{{Short description|American-born British peeress (1878–1937)}} {{for|her mother, the American socialite|Mary Wilson Goelet}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = Her Grace | name = The Duchess of Roxburghe | birth_name = Mary Goelet | image = Mary Goelet.jpg | caption = Mary Goelet (1903) | title = | birth_date = 6 October 1878 | birth_place = New York City, United States | death_date = {{death date and age|1937|4|26|1878|10|6|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | spouse = {{marriage|Henry Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe|10 November 1903|29 September 1932|reason=d}} | children = George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe | parents = {{plainlist| * Ogden Goelet * Mary Wilson }} | relatives = ''See'' Goelet family }}
'''Mary''' "'''May'''" '''Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe''' ({{nee}} '''Goelet'''; 6 October 1878 – 26 April 1937<ref name="DuchessEstate1937"/>), was an American-born heiress and socialite who married into Scottish nobility.
==Early life== Mary Goelet was born in 1878. Her parents were Mary Wilson<ref>{{cite news |title=MRS. OGDEN GOELET DIES OF PNEUMONIA; Duchess of Roxburghe's Mother Long Noted for Her Lavish Entertaining. WAS HOSTESS TO ROYALTY Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, Among Guests--Sister of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt and R.T. Wilson. Her Hospitality. Duchess of Roxburghe Daughter. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/02/24/95881476.pdf |access-date=29 November 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=24 February 1929}}</ref> and Ogden Goelet, a prominent heir and landlord in New York City and great-grandson of Peter Goelet, heir to one of the largest fortunes of the time. Her only sibling was a younger brother, Robert,<ref>{{cite news |title=ROBERT GOELET, FINANCIER, DEAD; Real-Estate Millionaire, 86, Was a Social Leader |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/02/07/79319261.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=7 February 1966}}</ref> who built Glenmere Mansion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Foreman |first1=John |title=Big Old Houses: A Better Fate Than Many |url=http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/the-way-they-live/2012/big-old-houses-a-better-fate-than-many |website=New York Social Diary |access-date=29 November 2016 |date=14 November 2012}}</ref>
Through her mother, she was a niece of Richard Thornton Wilson Jr. and Grace Vanderbilt.<ref>{{cite news |title=To Marry an English Lord |isbn=0894809393 |last1=MacColl |first1=Gail |last2=Wallace |first2=Carol |date=January 1989 |publisher=Workman }}</ref> Through her father, she was a niece of Robert Goelet, a first cousin of Robert Walton Goelet, and a granddaughter of Robert Goelet Sr., co-founder of the Chemical Bank of New York.<ref>{{cite news |title=Robert W. Goelet Dies In Home At 61. Corporation Director, Owner of Large Realty Holdings Here, Succumbs to Heart Attack. He Inherited $60,000,000. Sportsman, a Leader in Social Circles in Newport and New York, Kin of Early Settlers |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/05/03/88099465.pdf |quote=Robert Walton Goelet of New York and Newport, R. I., a member of one of New York's oldest and wealthiest families, died of a heart attack yesterday at his ... |work=New York Times |date=3 May 1941 |access-date=2010-07-26 }}</ref>
Following her father's death in 1897, upon her 21st birthday she inherited $500,000 outright and a $10,000,000 Trust fund.<ref name="FloorsCastleGoeletBlog">{{cite web |last=Floors Castle |title=The Goelet Family |url=https://www.floorscastle.com/blog/the-goelet-family/ |website=Floors Castle |publisher=Roxburghe Estates |date=31 May 2023 |access-date=19 January 2026}}</ref> Under the terms of her father's will, she would also receive half of his $30,000,000 residuary estate following the death of her mother.<ref name="FloorsCastleGoeletBlog" />
==Personal life== In 1897, she was rumored to be engaged to William Montagu, the 20-year-old 9th Duke of Manchester.<ref>{{cite news |title=MISS GOELET'S BETROTHAL.; Reason to Believe She Is Engaged to the Young Duke of Manchester, in Spite of Denials. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/07/13/105948425.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=13 July 1897}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MANCHESTER-GOELET AFFAIR.; The Daily Telegraph Makes no Apology for Its Story. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/07/12/102486536.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=12 July 1897}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=THE DUKE DENIES IT.; His Grace of Manchester Says the Report of His Engagement to ''Miss Goelet Is Untrue''. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/07/11/117906919.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=11 July 1897}}</ref> He later married a different American, Helena Zimmerman, daughter of industrialist Eugene Zimmerman of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1900.<ref>{{cite news |title=DUKE OF MANCHESTER WEDS MISS ZIMMERMAN; Married to Daughter of Cincinnati Railway Man Nov. 14. RELATIVES NOT NOTIFIED Dowager Duchess Did Not Credit Re- port Until Examination of Register of London Church Convinced Her It Was True. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1900/11/20/102504867.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=20 November 1900}}</ref>
