Julia Wentworth Williams (1852-1929)

She was a native of New York, directly descended from Roger Williams (1603-1683), founder of Rhode Island but brought up by her stepfather, Marshall J. Allen, Senior Partner of the whiskey distributors Paris, Allen & Co. On her mother's side, she was descended from a number of the old Dutch families such as Van Rensselaer, Van Arnim, and Van der Huyden. She became well-known as one of the leading society hostesses in New York and Washington and is perhaps best remembered for hosting what was dubbed the "American Beauty Ball" at their home in Washington when she used so many roses to decorate the house that the city was entirely devoid of roses until several days later! She married the Edson Bradley and they were the parents of one daughter.