Philippine E. Von Overstolz

Philippine Espenschied Von Overstolz (May 1, 1847 – September 6, 1925) was a musician, linguist and artist.

Early life Philippine Espenschied Von Overstolz was born on May 1, 1847, in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Louis Espenschied (1821-1887), a wagon-maker owner of Louis Espenschied Wagon Co., and Catherine Weber (1824-1887). She was of German-Spanish descent. Her father was one of the first settlers of St. Louis. Through the affluence of her highly-cultured parents she was enable to enjoy rare advantages of education and full development of the talent she possessed. In early childhood, she had a well-equipped art studio, and it was at the time the only private studio in St. Louis. At the age of eight years, she won medals and other premiums for pencil-drawings and several studies in oil, and she continued to win premiums offered to young artists until her thirteenth year, when a serious illness caused by the effects of oils prevented further paint work. She took up the study of vocal music. In instrumental music, she commanded a knowledge of harp, piano, organ, violin, mandolin and banjo, and her proficiency was marked. She had an aptitude for language, and in Germany she was pronounced an exceptional German scholar for one born and bred an American. a member of the oldest living German family in the world, and twice mayor of St. Louis. They had six children, among whom: Charles Henry von Overstoltz (1880-1941), Ida von Overstoltz (1878-1961), Marie E. von Overstoltz, Catherine Philippine von Overstoltz, and Lucile Alice von Overstoltz Koeck (1876–1948).

In 1894 she remarried to Dr. Otto Edward Forster (1858-1920), a graduate of the Washington University Medical School in 1881. Forster was the son of Marquand Forster, a millionaire brewer. Despite being 11 years younger than her, Dr. Forster died in 1920, five years before his wife.

An anecdote says that she was the only young lady with whom President Ulysses Grant danced during his occupancy.

She died on September 6, 1925, and is buried with her first husband at Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.