author
Mary Theresa Leiter
A prominent figure in Gilded Age society, she was known not only as the wife of merchant Levi Z. Leiter but also for her long service helping preserve George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Her family’s story also touched British high society through her daughter Mary Curzon.
1 Audiobook
Biographical Sketches of the Generals of the Continental Army of the Revolution
by Mary Theresa Leiter
About the author
Born Mary Theresa Carver in 1844, she became Mary Theresa Leiter after marrying businessman Levi Ziegler Leiter in 1866. She was part of a wealthy and influential American family whose children included Mary Victoria Leiter, later Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston.
Beyond society life, she is remembered for sustained civic work. Sources from the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association identify her as Vice Regent for Illinois, a role she held from 1885 until 1913, linking her closely with efforts to preserve George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
She died in 1913. Although she is often mentioned in connection with her husband and famous daughters, the surviving record also shows her as a public-minded organizer in her own right.