Jeannette was born in 1854 in Paris and died on 10 February 1936 in London. Her father was the Scots-American émigré newspaper proprietor James Gordon Bennett, born in Banffshire. By the time Jeannette was born, her father had become the successful founder-editor and owner of the New York Herald. The question arises: in what sense is she an historical character other than by the facts that she had a famous father and an infamous brother? Through her eventful life spent in different countries and her social networks, she allows us to explore the links between the upper classes of Paris, London and New York, the society of her time and its interlinkages, its values and its cosmopolitan nature.
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1840-51: New York: attacks by political enemies and press rivals on James Gordon Bennett led the Bennett couple, by sometime in the early-mid 1840s, to live separately by mutual agreement, Bennett in New York and Henrietta with the children in Paris. The Bennetts visited each other annually, and traveled through Europe together. Henrietta never again made New York her home - she lived in Europe, mainly in Paris.
1851 Mrs. Bennett decided the children’s education must be done in Paris.
1854 July/August (?): Jeannette is born Paris. In July, her grandmother Janet Reid Bennett (92) dies in Keith (Banffshire).
1856 March: little Cosmo her brother dies not yet six (Jeannette was not quite two).
Easter.: after their annual family trip back to New York brother “Jamie” (15) stays on; Jeannette and mother return to Paris.
1858 onwards: Jeannette is privately educated in Paris; with her mother she frequents Parisian society.
1866 Dec.: Brother Jamie wins the transatlantic yacht race, gains father’s confidence, and soon takes over as Herald editor.
1872 June: Jeannette, not yet 18, is in France when her father dies; she and mother miss the funeral.
JGB Jr is de facto his sister’s guardian and trustee of her finances and property from the will.
1873 March: Jeannette’s mother dies from cancer in Germany, is buried in Koenigstein, Saxony. Jeannette, 18, in New York, learns her mother had been suffering from cancer and had wanted to die alone.
1877 Jan.: Jeannette’s brother is disgraced in a scandal and goes into exile in France, taking Jeannette with him.
1878 April: after spending the season hunting in England, there are “wild rumours” of Jeannette’s engagement.
1878 July 4: Le Havre ceremony: J. Gordon Bennett Jnr re-names his polar exploration vessel the Jeannette, after his sister.
The Jeannette leaves Le Havre on 8 July for San Francisco for fitting out.
1878 July 16 “Arrival of James Gordon Bennett. The steamer St. Laurent, of the French Line, arrived last evening and anchored off Quarantine. On board were Mr. James Gordon Bennett and his sister Miss Jeannette Bennett, who have returned home in good health after their residence in Europe.”
1878 July 18, Newspapers write: Miss Jeannette Bennett to wed Mr. Isaac Bell, Jr. (They had been on the same ship back from Europe.)
1878 Sept. 19th, Married by Rev. Philip Grace Thursday 19 Sept 1878 at Newport, RI, Jeannette Bennett became Mrs. Isaac Bell Jr. He was a successful cotton broker and investor (from slave plantations in the American south).
1879 May Isaac [Ikey] Bell born. Jeannette's brother JGB gave a $1000 of US bonds for his birth
1880 April: Jeannette’s Irish grandmother Eleanor Crean dies in New York.
1881-82 two daughters to Jeannette: Norah & Henrietta (‘Rita’).
1882 April 20, report of legal dispute between JGB and Mrs. [Jeannette] Bell and her family over the sale of property left by their father half to Bennett Jr and he was made Trustee of the other half, the income of which he was to pay to his sister. After her death the property was to go to her children.
1882-83 news breaks of tragedy: the ship Jeannette crushed in ice, 20 men dead out of total crew of 33.
1883 Isaac Bell engages New York architect McKim to build summer residence in Newport (RI).
1884 Jeannette feels accepted into New York ‘Society’ attending Fifth Avenue balls.
1885 Isaac Bell Jnr is appointed U.S. Minister [Ambassador] to the Netherlands, serving from June 8 to April 29, 1888. Jeannette and family spent much of Isaac’s three-year mission in The Hague, with summers in Newport.
1897 Jeannette’s father-in-law Isaac Bell snr died. Henceforward Jeannette and her children increasingly spent most of their time in Europe, with trips back to New York and Newport.
1889 January: Jeannette (34), in New York, sees her husband die from typhoid fever and septicemia, aged 42. “Isaac Bell [Jr] gravely ill from typhoid fever and pyaemia, he was brought by steamboat from Newport, R.I., to St. Luke's Hospital in New York City.” As a single mother with three children between 6 and 9 years old, she spends the next 12 years in America;
she frequents society in New York & Newport, doing charitable work with top New York hostesses.
1900 Jeannette’s daughters (18 & 19) begin to be seen in society.
1901, 22 May, death of Mrs. Isaac Bell (nee Adelaide Mott), mother of Isaac Bell Jr., Jeannette's mother-in-law. With her daughters aged 19 and 20 Jeannette spends her time ensuring her daughters make good marriages. With both her in-laws now dead, Jeannette (46 years old) makes Paris her main residence – her daughters are debutantes.
1903 daughter Henrietta marries Comte Paul d’Aramon (his American mother was related to the Astors).
Jeannette & Miss Bell [Norah] are presented at court, in London, to King Edward VII & Queen Alexandra.
1904 Norah Bell marries Major Wilfred Ricardo, in London, well known in the shires’ hunting sets. Jeannette then spends a time in England encouraging her son Isaac (‘Ikey’) to marry - he finally succumbs in 1907, aged 28.
1906 ‘Ikey’ Bell (Harrow & Trinity College, Cambridge) Master of Foxhounds in Galway (Ireland), in society.
1907 July: Jeannette (53) looks to move to London, accompanies her son to Hurlingham for the polo season.
1914 Her brother, JGB Jnr (73) marries Baroness de Reuter (50). December, ‘Ikey’ now married to ‘Dolly’, has a daughter.
1918 July JGB Jr dies; in his American will he leaves $50,000 to Jeannette & an annuity to each of her children.
1919: Jeannette contests her brother’s French will and his trusteeship of her part of their father’s will;
eventually, in 1922, a settlement is agreed for the latter. Jeannette continues to reside in London.
1925: Ikey elected Master of Hounds at S. & W. Wilts pack, resides in Shaftesbury; wins sailing cups, like his uncle.
1834: Jeannette sees Ikey elected member of the Royal Yacht Squadron (Cowes, Isle of Wight).
1836 February 10: Jeannette, aged 81, dies in London, but was buried in Keith north-east Scotland), as per the Monumental inscription and lair record.
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