Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon

Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon (born May 27, 1870, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died July 18, 1906, London, Eng.) was an American-born vicereine of India who, by virtue of her marriage, long held the highest political rank gained by an American woman.

Mary Leiter was the daughter of Levi Z. Leiter, merchant and early partner in Marshall Field & Co. From 1881 she grew up in Washington, D.C., where her family entertained many distinguished native and foreign personages. In 1895, after a two-year engagement, she married George Nathaniel Curzon, a member of the British Parliament, diplomat, and Asian expert. In 1898, when her husband was appointed viceroy of India and created Baron Curzon of Kedleston, Mary Curzon became Baroness Curzon and vicereine of India, which was then and for long afterward the highest political rank attained by an American woman. She proved fully equal to the elegant pomp and pageantry that Curzon relished, and she was furthermore his most steadfast supporter, especially as his early successes in the post gave way to frustration and failure. Her ceremonial responsibilities, together with the climate and other difficulties, bore heavily on her health, however. Trips to England did not restore her, and, by the time they returned to England after Curzon’s resignation in August 1905, she was failing.