Mary Ruthven 1620-1645

Around 1620 Mary Ruthven was born to Patrick Ruthven.

1640 [her future husband] Anthony Van Dyck [aged 40]. Portrait of the artist's wife Mary Ruthven [aged 20].

On 27th February 1640 Anthony Van Dyck [aged 40] and Mary Ruthven [aged 20] were married at Queen Henrietta Maria's private Catholic Chapel, Somerset House. On that day, Patrick Ruthven, 'of St Martin's in the Fields', assigned £120 of his pension to Mary, perhaps in lieu of the dowry that he could not afford. Mary Ruthven had a small dowry all the same; it was provided, not by her father, but by King Charles himself. The difference in their ages was 20 years.

On 1st December 1641 [her daughter] Justina Van Dyck was born to [her husband] Anthony Van Dyck [aged 42] and Mary Ruthven [aged 21]. Her father died eight days after her birth. She was baptised on the same day as her father's death, 9th December 1641 at St Ann Blackfriars Church. She married 1653 John Stepney 4th Baronet and had issue.

On 9th December 1641 [her husband] Anthony Van Dyck [aged 42] died. His eight days old daughter Justina Van Dyck became the co-heiress with her mother Mary Ruthven [aged 21] of Sir Anthony's very substantial fortune, and in due course, she would also become the heiress of the Ruthvens, Earls of Gowrie.

In July or August 1642 Richard Price of Gogerddan and Mary Ruthven [aged 22] were married. She brought considerable wealtth to th emarriage being the former wife of painter Anthony Van Dyck.

In 1645 Mary Ruthven [aged 25] died. Her ophaned daughter Justina Van Dyck [aged 3] was left in the care of her stepfather, miles behind Royalist lines, while most of the fortune to which she was now sole heiress was still in her father's house in Parliamentarian London.

In 1653 [her son-in-law] John Stepney 4th Baronet [aged 21] and Justina Van Dyck [aged 11] were married. An illustrious match for him since she was the wealthy orphaned daughter of Anthony Van Dyck and Mary Ruthven although much of her fortune had, by this time, been appropriated by others. She the daughter of Anthony Van Dyck and Mary Ruthven.