91 years - Alice Green Hoffman Timeline

Alice had a long life, and one filled with numerous complex social patterns. She was born and raised at a prestigious address during the gilded age in Manhattan and spent the last years of her life in a home deep in a rural maritime forest at the end of a dirt road. In addition to homes, she had a vast array of real estate holdings and business interest in the New York City area, Paris, France and Carteret County.  Much of these activities were going on simultaneously. She was widely travelled, making dozens of Trans-Atlantic, Tran-Pacific, and Caribbean voyages, all on the finest ocean liners of the day. She had many business associates and adversaries, a regularly changing cast of lawyers and advisors as well as personal staff and servants, with her at all times. The following is an attempt to organize these complexities chronologically by year and by Alice’s age at the time. As new and more accurate information becomes available this listing will be updated.   

1862 – age 0 – Is born on June 8^th 1862, the first daughter of Albert W. Green and Mary T. Butler. Birth takes place at home of maternal grandparents, Theron R. Butler and Mary W. Beach, on 5^th Ave and 34^th St., Manhattan, NY.

1865 – Civil War ends.

1869 – age 7 – Prior to attending school, her Aunt Eleanor Butler

tutors her.

1870 - age 8 – Has an extended stay at paternal Grandparents farm near Warren, Ohio, with positive effect on her health.

1870s – Father has suburban home in Brick Church section of East Orange, New Jersey. May have had animals—chickens and a cow.

1870’s – Summers in White Mountains of Maine at Profile House. Enjoys outdoor activities.

1872 - age 10 – Mother, Mary T. Butler dies from complications after birth of third daughter, Mary Butler Green.

1872 – Mother’s sister Helena Butler and maternal Grandparents help raise the girls. Father Albert Green away on business much of time.

1872 – Attends Williams School on 5^th Ave.

1878 – 1882 - age 16-20– Attends Miss Porter's School for Girls, exclusive finishing school in Farmington, CT.  School declined to provide dates of attendance due to privacy policy.  

1880 – Census shows all Greens (4) living with Butlers (3) in Grandfathers house on Fifth Ave, NYC, along with three servants.

1880 – Father moves family to Brick Church community in East Orange, New Jersey.

1880 – Census shows Alice’s friend Florence Learned “at school” in Farmington, CT, presumed to be Miss Porter's School.

1882? – age 20 - With companion Florence Learned, takes first trip to Europe.

1886 – age 24 – Grandfather Theron Butler dies. His will sets up trust for his three-granddaughters: Alice, Grace, Mary.

1886 – Inherits real estate in Manhattan and begins real estate acquisition. 

1888 – Sister Grace marries Henry Addison Alexander. (Henry and Grace Alexander's only daughter, Eleanor Butler Alexander, later marries Theodore Roosevelt Jr.)

1889 – age 27-  Is in Paris taking singing lessons from Madame Machessi. Leaves before Sister Grace has first child.

1889 – Niece Eleanor Butler Alexander is born.

1891 – Applies at US embassy in Paris for emergency passport June 27^th 1891, cost $1.00, providing the following information:

Left US on May 28^th 1891 staying at Hotel Normandie, Paris.

Plans to return to US within two months.

Description of Applicant

Age: 29

Stature: 5 ft., 7 inch

Forehead: high

Eyes: brown

Nose: straight

Mouth: medium

Chin: round

Hair: brown

Complexion: clear

Face: oval

Signature: Alice Green (clear, strong)

1890-1892 – Rents cottage in Southampton, NY, for three consecutive summers. In autobiography, she writes about an active social life, with many friends and beaus in Southampton.

1892 – age - 30 - Rents a residence in Paris.

1893 – age - 31- Rents summer cottage Newport, RI. Meets Madame de Hergermann Lindencrone.
1893 – In the winter, travels to Europe with Madame de Hegermann-Lindencrone. Spends most of her time in Denmark and Sweden, where she socializes with royalty, but also goes from Copenhagen to Paris.

1894 – age - 32 - Rents furnished apartment at 55 Champ Elysees, Paris.

