Barnes, Bertha Ludington 24.nov.1869-19.aug.1913 USA Illinois, Chicago - Switzerland, Leysin
pianist, singer, graduate of the Ogontz School Philadelphia, 1895 already an accomplished musician and composer at the age of 25 she married the 39 year old millionaire lawyer Clinch-Smith who was a popular figure in New York society and was one of Mrs. Astor's '400', the couple became well known in New York and Long Island society, they resided in Smithtown Long Island, a town founded by her husband's ancestors, 1904 they moved to Paris, where she pursued her musical career and received much attention for organizing an all-female orchestra, her husband spent most of his time in Paris but returned to America at least once every year, by 1911 her obsession with music was causing problems in the marriage and there were rumors of a divorce, her husband returned to Smithtown in April 1911, but January 1912 returned to Paris at Bertha's request who agreed to give up her career and go back to live at Smithtown, it was decided that her husband would go back alone and she would follow in a few months, on his return to New York he perished on the Titanic, she died 16 months later from tuberculosis at a sanatorium in Leysin ; daughter of director American Book Co. and rentier Charles Joseph Barnes (Indiana, Evansville 26.jul.1837-10.jul.1921 Switzerland, Vevey) and Mary Ludington (Milwaukee 17.jul.1847-3.aug.1922 New York at Waldorf Astoria) ; 5.jun.1895 at Grace Episcopal Church in Chicago she married James Clinch Smith 'Clinch-Smith' (Smithtown 3.apr.1856-15.apr.1912 on the Titanic) ; they had no children