Charles May Oelrichs

Charles May Oelrichs (August 27, 1858 – January 15, 1932)

Oelrichs was the grandson of Gesche Catharina (née Holler) Oelrichs and Johann Gerhard Oelrichs, a German merchant in Bremen. The Oelrichs came to America from Bremen around 1830. Conveniently, 400 was the number of people that could fit into Mrs. Astor's ballroom. Oelrichs was a member of the Union Club of the City of New York. the daughter of Chevalier Charles F. de Loosey, the Austrian Consul to New York. Blanche was also the sister of Emilie de Loosey, who was married to Theodore Havemeyer, a co-founder of the Newport Country Club. who married polo player Peter D. Martin of San Francisco. After his death, she married Heinrich Borwin Duke of Mecklenburg (1885–1942), the son of Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg and Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz, in 1915. They divorced in 1921. Henry Edmond Oelrichs (1883–1944), who married Esther Moreland (1890–1941). Blanche Marie Louise Oelrichs (1890–1950), the poet and playwright who married, and divorced, three times, to Leonard Moorhead Thomas, John Barrymore and Harrison Tweed. She also had a ten-year affair with Margaret Wise Brown.

Oelrichs died in Newport on January 15, 1932. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. His widow died later that year.

Descendants Through his eldest daughter, he was the grandfather of Charles Oelrichs Martin,

Through his son Charles, he was the grandfather of socialite Marjorie Oelrichs (1908–1937), who was married to band leader Eddy Duchin. Marjorie died six days after the 1937 birth of the couple's son, pianist and band leader Peter Oelrichs Duchin.

Through his daughter Blanche, he was the grandfather of three, including Diana Blanche Barrymore (1921–1960), who married three times (including to actors Bramwell Fletcher and Robert Wilcox) before her death which was attributed to a drug overdose.