Mishew Ellen Edgerton Smith (May 29, 1935 – September 1, 1981) was an American debutante and socialite. In 1953, she was selected by the Terpsichorean Club to lead the North Carolina Debutante Ball.

Early life and family

Smith was born Mishew Ellen Edgerton on May 29, 1935, in

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...

, to Mishew Ellen Rogers Edgerton and Norman Edward Edgerton. She grew up at Tatton Hall, her family's palatial mansion on Oberlin Road. They were members of

Carolina Country Club Carolina Country Club is a private golf and country club in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1910, it is the oldest country club in Raleigh. History Carolina Country Club was founded as Raleigh Country Club on April 15, 1910 (not to be conf ...

. Her father was a prominent businessman who owned the Raleigh Bonded Warehouse and served as president of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, president of the Raleigh

Kiwanis Club Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. In 1987, the organization ...

, and president of the Raleigh

Shriners Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic body, Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and has over ...

. Her grandfather, Noah Edgerton, owned a cotton mill in

Selma, North Carolina Selma is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010, its population was 6,073, and as of 2018 the estimated population was 6,913. Selma is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area. The area has a populatio ...

. Her grandmother was a niece of the philanthropist Richard Stanhope Pullen of Pullen Plantation. Smith was educated at the

Ravenscroft School Ravenscroft School is a coed independent private school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school enrolls students between Pre-Kindergarten and 12th grade, and serves 1,254 students. The school has three divisions: Lower School, Middl ...

in Raleigh, the

Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms is an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 3–12, located in Bethesda, Maryland. As of the 2021–22 school year, there were 667 students and 94 faculty. Since 2023, Penny B. Evins has been Head of School. The ...

in Maryland, and Junior College of Washington.

Adult life

In September 1953, she was presented to

society A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...

at the North Carolina Debutante Ball, where she was selected as head debutante. She wore a gown designed by

Willie Otey Kay Willie Virginia Otey Kay (March 17, 1894 – September 25, 1992) was an African-American dressmaker. She was known for making wedding dresses and debutante gowns for almost sixty years, becoming one of the most sought-after designers for women's f ...

for the occasion. On April 20, 1956, she married Alton Battle Smith, the grandson of Senator Willis Smith, at Edenton Street United Methodist Church. The ceremony was officiated by Bishop Paul Neff Garber of the North Carolina Annual Conference and Rev. Dr. Howard P. Powell. A reception was held at Tatton Hall. The couple honeymooned in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She was a member of the Junior League of Raleigh and, prior to her marriage, was a member of the Spinster's Club of Washington, D.C. Like her parents, she was a benefactor of Edgerton Memorial United Methodist Church in Selma. She had a son, Alton Battle Smith Jr., who inherited her father's company, and a daughter, Mishew Edgerton Smith, who followed in her footsteps as a lead debutante at the North Carolina ball. Smith died in Raleigh on September 1, 1981, and was buried in Historic Oakwood Cemetery. A pair of 18th-century

Delftware Delftware or Delft pottery, also known as Delft Blue () or as delf, is a general term now used for Dutch tin-glazed earthenware, a form of faience. Most of it is blue and white pottery, and the city of Delft in the Netherlands was the major cen ...

vases that once belonged to Smith were donated in her memory to the Joel Lane House Museum.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Mishew Edgerton 1935 births 1981 deaths American debutantes American socialites American United Methodists Burials at Historic Oakwood Cemetery Members of the Junior League People from Raleigh, North Carolina Ravenscroft School alumni