Julian de Ovies and Eleanor, nee Cassidy

[shellyesq]

A drawing of Julian is in an ad/faux newspaper article here - https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-courier/147431735/

Minnie/Countess Blanca's obituary is here - https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-obituary-for-countess-b/147431954/

[hanes teulu]

There's more newspaper stuff out there about Julian than you can shake a stick at - but the bulk relates to specific years eg 1906 and 1910.
I've seen reference in the papers to his 1891 marriage thru' Blanca's 1927 death - they married in Spain. Any confirmation of this?

[shellyesq]

The son Julian died by suicide in 1897 in Michigan.  The newspaper article about it seemed to be suspicious of his father's reported nobility.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/147447495/

The Countess had a fake ad mentioning her Spanish ancestors in various newspapers in 1901.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean/147447297/

The Countess opened a school of psychology in Atlantic City.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-times/147447193/ 

[shellyesq]

In her passport application, Minnie claimed that they married in 1891 in New York City.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-N6RP

I didn't see any likely matches for that marriage. 

[liverpoolgenealogy]

Hi everyone, thank you all for your interest. It has all proved much valuable help. 

I haven't found any evidence of a marriage between Julian and Minnie, and I've always been rather sceptical of if they did actually marry.

Thanks to one of the newspaper articles, I think by early 1888, Eleanor and Julian were still together, when Julian and George Cassidy arrived in Buffalo.

I haven't really looked into Julian's family, or the legitimacy of his claims about his wealth and nobility from his heritage, but it certainly seems like he was a wealthy and important man.

I will contact the Liverpool Record Office about Eleanor's records from the Rainhill Asylum, I've had other relatives in there, and the records they provide (at least by the 1930s) were very numerous, so hopefully there may be some more information there about her life and what happened to her relatives. 

[JenTheRevelator]

I'm coming a little late to the party, but I am the historian for the cemetery where Countess De Ovies is at rest.  Her maiden name was Minnie Blanche McDonald and she was from Coshocton, Ohio.  Very interesting woman--she started as a palmist, wrote a book called "Psycho Palmistry Key" and eventually made a name for herself as a criminal psychologist.  She and Julian spent at least one summer in the Spiritualist town of Lily Dale, New York, as instructors.  Most of what I have found on them is readily available, but I've been researching the Countess for years now and would be happy to answer any questions or provide any info as necessary.

Pages 130-130 of her book contain a biography of Julian, as well as an analysis of his palm. The full text of her book can be found here:  http://iapsop.com/ssoc/1900__de_ovies___psycho-palmistry_key.pdf

I hope this is helpful.