Evening star., 1925-05-24

NEW YORK, May 23-With the
passing of Mrs. John King Van
Rensselaer,. the members of society
not only in this city, but through
out the country. have lost a leader
who for many years used her extern
sive influence, high talents and per-
sonal prestige to uphold the dignity
and traditions of the exclusive set
once known as the 400" With
charity toward all and malice for
none, Mrs. Van Rensselaer, eXerted
every effort to curb the tendency
which has been SO much manifested
since the beginning of this century
TO break down social and family bar
riers. She firmly believed that a
person to be accepted by society
should have more than rapidly ac-
quired wealth, and she stood unfal-
teringly by her standard. And many
of those of proud but decayed fam
lies, whose purses We're depleted,
have cause to bless Mrs. Van Rens-
selaer for the opening of doors which
otherwise would have been closed.
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, died at the
age of rs years, in her home, 70 East
Ninety-second street. where she had
lived for many years. She was a
well known writer and her works
on society Affairs were accepted as a
standard.
Among the books of which Mrs.
Van Rensselaer, was the author her
New Workers of the Nineteenth
Century" probably was the most
widely read. In this volume she
fatty stated that there We're only
3S families really entitled to be
known as -blooded." In this list
she included the BronSons, Barclays,
Bards, Buchanans. Delafields, Duers,
Emmets, Fishes. Glovers, Hoffmans,
Jays, Kings, LyncheS, NJ Nickars,
Mortons, Renwicks, Rutherfurds,
Schuylers. StuyveSants and Van
RenSSelaerS.
Championed Family Rights.
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, was hardy
champion of the rights of family and
many a stout battle she maintained
with those clans who were on the edge,
but not within the limits of the sacred
precincts of the inner circle" If she
had indicated by the raising of an eye
brow that she would consent to act
as a sponsor for any of the newly
rich she could have named her price.
hut she never did and every action in
dicated that the climber" was her
pet abomination.
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, was the daugh-
ter of Archibald Oracle King of Wee
hawken. n. j., and Elizabeth Denning
Duer. whose father was president of
Columbia College, in 1880. She was
married to John Alsop King Van Rens-
selaer in 1871. Two sons We're born to
the couple, but both died.
The funeral of Mrs. Van Rensselaer,
which was held in Grace Church, Ja-
maica, Long Island, was attended by
many persons whose names are ia
nous the world over and whose
families are allied to royalty.
Recent Bethrothals.
AS May draws to close the number
of engagements of Importance to So
ciety is increasing rapidly. Among
the latest is that of Miss Barbara Har-
rison Trowbridge, daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. Edmund @. Trowbridge of 10
East Seventy-seventh street. She is
to be married to Joseph Potter
Murphy, son of Mr.. and Mrs. John j.
Murphy of 500 West One Hundred and
forty-first street.
Another announcement which has
attracted the attention of the smart
set is the engagement of Miss Cornelia
Marcia Baird, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry Martyr Baird. jr., of 30S
Park avenue, Yonkers, n. Y, to Peter
A. II. Voorhis of that city. The news
was given out at a recent dinner,
which was attended by many well
known young folks.
Miss Baird is a graduate of Bryn
Nawr, 1922. She is a granddaughter
of the late Richard L. Hand and a
niece of Federal Judge Augustus y.
Hand. She is also granddaughter of
the late Prof. Henry Martyr Baird,
for 40 years professor of Greek at
New York University and author of
HugueDOt histories and OF her books