Hortense McQuarrie Odlum

WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY     (Washington County, Utah)

HORTENSE McQUARRIE ODLUM

(business woman, philanthropist)

BIOGRAPHY

Hortense "Tenny" McQuarrie was born in St. George on July 17, 1891.

Hortense married Floyd Edward Manges on December 25, 1912, but he died.

Around 1915, Hortense married a local law clerk, Floyd Bostwich Odlum. Their first child was born in February
of 1916. Later in 1916, Floyd accepted a job with a New York law firm and the young family moved back there.

As part of his law work, Floyd became president of the Atlas Corporation which took over the troubled retailer,
Bonwit Teller, in 1934. Hortense was a good shopper and Floyd appointed her as president of Bonwit Teller.
Within two years, she had turned the store around from near backruptcy to prosperity. She stayed on as
president until 1940 and then as chairman from 1940 to 1944.

Hortense donated $17,000 for construction of the McQuarrie Memorial Museum named in honor of her pioneer
grandparents. She also commissioned her personal architect to assist in the design and construction. Hortense
spoke at the dedication of the museum on June 17, 1938.

She wrote a book called "A Woman's Place" about her experiences. It was published in 1938.

Floyd & Hortense were divorce in 1935.

Hortense married Dr. Porfirio Dominici, but that marriage was annuled in 1938.

Hortense died in Indio California on January 12, 1970.


FAMILY

Parents and Siblings:
    Hector Allen McQuarrie
    Ella Carr Gardner McQuarrie  
        Zella McQuarrie
        Hector Allen McQuarrie
        Hortense McQuarrie
        Laura Marie McQuarrie

        Annie McQuarrie
        Rulon Joseph McQuarrie

(8/8/1862-2/9/1926)   (married 12/4/1883)
(12/3/1866-12/7/1943)
(6/12/1885-7/9/1976)   (married Horace Hudson Walker)
(8/8/1888-11/29/1943)   (married Hazel Dolan)
(7/17/1891-1/12/1970)   (married as shown beow)
(11/23/1894-2/23/1950)   (married Elmer Miller,
    Clarence Walter Christensen, and Harold Edgar Hemingway)
(5/11/1897-5/11/2002)   (married Lorenzo Boyd Hatch)
(6/5/1901-8/5/1964)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)

First Husband:
    Floyd Edward Manges


(xx/xx/1884-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married 12/25/1912)

Second Husband and Children:
    Floyd Bostwich Odlum
        Stanley Arnold Odlum
        Bruce Wendell Odlum


(3/30/1892-6/17/1976)   (married xx/xx/1915)
(2/13/1916-3/15/1967)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(xx/xx/1922-xx/xx/1977)   (married Mareile Beate Erlanger)

Third Husband:
    Dr. Porfirio Dominici


(xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx)   (married xx/xx/xxxx; annuled in 1938)


PHOTOS

Painting of Hortense McQuarrie Odlum in the McQuarrie Museum
Painting of Hortense
      Hortense McQuarrie Odlum
      Photo of Hortense
      Hortense McQuarrie Odlum
      Photo of Hortense

Painting of Hortense McQuarrie Odlum in the McQuarrie Museum
Photo of Floyd Odlum
      Hortense McQuarrie Odlum
      Photo of Ella McQuarrie


REFERENCES

Wikipedia article on Hortense Odlum

Biographies.net biography of Hortense Odlum

Hortense McQuarrie Odlum's relationship with her nephew, Robert Walker

FamilySearch entry for Hortense McQuerrie

Hortense Odlum obituary from the New York Times, January 13, 1970, Page 45
For the New York Times version, click here.

Living History: Utahn revitalized Manhattan clothing store
Article by Ardis E. Parshall, The Salt Lake Tribune, April 14, 2012

Daughters of the American Revolution names its Women in History recipients for 2018
Article by Andrew Pinckney, St. George News, January 11, 2019