Wharton was born during the Civil War however, in describing her family life Wharton does not mention the war except that their travels to Europe after the war were due to the depreciation of American currency. Fort Stevens in New York was named for Wharton's maternal great-grandfather, Ebenezer Stevens, a Revolutionary War hero and General. Her father's first cousin was Caroline Schermerhorn Astor. She was related to the Rensselaers, the most prestigious of the old patroon families, who had received land grants from the former Dutch government of New York and New Jersey. The saying " keeping up with the Joneses" is said to refer to her father's family. Wharton's paternal family, the Joneses, were a very wealthy and socially prominent family having made their money in real estate. Edith was baptized April 20, 1862, Easter Sunday, at Grace Church. Frederic married Mary Cadwalader Rawle their daughter was landscape architect Beatrix Farrand. She had two older brothers, Frederic Rhinelander and Henry Edward. To her friends and family she was known as "Pussy Jones". Portrait of Wharton as a girl by Edward Harrison May (1870)Įdith Wharton was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862, to George Frederic Jones and Lucretia Stevens Rhinelander at their brownstone at 14 West Twenty-third Street in New York City.
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