1895 – age 33 – Rents property at 29 Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, and takes up residence in Paris. 

1896 – age - 34 - Travels First Class on SS LaBretagne from Lahavre, France, to New York City, with nine pieces of luggage, accompanied by maid Anna Ahlgreist.

1900 – age 38 – Father, Albert Green, dies. He owned Green-Joyce department store chain in Ohio and leaves estate to Alice.

1903 – age 41 - November, Alice returns to her home on Avenue du Bois de Boulogne in Paris after visit to St Moritz. Plans to travel to New York City in Feb 1904.

1905 - age 43 – Marries John Ellis Hoffman in Paris. Mr. Hoffman, born in Baltimore, is referred to as an international playboy.

1908 – Alice’s horse Flush Royal beat two Vanderbilt horses at the Grand Prix at Longchamp in Paris.

1908 – Gabrielle Germaine Brard, who will become Alice’s companion/maid on Bogue Banks is born in Maine-Loire, France.

1910  – Eleanor Butler Alexander marries Theodore Roosevelt III (1887-1944). (They will have four children, who make up Roosevelt Family Trust.) 

1910 - age 48 – Alice divorces John Ellis Hoffman.

1912 – Titanic sinks after hitting iceberg.

1912 – Her horse Flush Royal wins at Longchamp Hippodrome.

1914-1918 - World War I.

1914 – age 52 - Leaves Paris. Combat on the outskirts of the city. On July 25th, travels on SS Rotterdam from Bolougne and goes to Canada on landing. Decides “to conform to the French government’s request that only those who were compelled to, should return.”

1914 – Lives in New York City Hotel, while extensive renovation underway at residence 17 East 54^th St, NYC.

1914 – On passport application for self and French maid Seroy, describes herself as 5’7”

1914 – Panama Canal opens.

1914 – Theodore Roosevelt IV (1914-2001) born, later referred to as Theodore Roosevelt the third, TR III. He would be influential in the development of the Bogue Banks property.

1915 – age 53 - Sees advertisement for property outside Beaufort, NC.

1915 – Purchases 13 lots in Jamaica Hillcrest development in Queens, NY for $14,282, sold in 1923 for $13,500, on document made note to self “did better than others.”

1915 – First visit to Carteret County, NC.

1915 – Rents small house on John Royall “Isle of Pines” estate.

1916 – Social Register lists Alice address as 29 Ave Bois de Boulogue, Paris.

1917 – Alice’s Paris house occupied by niece Eleanor Butler Alexander Roosevelt who was in France doing war relief work.

1917 – age 55 – Buys 2,000-acre parcel on Bogue Banks from John A. Royall. Alice names her home there "Shore House."

1917 – Passport issued August 7^th, 1917, gives her residence as Paris, France. Passenger information indicates she leaves NYC on Aug 11^th, 1917 aboard SS Espagna, but all other evidence suggests she does not return to France during the war.

1918 – age 56 - Returns to Paris some time after WW I armistice.

1918 – Raising Holstein-Friesian cattle on Bogue Banks to give to France to replenish herds lost to war.

1919 – age 57 - Post Office Department establishes Bogue Banks post office at Shore House, appointing Alice postmaster. 

1920 – Women gain right to vote

1920 – age 58 - Passport issued August 13^th, 1920, gives residence as North Carolina. Plans to leave NY on SS La France departing Sept 8^th 1920.

1921 – age 59 -The New York Times, Social Notes reports “Mrs. Alice Green Hoffman gave dinner party at the Ritz-Carlton.”

1922 – John A. Royall sells west portion of Bogue Banks to Henry Fort, property later becomes Emerald Isle.

1922 – age 60 - Sails on the White Star line RMS Majestic from Cherbourg, France, to NYC, arrived Oct 3^rd, 1922. Gives New York address as 25 West 56^th St. 

1922 – Passport issued Oct 6^th, 1922, gives residence as Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, Paris.

1922 – Lease on 29 rue Bois de Boulogne not renewed.

1922 – Purchases Chateau des Landes, Suresnes, Paris, France.

