cabled 20 their American CORE
spondents to send long, detailed accounts
OF the affair. che story OF the affair as
printed in THE SUN OF the next day COW
cred more than eight columns Of closely
set type. and for weeks many ministers
used the affair as texts for their SER
mons
Daughter Marrics Earl of Craven.
Soon after this BAH Mr. and Mrs Mar
tin began TO pass more and more Of
their time in England. and the marriage
Of their daughter Cornelia. 20 the Ear
Of Craven. In 1898, increased their de-
sire to make England their home. For