Anita Lihme

Anita Hegeler Griswold (née Lihme), formerly Princess Edward Joseph de Lobkowicz (4 November 1903 – 14 May 1976)[1] was an American golfer, businesswoman, and real estate broker. She served as vice president of Douglas Gibbons-Hollyday & Ives. Through her first marriage, she was a princess of the House of Lobkowicz, a Bohemian noble family.

Anita Lihme
Princess Edward Joseph de Lobkowicz
BornAnita Hegeler Lihme
(1903-11-04)November 4, 1903
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 14, 1976(1976-05-14) (aged 72)
Spouse
Prince Edward Joseph de Lobkowicz
​
​
(m. 1925; died 1959)​

Erwin Hoy Watts
​
​
(m. 1960; died 1964)​

John Carroll Griswold
​
​
(m. 1972)​
IssuePrince Edouard de Lobkowicz
Countess Charles-Louis de Cosse-Brissac
HouseLobkowicz (by marriage)
FatherC. Bai Lihme
MotherOlga Hegeler
OccupationGolfer, businesswoman, real estate broker

Early life

Lihme was born on November 4, 1903, in Chicago to Olga (née Hegeler) Lihme and C. Bai Lihme.[2][3] Among her siblings were brothers Harold Hegeler Lihme and Edward Hegeler Lihme,[3] and sister Olga Lihme, who married Clement A. Griscom, a grandson of Clement Griscom.[4]

Her mother was a founder of the Watch Hill Yacht Club,[2] was the daughter of German-born American zinc manufacturer Edward C. Hegeler.[5] Her father, who was born in Denmark and came to America in 1899, was a chemist, industrialist, and art collector.[6][7]

Education and career

Lihme was educated at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, and attended Vassar College.[8]

She had a successful career as an amateur golfer,[9][10] and before her first marriage, was "woman champion of the Misquamicut Golf Club at Watch Hill." Lihme, who was known professionally as Mrs. Lobkowicz, began working as a real estate broker in 1951 and served as the vice president of Douglas Gibbons-Hollyday & Ives,[6] until her retirement in 1972.[1]

Personal life
Anita's son on his wedding day in 1960.

On 29 August 1925,[11] Lihme married Prince Edward Joseph de Lobkowicz (1899–1959) in a Catholic ceremony at Watch Hill Union Chapel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island.[12][13][14] A reception was held at her family's summer home, Normal Hall.[15] He was a son of the former Countess Palermy of Bohemia and Prince August de Lobkowicz, Privy Counselor and Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor Franz Josef.[11] After their marriage they lived at 280 Park Avenue, and later, 164 East 72nd Street, in New York City. Before Prince Edward's death in Freiburg, Germany in January 1959, they were the parents of three children, two boys and a girl:[16]

After the death of her first husband, Anita married Erwin Hoy Watts, at St. Vincent Ferrer's Church in Manhattan in May 1960.[24][25] Watts, a son of Ridley Watts and descendant of Henry Grinnell who had served with the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, won the Croix de Guerre for heroism as a volunteer ambulance driver with the American Field Service in France. After the war he joined the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration that aided displaced persons in Greece.[26] Watts, who had previously been married to Alice Wheelock and Elizabeth S. Peet,[25] died in 1964.[26]

On 15 January 1972, Lihme married a third time to American business executive John Carroll Griswold in an ecumenical ceremony at Brick Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. The ceremony, a joint Catholic and Presbyterian wedding, was performed by Monsignor James G. Wilders of St. Thomas More Catholic Church and the Rev. Dr. Victor L. Baer of Brick Presbyterian.[6] Griswold, a son of Harry Ross Griswold, was the founder and president of Griswold & Co., an insurance brokerage company that was acquired by Marsh & McLennan. At the time of their wedding, he was a senior vice president and director of Eastman Dillon, Union Securities & Co., Inc. investment bankers and brokers.[6] From his first marriage to Marguerite Bessire, he was the father of David Ross Griswold and a daughter who married John Vincent Earl.[6]

She died on May 14, 1976 at her home, 50 East 77th Street in New York City. After a funeral at St. Thomas More's Roman Catholic Church, she was buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Macon County, Illinois.[1]

References
  1. "Anita L. Griswold, Former Executive In Real Estate, Dies" (PDF). The New York Times. 15 May 1976. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  2. "Mrs. C. Bai Lihme" (PDF). The New York Times. 10 November 1956. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  3. "BAI LIHME DIES; RETIRED CHEMIST; Former Head of Zinc Company in Illinois--Made Hobby of Collecting Classic Art Art Objects Wrecked Official of Many Firms". The New York Times. 16 October 1946. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  4. "MISS LIHME TO WED CLEMENT A. GRISCOM; Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Bai Lihme Engaged--Admiral Fletcher's Daughter to Marry" (PDF). The New York Times. 30 December 1922. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  5. "C. Bai Lihme Residence - New York City". www.nycago.org.
  6. "Princess Edward de Lobkowicz Wed to John Griswold, Broker" (PDF). January 16, 1972 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. "C. BAI LIHME BUYS A FAMOUS VAN DYCK; New Collector Believed to Have Paid $200,000 for" (PDF). The New York Times. 26 February 1925. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  8. College, Vassar (July 9, 1920). Annual Catalogue. p. 218 – via Internet Archive.
  9. Hadden, Briton (July 9, 1923). "Time". Time Incorporated – via Google Books.
  10. "Golf Illustrated". July 9, 1923 – via Google Books.
  11. "Marriage of Miss Lihme and Prince Lobkowicz" (PDF). The New York Times. 23 August 1925. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. Yo'rlc 2imes, SpeciaZ to The 2V-ev (August 11, 1925). "ANITA LIHME'S BRIDAL.; Attendants for Her Marriage to Prince Lebkowlcz on Aug, 29" – via NYTimes.com.
  13. Koenig, Marlene Eilers (August 29, 2011). "Royal Musings: Anita weds her prince".
  14. Semans, Barbara Broome (February 26, 2009). John Broome and Rebecca Lloyd Vol. I: Their Descendants and Related Families 18Th to 21St Centuries. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781462811137 – via Google Books.
  15. "The Sunday Morning Star - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  16. "PRINCE LOBKOWICZ, A BROKER HERE, 59" (PDF). The New York Times. 3 January 1959. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  17. "Prince, Princess Will Be Married In Paris on Jan. 7; Edward de Lobkowicz Fiance of Francoise of Bourbon-Parma" (PDF). The New York Times. 14 December 1959. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  18. "Princess, Prince Wed in Cathedral Of Notre Dame; Francoise of Bourbon- Parma and Edward de Lobkowicz Married" (PDF). The New York Times. 8 January 1960. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  19. Pace, Eric (8 May 1984). "Body of Prince Found Near Paris". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  20. "A Son to Princess Lobkowicz" (PDF). The New York Times. 12 November 1928. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  21. "GEORGE C. LOBKOWICZ" (PDF). The New York Times. 26 August 1950. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  22. "Count to Marry Miss Lobkowicz, 1955 Debutante; Charles Louis de Cosse Brissac and Daughter of Prince Engaged" (PDF). The New York Times. 24 July 1958. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  23. "Comte Brissac, New York Girl Wed in France; Veteran of French Army Marries Miss Anita Olga de Lobkowiczs" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 September 1958. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  24. "Mrs. de Lobkowicz to Wed" (PDF). The New York Times. 19 May 1960. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  25. "Princess Married To Erwin H. Watts" (PDF). The New York Times. 25 May 1960. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  26. "Erwin H. Watts, 61; Decorated by Paris". The New York Times. 11 April 1964. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
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