The Red Rose Girls: Elizabeth's Proposal

"Rising Vigorously Out of the Earth
Was a Little Rose Bush"
by Elizabeth Shippen Green

"Cogslea was charming, the Red Rose girls' careers were flourishing, but things were changing - significantly. In 1909 Elizabeth Shippen Green's mother died and her father was failing. Violet began to harbor serious worries about the future, as the specter of Elizabeth's possible defection hung over the house like a dark cloud. In 1910 Jasper Green died. 

Elizabeth characteristically dealt with her grief without reducing her workload. She also made no move to honor her promise to Huger, who was in Boston waiting for some indication that her mourning period was over and that they were finally free to plan their lives together. His patience did not last. Having accepted a job as director of the Rhode Island School of Design, he planned to make his home in Providence and required a definite answer from Elizabeth - one way or the other. So sometime in October 1910, he took the train to the Allen's Land Station, walked down the road to Cogslea, and gave Elizabeth an ultimatum: marry him now or the engagement was over. Elizabeth was torn by indecision. She was thirty-nine years old and had been with her friends since she moved out of her parents' home at twenty-six. The four women had an agreement that she would violate if she left.

She must have felt somewhat vindicated by the fact that her companions were financially secure. Jessie's income was about $12, 000 per year. She was so prosperous that her friends affectionately nicknamed her 'the mint.' Violet had recently been awarded two important new commissions that seemed to ensure her solvency for many years. And Huger was undeniably charming and fun.

She told Jessie and Violet first. Henrietta came in from her garden later, and Elizabeth confronted her with the news. She had accepted Huger's proposal. Henrietta said nothing, just turned her back and walked into the other room where Jessie and Violet were waiting. Blinking back her tears, she asked her friends, 'How can she love anyone more than she loves us?'"

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Red Rose Girls: Art and Love on Philadelphia's Main Line" by Alice A. Carter.)