1923 – age 61 - Begins purchasing land on the north shore of Bogue Sound near the town of Mansfield to establish a dairy farm.

1923 – Salter Path lawsuit establishes that Alice owns the land, but the squatters and descendants may live there.

1924-1938 – Ongoing legal disputes with French Government over property in Paris.

1924 – age 63 -Travels to China, as guest of British minister to China, Sir Roland Macleay. Travels with maid Charlotte Baumberger and parrot named Polly. Stays four months. Travel time was one month going.

1925 – Returns to San Francisco on Feb 21^st aboard SS President Lincoln, departed Yokohama, Japan on Feb 9^th, and makes additional four-day railroad journey to New York.

1925 – Major alterations to her apartment in her building at 12 East 61^st St, NYC.

1925 – age 64 - Arrives back in New York from France aboard the RMS Majestic September 29^th, and gives address in US as Bogue Banks, NC.

1926 – age 65 - Sails on RMS Majestic, departing Southampton, England, to NYC, arriving July 14^th,  and gives address in US as 25 West 56^st St, NYC.

1926 -- Arrives back in New York from France aboard the RMS Majestic November 16^th, gives address in US as 25 West 56^th St.

1926 – Bogue Banks post office closed.

1928 – First bridge connecting Bogue Banks to Mainland.

1928 – age 66 - Sails on RMS Majestic from Cherbourg, France to NYC, arrived Oct 2^nd 1928,  and gives address in US as 100 Fifth Avenue, NY.

1929 – Stock Market Crash. Depression begins.

1929 – Sails on RMS Majestic Cherbourg to NYC, arriving Oct 22^nd 1929

1929 – age 67 – Travels to Puerto Rico to visit Eleanor Roosevelt and children. Leaves from Miami abroad Pan American Airways flying boat, with stops in Cuba. 

1929 – Departs San Juan on Puerto Rico Line steamship Coamo, arrived NewYork on Dec 2^nd 1929, and gives address in US as 419 East 57^th St, NYC.

1931 – age 69 – Meets Miss Gabrielle Brard, her companion for the remainder of her life.

1931 – Returns to New York on RHM Majestic arrived August 18^th, and gives address in US as 419 East 57^th St, NYC.

1932 – age 70 - Extensive remodeling underway to her penthouse apartment at 419 East 57^th St, NYC.

1932 – Mrs. Hoffman now doing business as Eastern Properties, Inc. in NYC. 

1932 – Travels to Philippines to visit Eleanor during Roosevelt’s governorship of islands.

1933 – age 71 – Rides Indian Motorcycle from New York to Bogue Banks

1933 – The Atlantic Hotel in Morehead City burns to ground.

1933 – Sails on RMS Majestic Cherbourg, to NYC arriving March 22^nd. 1933. Gives address in US as 419 East 57^th St, NYC.

1936 – age 74 - Has disposed of her property in NYC by this time.

1936 – Georgina Pope Yeatman purchases Open Ground Farm.

1938 – age 76 – Suresnes property confiscated by French Government.

1940 –  age 78 - Paris falls to Germans in WW II.

1940 – Purchases Superfex Oil Refrigerator, non- electric for use at Shore House.

1940 – Transfers property to Bogue Banks, Inc. to protect from creditors.
1940 – Engages Frank M. Wooten, Jr of Greenville, NC as personal attorney

1941 - age 79 – Purchases new Packard Touring Car.

.

1944 – age 82 - Court finding assigns Alice irrevocable license to use Bogue Banks property, except two miles adjacent to Atlantic Beach (AB city west limit was at mile marker 2 ¼ at the time).

1944 – Alice’s lands under management of Roosevelt Trust.

1945 – Earliest electric service available to Shore House.

1946 – Alice’s companion/maid Gabrielle Brard becomes Naturalized US citizen.

1952 – Hoffman Beach development starts.

1953 – age 91 – Alice Hoffman dies at Shore House. Is buried in family plot in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.

1999 – Gabrielle Germaine Brard dies in Raleigh, NC.

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revised: 6/4/2014, 5/12/2017
To contact the History Committee