Julia A. Berwind (1864- May 18, 1961) was a

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...

, and a social welfare activist.

Biography

She was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, the sister of coal magnates

Edward Julius Berwind Edward Julius Berwind (June 17, 1848 – August 18, 1936) was the founder of the Berwind-White Coal Mining Company. He was head of the company from 1886 until 1930. Early life Berwind was born on June 17, 1848 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He w ...

and

Charles Frederick Berwind Charles Frederick Berwind (April 1, 1846 – December 4, 1890) was a founder of the Berwind-White Coal Mining Company, serving as its first president. Early life Berwind was born on April 1, 1846 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the eldest ...

. She was the owner of The Elms in

after the death of her brother Edward. She was noted for driving herself about town, which was unusual for women in general and for women of her class in particular. She was also known to invite local children to the estate for cookies and milk. Although members of "high society" generally cut back on their extravagant lifestyles due to the depression and World War II, Julia Berwind maintained a full staff of 40 servants at the Elms estate in Newport. She died in

in 1961. After her death, the Elms was purchased by the Preservation Society of Newport County so it could be preserved and be open to the public.

References

1864 births 1961 deaths American socialites People from Newport, Rhode Island American social activists Activists from Rhode Island {{US-activist-stub