In late December 1898, she was rumored once more to be engaged to Viscount Crichton, eldest son and heir of 4th Earl Erne.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1898/12/25/archives/miss-goelet-may-marry-handsome-viscount-crichton-thought-likely-to.html |title=MISS GOELET MAY MARRY; Handsome Viscount Crichton Thought Likely to be Happy Man. |work=The New York Times |date=25 December 1898 |access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>
On 10 November 1903, she married Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=Special To The New York |title=DUKE OF ROXBURGHE TO WED MISS GOELET {{!}} Engagement Announced in London and Confirmed at Newport. {{!}} NEW YORK WEDDING EXPECTED {{!}} It is Believed the Couple Will Be Married Here in the Autumn - The Duke Now Mrs. Goelet's Guest. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/09/03/101312884.html?pageNumber=7 |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=3 September 1903}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=THE ROXBURGHE WEDDING; Private Rehearsal Held at St. Thomas's Church. Programme of Today's Ceremony -- Simple Reception to Follow at the Goelet Residence -- Some of the Gifts. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/11/10/104915113.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=10 November 1903}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MOTHER AND SISTER OF ROXBURGHE HERE; Duchess Denies Story of Objection to American Brides. Plans for the Wedding Complete -- The Decorations at the Church and Home of the Bride. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1903/11/08/105065310.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=8 November 1903}}</ref> He was the eldest son of the 7th Duke of Roxburghe and Lady Anne Spencer-Churchill (fourth daughter of the 7th Duke of Marlborough and Lady Frances Vane).<ref>{{cite ODNB |last=Quinault |first=Roland |title=Churchill, John Winston Spencer, seventh duke of Marlborough (1822–1883) |id=5403 |year=2004 }}</ref> His first cousins were the 9th Duke of Malborough (who famously married Consuelo Vanderbilt) and Sir Winston Churchill. After ten years of childlessness, Mary gave birth to a son and heir:
* George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe (7 September 1913 – 26 September 1974), who succeeded his father in 1932.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=Special To The New York |title=DUKE OF ROXBURGHE MARRIES IN LONDON |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1954/01/06/83313808.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=6 January 1954}}</ref>
The Duchess of Roxburghe died on 26 April 1937, in London.<ref name="DuchessEstate1937">{{cite news |title=DUCHESS LEFT FORTUNE; Roxburghe Estate Was Founded by Money of American Heiress |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1937/11/21/94463185.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=21 November 1937}}</ref><ref name="NYTObit1937">{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=Wireless To The New York |title=DOWAGER DUCHESS OF ROXBURGHE DIES; New York Heiress Was a Close Friend of King George V and Queen Mary |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1937/04/27/94362717.pdf |access-date=13 April 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=April 27, 1937}}</ref>
===Life in Scotland=== [[File:Floors Castle.jpg|thumb|right|The Duchess of Roxburghe's residence in Scotland, Floors Castle]] The Duke and Duchess settled at Floors Castle, where Mary decorated the ancient residence with her own collection of art including a priceless series of 17th century Gobelins Manufactory tapestries.<ref>{{cite news |title=Illustrated Guide to Places to Visit - Floors Castle |url=http://www.rampantscotland.com/visit/bldev_visitfloors.htm |access-date=27 March 2016}}</ref>
At the time of her marriage, she was the wealthiest American heiress, with a trust fund of $10,000,000 from her father's estate and a further reversionary interest in half of his $30,000,000 residuary estate.<ref name="FloorsCastleGoeletBlog" />
In 1913, she first became a guest of Queen Mary and King George V at Windsor Castle. She and the Duke were also the guests of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.<ref name="NYTObit1937"/>
In 1929, she inherited $3,000,000 after the death of her mother,<ref name="MotherObitNYT">{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=Wireless To The New York |title=DUCHESS INHERITS FORTUNE; Former Miss Goelet Receives $3,000,000 From Mother's Estate. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/08/07/95986075.pdf |access-date=28 November 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=7 August 1929}}</ref> as well as the Goelet art collection.<ref name="NYTObit1937"/> Under the terms of her father's will, half of his $30,000,000 residuary estate passed to Mary following her mother's death.<ref name="FloorsCastleGoeletBlog" />
==See also== *Duke of Roxburghe
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Goelet, Mary}} Category:1878 births Category:1937 deaths Mary Roxburghe Category:American emigrants to Scotland Category:Wives of knights Category:Wilson family (New York) Category:Burials in the Scottish Borders