I'm not sure why but what I am about to share is the fascination of history that makes me feel alive.
A friend gave me the book Empress of Fashion - A Life of Diana Vreeland. In the beginning of the book, they discuss the Diana's family tree. Her father, Frederick Dalziel, came from a middle class family and studied at Oxford for only a year - as this was all his family could afford. However it was enough to say he was an Oxford educated man. Mr. Dalziel moved to Paris in 1895, his clients ended up being the wealthiest of Americans who used Paris as their second home and playground (i.e. Fitzgerald's in the 1920's, F. Scott ironically born a year later in 1896), this group also ended up becoming his friends, members of the Gilded Age, a term coined by Mark Twain.
Diana's mother, Emily Key Hoffman-who met Frederick in Paris, came from a strong elite background. From her grandfather being part of Mrs. William Backhouse Astor's famous "Four Hundred" elite group in NYC - as Mrs. Astor could only fit 400 of her wealthiest friends in her ballroom at one time, to Diana's great-grandmother being part of the Southern elite. Sayings like "We're top drawer from Baltimore" and "Key holds the key", "Key" was Emily Key, whose lineage was connected to Francis Scott Key - the composer of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
Another fact to remember, F. Scott Fitzgerald's full name is Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, "his namesake (and second cousin three times removed on his father's side) was Francis Scott Key" the same composer. So does this mean - stretching far back - that Diana was somehow related to the incredibly talented F. Scott Fitzgerald?? This is where my mind is blown.
Vincent Astor's home - 130 East 80th Street, Manhattan
If I really wanted to push it, I could even tie in the Cushing Sisters, who oddly were from Baltimore as well, and who Minnie Cushing's first marriage was to the "multi-millionaire Vincent Astor". Vincent's grandfather was William Backhouse Astor, Jr. his wife, Caroline, the founder of the "Four Hundred". I will stop here as I am sure I am boring you now :)
