Edith Neville (1885-1936)

             Edith Neville, one of Bloomington’s most wealthy and eccentric citizens, was born in Bloomington on August 29, 1885. She was the daughter of James and Nellie Bent Neville. Her father began his career as a lawyer. He was later appointed Postmaster of Bloomington by President William Henry Harrison, was elected city alderman, and finally was elected Mayor of Bloomington. Her mother, Nellie Bent Neville, was a much-sought after society woman from the same family that the Horatio G. Bent Elementary School is named after.

            As the daughter of the mayor, young Edith had a very privileged upbringing. She never attended school, but she was well educated by a private tutor. Her childhood home, located at 1101 E. Jefferson, was one of the nicest homes in the city. It still stands today as the headquarters of the Neville House domestic violence shelter, though the Neville family had no connection with the shelter except for the fact that the shelter occupies what used to be their home. Despite his rapid acquisition of wealth, James identified with the common people and disliked the ostentatious display of wealth common high society. These sentiments would remain with Edith the rest of her life. James died in office in 1909 and Nellie died in 1924.

            Edith never held an actual job, preferring to devote herself to charity, travel, and the study of art, particularly poetry. The 1902 Bloomington City Directory lists her occupation as “student,” which is quite accurate in light of Edith’s passion for the study of literature. She was personally acquainted with Edgar Lee Masters, Carl Sandburg, and Vachel Lindsey, all influential poets of that time period.

            In 1930, she constructed a “Poetry Playhouse” behind her home, located at 1002 Broadway Street in Normal. According to Melba Kirkpatrick, an Illinois Wesleyan University student who spent much time visiting Edith’s home, the Playhouse was a small frame building with a stage inside. The audience sat in chairs with writing surfaces on the side. Here, Edith and other local thespians would perform short plays and, of course, recite poetry. Although it is said that she did not have a great voice, nor did she pay attention to meter and rhythm, her passion for the poem came through strongly and often moved the audience. She is also known to have given poetry lectures in Bloomington and other places in Central Illinois.

            Her home itself was very modest for a woman of her wealth. She lived there with her housekeeper and two dogs, a large wolfhound named Libby and a pug named Hans. There are also references to a male servant named William West. Edith never married, probably because her wealth eliminated any financial need for a husband. However, she was a very social person and often entertained guests in her Playhouse. Because of the Playhouse, she became very popular in society, despite the fact that she had no aspirations to be a society lady and host teas, as was the custom of the day. Edith was a portly, heavy set woman who wore loose, light-colored cotton clothes. Unlike the other wealthy ladies, she was not interested in fashion or style and did not use her clothes to show off her wealth.

            However, despite her aversion to “polite society,” Edith was very active in local affairs. She was a member of both the Bloomington History Club and the Normal History Club as well as an active member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the Society of Companions for the Holy Cross, which was a national church organization for women. Every year, she attended their retreat in Massachusetts.

            Edith was also known for her love of travel. She visited Europe several times and, in 1934, set off on an 8-month trip around the world. Melba Kirkpatrick remembers Edith leaving New York Harbor on a freighter loaded with bananas. Along the way, she planned to read, talk to the crew members, and see exotic places, often in out-of-the-way locales that most Americans had never been to. In Hong Kong, she bought a little Chinese dog, which she named “Captain Silver Line.” Captain Silver Line came home with her and presumably moved in with Libby and Hans. In 1936, Edith planned another extended trip, this time to Kansas City, around the Midwest, and New York City. Unfortunately, she suffered heart failure on May 13, 1936 at almost the exact hour she was supposed to depart. She died the next day after being unconscious for over thirty hours.

            At the time of her death, Edith’s total estate was worth $125,000 (today, that would be $1,869,967), and her only living relatives were her aunt, Mrs. Horatio G. Bent and a cousin, Horatio C. Bent. The Bent family received a trust of $25,000, while the rest went to various charities. She left $10,000 each to St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Mennonite Sanatorium, the Amateur Musical Club, a personal friend, and her two servants. The rest of her estate went to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church.

Her funeral was held at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. Per her written instructions from a 1930 letter, all the flowers and church hangings were white. There was no music or sermon and every mention of her included a reference to her love of poetry as the “greatest of all arts.” Rather than being buried, Edith Neville was cremated, and her remains were buried at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery next to the bodies of her parents.