Amy Irwin Adams McCormick (1872-1939)

Amy came from an army family. Her father, Bernard John Dowling Irwin was an army surgeon while her brother, George Le Roy Irwin, a West Point graduate, served in Cuba, the Philippines, and Mexico. She and Robert were married on March 10, 1915 in London. They traveled through Europe to Russia before returning to Chicago and making their home in Wheaton.

Amy served as a Red Cross nurse during World War I. After the war, she focused on activities at Cantigny. Her farm interests included raising dairy cattle and her prize-winning Guernsey cows provided milk, butter, and cream. She enjoyed horseback riding and co-founded the DuPage (Fox) Hunt Club. Her appreciation of dogs extended beyond her personal pets; in 1928 she supported Orphans of the Storm, a no-kill shelter.

An accomplished artist, Amy collected Impressionist paintings and kept a studio on the farm’s south side. Many of her paintings are on exhibit throughout the Robert R. McCormick Museum. Amy died at Cantigny and is buried with Robert on the grounds.