Daisy Polk

Daisy Polk (April 23, 1874 in St. Louis, Missouri January 20, 1963 in Paris, France[1]) was an American woman who became Comtesse de Buyer-Mimeure after marrying French Army General Marie Joseph Louis Robert de Buyer.

Polk was a prominent woman from San Francisco (she was the sister of architect Willis Polk and related to President Polk[2]). Active in the American relief effort during World War I, she was assigned the reconstruction of the French village of Vitrimont,[3] with monies supplied by Mrs. Crocker of San Francisco; Vitrimont was the first of a number of villages restored with American aid.[4] She and de Buyer met by chance in Vitrimont in 1916: when her car broke down, de Buyer offered his assistance; a year later they were married,[5] in September.[6] Her husband had been in command of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. In 1915 he became commander of the Third Cavalry Corps (France), and a year later of the Second Army Corps (France).[5][7] He retired in 1917.[8] The wedding was attended by such notables as General Pétain.

In 1920, Polk was named a Legion Chevalier.,[9][10]

In the 1930s, Comtesse de Buyer-Mimeure, a well-known public figure,[11] was active with the Catholic Sewing Circle in Passy.[12]

References

  1. "Daisy Polk De Buyer-Mimeure (1874-1963)". Find A Grave. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  2. French, Janie Preston Collup (1918). Notable Southern Families, Vol. 1. Lookout. p. 179.
  3. "Frenchman Weds American: Miss Daisy Polk Was in Charge of Reconstructing Vitrimont". The Spokesman-Review. 20 September 1917. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  4. McDonald, William (1922). Reconstruction in France. Macmillan. p. 283.
  5. "Miss Polk now a Countess: Her French Soldier Husband is Count de Buyer Mimeuse" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 September 1917. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  6. O'Shaughnessy, Edith (1918). My Lorraine Journal. Harper & Brothers. p. 162.
  7. "Double Program at Insull Farm War Benefit Tomorrow". Chicago Daily Tribune. 21 September 1917.
  8. "General, Wedded, is Now Retired". Los Angeles Times. 23 September 1917. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  9. "California Girl, Wife of French General, is Legion Chevalier". Chicago Daily Tribune. 22 September 1920. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  10. http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/leonore_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_98=REF&VALUE_98=c-221288
  11. Birkhead, May (4 December 1932). "Americans Attend a Service in Paris; Annual Thanksgiving Ceremony at Church of Madeleine an Impressive Event. Exhibitions are Feature; Aeronautic and Marine Salons Lend Added Interest to the Capital -- Society Sees La Argentina". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  12. Birkhead, May (17 December 1933). "Americans Attend Paris Sewing Circle; Comtesse de Bayer-Mimeare Entertains Society Women at Passy Chateau". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
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