Ethel du Pont Roosevelt-Warren (January 30, 1916 – May 25, 1965) was an American heiress and socialite and a member of the prominent

du Pont family The du Pont family () or Du Pont family is a prominent American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739–1817). It has been one of the richest families in the United States since the mid-19th century, when it founded its f ...

. She is known for her widely publicized marriage to Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., son of the 32nd U.S. president

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

and

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

, and her eventual suicide in 1965.

Early life

Ethel du Pont was born on January 30, 1916, in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

, the eldest child of Eugene du Pont Jr. and Ethel Pyle. She was the granddaughter of Eugene du Pont (1840–1902), the first head of the modern DuPont corporation, who saw the corporation into the 20th century. Her siblings were Aimée du Pont, Nicholas R. du Pont, and Eugene du Pont III. She was raised at Owl's Nest, the family's estate in

Greenville, Delaware Greenville is a bedroom community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States, and a suburb of Wilmington. The population was 2,326 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Greenville as a census ...

, attended Misses Hebb's School in Wilmington and graduated from the

Ethel Walker School The Ethel Walker School, also commonly referred to as “Walker’s”, is a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for girls in grades 6 through 12 plus postgraduate located in Simsbury, Connecticut. History Founded in 191 ...

in Simsbury, Connecticut.

Personal life

On June 30, 1937, she married Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. (1914–1988), third son of sitting President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Sr. and First Lady

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

, and grand-nephew of President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

. They had two sons: *

Franklin Delano Roosevelt III Franklin Delano Roosevelt III (born July 19, 1938) is an American retired economist and academic. Through his father, he is a grandson of 32nd U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, and through his mother, he is related to t ...

(born 1938) *Christopher du Pont Roosevelt (born 1941) The couple separated and formally divorced in 1949. In December 1950, Ethel du Pont Roosevelt remarried to prominent

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

lawyer Benjamin S. Warren, Jr., a

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

and

University of Michigan Law School The University of Michigan Law School (Michigan Law) is the law school of the University of Michigan, a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 1859, the school offers Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Comparative Law (MCL ...

graduate. Together, they had a son: *Benjamin S. Warren III (born 1954)

Death

Ethel du Pont was 49 years old when she committed suicide on May 25, 1965. She had been under psychiatric care several times in the years preceding her death and spent time at the Silver Hill Foundation, a hospital in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bound ...

. Her death took place a few months before her son Christopher's wedding in June 1965 and while her son Benjamin, then 10 years old, was away at boarding school. Her family endowed the

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

Ethel Dupont-Warren Fellowship Award for research in

Psychiatry Psychiatry is the specialty (medicine), medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions. See glossary of psych ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Du Pont, Ethel 1916 births 1965 deaths 20th-century American women American socialites Bulloch family Delano family Ethel Livingston family Roosevelt family People from Greenville, Delaware Suicides in Michigan 1965 suicides