Montgomery Clift

=Ethel Blair=

=Ethel Blair=

A dubious story is related by Patricia Bosworth in her biography of Montgomery Clift about his mother Ethel's birth.  According to Patricia's report, she was told that Ethel "Sunny" had been born from the union of Woodbury "Woody" Blair and Maria "Bobbie" Anderson.  Maria had formed an attachment to Woodbury, but Maria's mother Elizabeth disapproved of the relationship.  Maria and Woodbury continued meeting without her mother's approval and eventually married secretly.  When her mother learned about the marriage, she either had it annuled, or forced Maria to do so.  She then kept Maria a virtual prisoner, sometimes guarded by her sister Sophie. (This part of the story '''might''' have occured in Washington, D.C.)

A dubious story is related by Patricia Bosworth in her biography of Montgomery Clift about his mother Ethel's birth.  According to Patricia's report, she was told that Ethel "Sunny" had been born from the union of Woodbury "Woody" Blair and Maria "Bobbie" Anderson.  Maria had formed an attachment to Woodbury, but Maria's mother Elizabeth disapproved of the relationship.  Maria and Woodbury continued meeting without her mother's approval and eventually married secretly.  When her mother learned about the marriage, she either had it annuled, or forced Maria to do so.  She then kept Maria a virtual prisoner, sometimes guarded by her sister Sophie. (This part of the story '''might''' have occured in Washington, D.C.)

Another rather interesting note, is that after I'd rapidly skimmed the list of contents of the "Patricia Bosworth papers" I saw no references to any member of the Blair or the Anderson family.  I find that a bit too odd.  If you, as an author, had heard such a bizarre story, wouldn't you follow it up to try to learn it's veracity?  If you, as a mother were "determined" to be acknowledged by your relatives, wouldn't you actually simply go to Washington DC and pester them directly in person, instead of writing dozens of letters that go unanswered?  Knowing that your father and mother are yet living?  I'm fairly skeptical of something here... I'm just not quite sure what yet.

Another rather interesting note, is that after I'd rapidly skimmed the list of contents of the "Patricia Bosworth papers" I saw no references to any member of the Blair or the Anderson family.  I find that a bit too odd.  If you, as an author, had heard such a bizarre story, wouldn't you follow it up to try to learn it's veracity?  If you, as a mother were "determined" to be acknowledged by your relatives, wouldn't you actually simply go to Washington DC and pester them directly in person, instead of writing dozens of letters that go unanswered?  Knowing that your father and mother are yet living?  I'm fairly skeptical of something here... I'm just not quite sure what yet.

Ethel married in Oct 1914 to [[#William Brooks Clift|William Brooks Clift]] who she had met while both were at Cornell University in New Jersey.  The family apparently traveled to various places as Bill was firstly an engineer "working on a dam" in Mississippi, and then a traveling bond salesman, possibly based in Chattanooga where he states he is living Jun 1917.  They reportedly had several hard years before Bill was nominated as vice-president of Omaha National Bank.

Ethel married in Oct 1914 to [[#William Brooks Clift|William Brooks Clift]] who she had met while both were at Cornell University in New Jersey.  The family apparently traveled to various places as Bill was firstly an engineer "working on a dam" in Mississippi, and then a traveling bond salesman, possibly based in Chattanooga where he states he is living Jun 1917.  They reportedly had several hard years before Bill was nominated as vice-president of Omaha National Bank.