Though not a Vanderbilt by birth, Alva Erskine Smith Vanderbilt Belmont must be mentioned. Born January 17th, 1853 in Mobile, AL to a wealthy Southern family, Alva became aware of at a young age that
girls and women were looked down upon by boys and men. Alva would respond to any boy teasing her for being a girl by beating up the boy in question, she
nearly killed the boy over such teasing. By her own admission, she was a horrible child, deserving every punishment her
mother gave her. After the American Civil War, Alva's family had lost their fortune and were living in New York City. Alva knew she needed to marry someone wealthy to regain status. That someone became William K Vanderbilt. Alva thought Willie, as she called him, wonderful. He was handsome, strong and most importantly, rich. They married in 1875 and had three children. A daughter named, Consuelo and two sons named William K Junior and Harold Sterling. Despite her marrying a Vanderbilt Alva still felt she and her husband were being ignored by New York City society. She particularly
resented the fact Mrs. Astor, the Queen of New York Society, had not invited Alva and her husband to one of Mrs Astor's
balls. Mrs Astor did not like new money families such as the
Vanderbilts who thought they could buy their way into high social status. Alva decide to hold her own ball on March 26, 1883. She would invite 1000
people, all decorated in elaborate costumes to her and William's mansion at 660 5th Ave, New York City. Mrs. Astor had to ask for an invitation. The ensuring success
of the ball with it being reported in every New York paper, made sure Mrs. Astor never forgot Alva and the Vanderbilts ever again. Alva was only getting started. After William H. Vanderbilt died, leaving William K. an estimated $65 million, Alva started spending that money. Jewels, artwork, and the largest yacht in the world at that time, named after herself, were all acquired. Then Marble house, an opulent summer home made out of Marble in Newport, RI was built. She made herself
notorious with her, my way or no way attitude. She shocked her
class when she did something unheard of in 1895. She divorced her husband. Divorces did not happen, separations did. But Alva was not common, she intended to do things her way, especially if she was the first to do it. The reason for the divorce was William K's supposed adultery. Some sources claim he hired a woman to pretend to be his mistress just to give Alva an excuse to divorce him, due to the marriage growing loveless. Later that
same year, she forced her daughter Consuelo, to marry the Duke of Marlborough. Alba threatened to shoot Consuelo's real love if she refused to marry the Duke. Alva herself married the following year to one Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, one of William K's old friends, son of a wealthy banking family. Alva would still live a life of luxury. As quickly as she turned the
world of high society upside down, redefining the scales of
grandeur and expenditure within, she walked away from it. And high society was glad to see her go only to became horrified when she became a suffragist. After Oliver Belmont's death in
1908, Alva threw herself into the womans rights and votes for
women movement. In 1909, she opened Marble House for a suffrage symposium, with herself being the headlining speaker. That same year she created the
Political Equality League to get votes for politicians who support suffrage. In 1912, she
led the Political Equality Division in the Woman's Vote Parade in New York City. In 1916 she and Alice Paul established the National Woman's Party and organized picketing in front of
the White House. She would be president of the NWP until her death and would purchase a headquarters for the party in Washington DC. Which is now
Belmont Paul Women's Equality National Monument. Alva Belmont would pass away January 26, 1933 at her funeral, her casket was carried with female pallbearers at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church. She is
buried with Oliver Belmont at Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City. A fascinating and iron willed
woman, Alva left her mark on the Vanderbilts, the Gilded Age and ultimately. American history.
