Chapman, Elizabeth Fuller

Elizabeth Fuller Chapman, was an American socialite and patron of the arts. Born Elizabeth Fuller in 1893 in Evanston, Illinois to Dr. Charles Gordon and Isabella Fuller, she had one sister, Dorothy. From a young age she was known as "Bobsy." Elizabeth was educated in Paris at the Villa Dupont, a boarding school for American girls. She received an education in art and literature and remained in Paris until she was 20 years old. She continued her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. After graduating in 1914, Elizabeth became active in several local women's organizations, acted and danced in local productions, and made regular appearances in Chicago's society pages. In 1916, Elizabeth married Charles Goodspeed ("Barney" to friends). Goodspeed was a trustee of the University of Chicago, among other arts organizations, and was active in his father's Ohio steel company. The couple maintained a high profile in the city, hosted popular parties at the Lincoln Park apartment, and traveled often.

In 1934, Elizabeth invited Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas to Chicago, an invitation that spawned Stein's strong relationship with Chicago. Stein and Toklas stayed at the Goodspeeds' apartment during their stays and it was at one of their parties that Stein was introduced to Thornton Wilder. The two remained friends until Stein's death. Throughout the 1930s, Elizabeth made trips to Paris, where she spent time with notable artists, writers, dancers, philosophers, and gallerists. An amateur film maker, Elizabeth sometimes filmed her visits to Paris and her parties in Chicago. She served as President of the Arts Club of Chicago from 1932 to 1940 and was responsible for inviting important cultural figures to Chicago for lectures and exhibitions. WWII forced an end to Elizabeth's visits to Paris but she remained in touch with Stein and Toklas until their deaths in 1946 and 1967, respectively.

In 1946, Barney Goodspeed fell ill and was hospitalized. After months of hospitalization, he and Elizabeth traveled to Castle Hot Springs, Arizona, hoping that the desert would help him recover but he died in February of 1947. In 1950, Elizabeth married Gilbert Whipple Chapman, a wealthy New York industrialist and future head of the New York Public Library, and moved to Manhattan and Long Island. Elizabeth continued her life of art patronage and involvement in art organizations in New York, including with the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Modern Art. In December 1979, Gilbert Chapman died. Elizabeth died nine months later of a heart attack, at the age of 87.

From the guide to the Elizabeth Fuller Chapman papers and films, 1932-1976, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)