Countess Annie Leary

Annie Leary (b. 1832 - d. 1919) was an American Papal countess, prominent society figure, and philanthropist in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New York City.^[1]

Biography

Annie was the daughter of the hatter James Leary who was a childhood friend of William Backhouse Astor Sr., then, later bought many beaver pelts from William's father John Jacob Astor and operated a shop in the basement of the original Astor House Hotel across from New York City Hall. She had three brothers Arthur, Daniel, and George who made a fortune in shipping during the U.S. Civil War. Arthur was a bachelor who Annie accompanied to society functions in New York City as well as Newport, Rhode Island.^[2] It has been suggested that James friendship with the Astors is what led to Arthur and in turn Annie's being the only Catholics to be included on Caroline Astor's "The 400". When Arthur died she inherited his fortune as well as his social prominence and recognition via the aforementioned 400 list.^[3]

Coming into large sums of money Annie Leary soon became an ardent philanthropist. Among her notable bequests was the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament at Bellevue Hospital (dedicated 1897 - razed 1938 in order to make way for a Bellevue administration building which encompasses a new chapel where the original stained glass panels including nine made in Munich remain today) the first Catholic chapel at Bellevue. It was dedicated in memory of her late brother Arthur.^[4][5][6]

In 1903 Pope Leo XIII created her a Papal Countess, the first such title to have been bestowed upon a woman in the United States.^[7]

Death and burial

Annie Leary died in 1919 and in her will she allotted $200,000 to the Archbishop of New York for the erection of a sacristy for New York City's new St. Patrick's Cathedral as well as a vault for eight (the Countess and her family) to be placed beneath the altar. It turned out however that the management of her will was delegated to a niece of hers who was not fond of the departed philanthropist and the money was never given to the aforementioned clergyman. Legal action therefore followed, and by the time the will was resolved in 1926 there was no money left to pay for the vault. Subsequently the Countess's final resting place is in the catacombs of the Old St. Patrick's Cathedral where she continues to rest in peace today.^[8]

References