Virginia (Chase) Weddell (1874-1948)

She was born and brought up in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father had been a wealthy businessman worth some $250,000, but when his business collapsed he took his own life in 1900. In 1921, she was the childless widow of a wealthy St. Louis businessman. In 1922, she met Alexander Weddell while he was the American Consul-General at Calcutta and she was touring the Far East. They were married in New York City, May 31, 1923, and together devoted their time and resources to building Virginia House. In a thesis on her husband Nicholas Pross described her: "Mrs. Weddell was also tall and also had blue-gray eyes and blonde hair turning gray. Although not fat, she was a bit plump and, I would imagine, had to watch her diet. Mrs. Weddell must have been a beauty in her youth and was still very good-looking... Mrs. Weddell was more out-going (than her husband) but was always the 'Ambassadress'". She died without children.