Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb (July 6, 1864 – December 17, 1947) was a philanthropist and socialite who was the first American woman to be awarded the
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
by France in 1917 for turning her Château d'Annel into a 300-bed hospital during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Early life
Julia Hunt Catlin was born on July 6, 1864, to Julius Catlin (1833–1893) and Frances Helen Hunt (b. 1839), the daughter of Seth B. Hunt, Esq. of Maple Grove,
Bennington, Vermont
Bennington is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester (town), Vermont, Manchester. As of the 2020 ...
. Her sisters were Edith Catlin and May Catlin. She lived at 16 East 49th Street in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
Her paternal grandfather was
Julius Catlin
Julius Catlin (December 14, 1798 – April 23, 1888) was an American politician who was the 49th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1858 to 1861. His estate was valued at $726,000 at his death in 1888.
Early life
Catlin was born on Decembe ...
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County (Manhattan), New York (state), New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New ...
.
During World War I
Julia turned her Château d'Annel in Longueil d'Annel into a 300-bed Allied military hospital at the front lines of World War I. It was the first hospital for the Allies' wounded soldiers opened in France by an American so near the front.
She fled for England after the German army had made progress towards Paris, but ended up returning after they had retreated. Her actions moved many other Americans living in France to open military hospitals. She received France's highest military award, the Legion d'honneur, and the
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
in 1917 and was the first American female to be awarded this honour.
In 1917, President
of France, upon the recommendation of the Minister of War, conferred a gold medal on her in recognition of her hospital, along with a letter written by
Justin Godart
Justin Godart (26 November 1871 – 12 December 1956) was a French lawyer and politician who served as the Minister for Health from 3 June 1932 to 18 December 1932.
World War II
In 1940, during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, she was forced to leave her villa in Cannes after the fall of France. She escaped through Spain and sailed from
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
on one of the last refugee ships. During the War, she resided in Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills in California.
Personal life
In 1889, she married Trenor Luther Park (1861–1907), the son of
Trenor W. Park
Trenor William Park (December 8, 1823 – December 13, 1882) was an American lawyer, political figure, and businessman. He was most notable as a founder of the Republican Party in California, and for his Republican leadership roles in Vermont, ...
, at Zion Church in New York. Park, who was the Commodore of the American Yacht Club, died in 1907 after an operation by Dr.
Francis Delafield
Francis Delafield (August 3, 1841 – July 17, 1915)
. He was Vice President of the American Trading Company, a directory of Jefferson Bank, and a senior member of Catlin & Co., a dry goods firm. Before his death in 1907, they were the parents of three children, but only one, Frances, lived to maturity:
* Edith Laura Park (1893–1893), who died aged 3 days
* Frances Trenor Hall Park (1894–1937), who married Captain Dr. Ernest Gerard Stanley (1886–1970) of the British Army in the American Church on the Avenue de l'Alma in Paris in 1917.
* Julia Elliot Park (1897–1906), who died aged 9, by falling through a plate glass roof of their residence, 17 East 63rd Street, in New York City.
Upon Park's death, she was left $3,000,000 from her husband's estate. After his death, she resided, with their daughter, at 74 Avenue de Dois de Boulogne, in Paris, and also at her country residence, Château d'Annel, in Longueil d'Annel.
On February 15, 1911, she married Chauncey Mitchell Depew (1867–1927) at the King's Weigh House Church in London. He was originally from
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
, the son of William Beverly Depew (1837–1897) and the nephew of Sen.
Chauncey Depew
Chauncey Mitchell Depew (April 23, 1834April 5, 1928) was an American attorney, businessman, and Republican politician. He is best remembered for his two terms as United States Senator from New York and for his work for Cornelius Vanderbilt, as ...
, who unveiled the Statue of Liberty. After "both had other adventures in matrimony," they divorced in 1916.
In 1918, she married General Emile Adolphe Taufflieb (d. 1938), who commanded France's 37th Army Corps and was a member of the
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
. They remained married until his death in 1938.
She died on December 17, 1947 at Villa Nevada in Cannes, France. In the late 1890s
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
's son, Prince Leopold, was staying there, when he fell and died.