Edith Minturn was born on June 20, 1867, in West Brighton, Staten Island, New York.

She was the third child and second daughter of the shipping magnate Robert Bowne Minturn Jr. (1836-1889) and his wife Susannah Shaw (1839-1926).

[1] Minturn was educated at home, with music and French lessons, and went on a Grand Tour of Europe, as was expected of society women.

[7] So it was that she posed for his sculpture The Republic, which was a centerpiece of the Court of Honor of the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago.

[8] Peter Marié accumulated a collection of watercolor-on-ivory miniatures of society beauties, and she was one of those he selected.

[13] Edith suffered from a series of strokes in late life, and died on June 12, 1937, in her home at 953 Fifth Avenue, New York City.