[4], In the 1960s, Harkness became well known as a philanthropist and patron of the arts. In the first verse of “The Last Great American Dynasty”, Swift sings that the ceremony “was charming, if a little gauche / There’s only so far new money goes”. In the first verse of “The Last Great American Dynasty,” Swift sings that the ceremony “was charming, if a little gauche / There’s only so far new money goes.”. In addition to her marriage to one of the wealthiest men in the country, Harkness also became well known for her eccentricities, as well as her contributions to the arts. Before his death in August 1954, they had one child together; Edith Hale Harkness (1948–1982). [4], On October 1, 1947, Harkness married William Hale Harkness (1900–1954), the son of William Lamon Harkness, both Standard Oil heirs. Due to her family's wealth, she was raised by a series of nannies, and attended a finishing school after High School. The couple had a private ceremony attended by Rebekah's parents, her children Allen and Terry, along with William's daughter with his ex-wife Elizabeth. She was the second daughter of three children to Allen Tarwater West, a stockbroker and co-founder of G. H. Walker & Co., and Rebekah Cook (née Semple) West. She was brought up by a nanny who was chosen because she had worked in … However, the connection between the two women, despite being eras apart, may go beyond mere real estate. Others tell of sumptuous real-life figures like Rebekah Harkness, a divorcee who married the heir to Standard Oil — and whose home Swift purchased 31 years after her death. Rebekah Harkness was born in 1915 to a rich, emotionally frigid St. Louis family. Being a patron of the ballet was Rebekah’s passion. [2] Neither parent was involved in the upbringing of the children, leaving them to be raised primarily by nannies. The subject of “Folklore” music “The Final Great American Dynasty,” Harkness — née Rebekah Semple West — was born in 1915 to “a prosperous, emotionally frigid St. Louis household,” in accordance to the New York Situations, and in 1947 married William Hale Harkness, her 2nd spouse and heir to the Common Oil fortune. (Perhaps this is a tale that inspired the Swift lyric, “She had a marvelous time ruining everything.”) Fittingly, she and her finishing school friends dubbed themselves the Bitch Pack. Her 1955 tone poem, Safari Suite, was performed at Carnegie Hall, and in 1957 she released an album titled Music With a Heartbeat. Rebekah Harkness became one of the wealthiest women in America after she inherited her husband’s vast Standard Oil fortune when he died in 1953. The song focuses on Rebekah Harkness, a divorcee who famously married into the Standard Oil fortune in 1947, and patron to several New York City dance companies. [15] They divorced in 1965. Let’s start from the beginning. It’s here where Rebekah catapulted into high society. Harkness had already been married and divorced once when she married Will Harkness in 1947. Her marriage to William Hale "Bill" Harkness, an attorney and heir to the Standard Oil fortune of William L. Harkness, made her one of the wealthiest women in America. The mansion was once owned by Rebekah Harkness, a high profile socialite who famously married into the Standard Oil fortune. [1] Her grandfather founded the St. Louis Union Trust Company. The two purchased a mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, which they nicknamed Holiday House. In her day, Harkness was as much of a media darling as Swift is now, and often the target of unfavorable headlines and press coverage. Edward Stephen Harkness (January 22, 1874 – January 29, 1940) was an American philanthropist.Given privately and through his family's Commonwealth Fund, Harkness' gifts to private hospitals, art museums, and educational institutions in the Northeastern United States were among the largest of the early twentieth century. In her obituary, she’s credited with supporting the Joffrey and Jerome Robbins ballet companies. Before the performance, Swift explained the story behind the tune: It's about Rebekah Harkness, a real character who owned Swift's Rhode Island mansion before she did. [14], Known for having many lovers throughout her life, her final lover was a man by the name of Bobby Scevers,[14] a dancer who was 25 years her junior and a self-identified homosexual. A philanthropist. The widow went on to marry twice more, for a total of four marriages throughout her lifetime. Diving into Harkness ’ s apartment stories from Vogue, delivered to you daily patron, indulged... 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