Grace Alekhine
Grace Alekhine | |
---|---|
Full name | Grace Norton Wishaar |
Country | United States |
Born | Beverly, New Jersey, United States | October 26, 1876
Died | February 21, 1956 American Hospital of Paris, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France[1] | (aged 79)
Grace Norton Eisler Peeke Freeman Bromley Alekhine (born Grace Norton Wishaar;
Biography
Early life
Grace Norton Wishaar was born in 1876 in Beverly, New Jersey. Her parents were Émile Bernard Wishaar (born Weishaar in Paris, 1842,[3] died in Richmond, Washington on 8 September 1918[4][5]) and Marie Ida Smith.[6] The family moved to San Jose, California and then to Seattle, Washington. She received training at the
She married Whitney Irving Eisler in Seattle, Washington on 13 September 1897;[8] the next year her son was born there. He was known as Carroll Earl Beauchamp Peeke (1898–1991)[9] throughout his life. She married Oscar Graham Peeke in Seattle, Washington on 5 March 1902.[10]
Career as an artist
She moved to
One of the bright women in Mr. Harry Bishop's employ is Miss Grace Wishaar, whose picture we publish on this page. Miss Wishaar is interesting from many points, but she is distinctively interesting from the fact that she is the only woman scenic artist.
She began her work at the Herald Square Theatre, New York. That is, she was grudgingly allowed to make a trial there, after showing a persistence that no amount of rebuff could discourage. It was not long, however, until she won the respect of the men with whom she worked, for she never took advantage of her womanhood to shirk any part of her duty. Indeed, these men soon learned to refer to her finer, womanly understanding in the preparation of home scenes, and her settings for the various Bishop productions are particularly remarked for their dainty finish in their decorations of such scenes.[14]
By the spring of 1914, she was exhibiting her portraiture work at the Spring Salon des Beaux Arts in Paris: this also seems to be the year that marked her departure from the United States.[15][16]
She later married Archibald C. Freeman in Ceylon, a dual British-American citizen (he committed suicide in
Life with Alekhine
Grace, the widow of Freeman, had won a minor chess tournament in Tokyo, and played Alexander Alekhine in a simultaneous exhibition at Tokyo 1933. Her prize was one of Alekhine's books. She asked him to sign the book and their relationship developed from that moment.[19] They were married on 26 March 1934 at
After she died on 21 February 1956, the notes in Alekhine's handwriting were allegedly found in 1956 in her effects to prove he wrote the six-part Pariser Zeitung article, entitled Aryan and Jewish Chess, published in March 1941 (which criticises Jewish chess strategy for being defensive and praises Aryan strategy for its aggression). Although Grace was raised in a Protestant family and her mother, Marie Ida (née Smith) Wishaar, was an Episcopalian from New York, some writers have asserted that she had Jewish ancestry (surviving the Nazi occupation of France by residing with her husband in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).[23][24] Her son was raised an Episcopalian, and it is unlikely she practiced Judaism.
References
- ^ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, General Records of the Department of State, Record Group: RG59-Entry 205. Washington, DC: NARA. p. Box Number: 1015; Box Description: 1955–1959 France (including Corsica) A - Co.; entry for: Mrs Grace Aiekhine (Grace Wishaar), Date of Death: 21 Feb 1956.
- ^ Other spellings: Wishar, Wishard, Wishart
- ^ Familysearch
- ^ "Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2014 - Emile B. - Wishaar - Adele Dartman". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Person Details for Emile B. Wishaar, "Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960" — FamilySearch.org". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Person Details for Marie Ida Smith Wishaar in entry for Jennie Mcgraw Wishaar, "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962" — FamilySearch.org". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Grace Norton Eisler Wishaar - Artist, Fine Art Prices, Auction Records for Grace Norton Eisler Wishaar". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "digitalarchives.wa.gov Marriage License". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
- ^ "Person Details for Carroll E Peeke, "United States Social Security Death Index" — FamilySearch.org". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "digitalarchives.wa.gov Marriage License". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
- ISBN 978-0-8047-4875-9.
- ^ The Book of Jack London, Charmian London, Vol. II, New York, The Century Co. 1921, p.85
- ^ "The Pittsburgh Press". April 28, 1907. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ "Full text of "Club life"". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ AMERICANS AT BIG SALON.; Unusually Large Number of Paintings by Them Accepted THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 29, 1914.
- ISSN 1944-0227.
- ^ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, General Records of the Department of State, Record Group: RG59-Entry 205. Washington, DC: NARA. p. Box Number: 1442; Box Description: 1930–1939 Ceylon A - Z.; entry for: Archibald Christopher Freeman, Date of Birth: abt 1868, Date of Death: 2 March 1931, Place of Death: Ceylon.
- ^ a b "Chess Notes by Edward Winter". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ Bill Wall's Chess Master Profiles - Alekhine (Sep 24, 2005)
- ^ "Chess Archaeology". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Chess Notes by Edward Winter". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ^ "Alexander Alekhine - Génie des echecs de Russie et de France". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- ISBN 1-85744-330-6: Kasparov cites a statement made by her Swiss son.
- ^ FamilySearch.org. "Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965". Retrieved 20 April 2014.