Henry Obre

Barbara Wettach Weds Shrewsbury Young Man Henry Obre, The Groom, Was Formerly

Her Chauffeur and Captain of Yacht

The wedding of Barbara Guggenheim Wettach, heiress to one of America's great fortunes, to her former chauffeur, Henry Obre of Shrewsbury, revealed Tuesday at Miami, Florida, and later denied by her second husband, Fred Wettach,Jr., former Deal riding master, was confirmed yesterday by members of both families.

The couple were married Tuesday, December 6, at Darien, Connecticut, in the presence of the immediate families. It was learned that Mr.Obre, who formerly conducted a service statfon on Broad street, Shrewsbury, is now vice-president of the L. Best company, 28 West Broadway, New York, a firm interested in engine patents and metal polishing devices.

Mr. Obre's mother, Mrs. Mathilda Obre, was present at the ceremony, as were

Solomon Guggenheim, son of the late Meyer Guggenheim, founder of the American Smelting and Refining company, and Mrs. Guggenheim.

The couple left soon after the ceremony for Florida, and December 16 they boarded a Pan-American airways plane for Nassau, Bahamas, returning the same day. They gave their ages as 33 and their address as 28 West Broadway, New York.

Mr. Obre recorded his occupation as "executive" and Mrs. Obre's as "housewife."

Mrs. Obre sought a divorce from her second husband, Fred Wettach, Jr., in September at

Alston, Idaho, on grounds of incompatibility. Divorce proceedings were called off, but she was again seeking her freedom in October. She filed a divorce suit at Miami, Florida, charging her husband with drunkenness and with possessing a violent temper. She asked custody of her son Michael by her first husband, Robert Ormond Lawson-Johnson. A week later she was granted a divorce. The Wettachs were married , in Montclair January 1, 1929, climaxing a romance brought about by their mutual interest in horses. They maintained an estate and stables on Hope road, Shrewsbury township, known as Trillora farms.

The present Mrs. Obre, then Mrs. Wettach, was a steady customer at Mr. Obre's service station, and last winter the Wettachs took Mr. Obre to Florida as their chauffeur and captain of their yacht. He spent the winter in the South and returned to his Shrewsbury home in late spring.

Mr. Obre, who operated the service station for several years, recently

sold the business to Elmer and Raymond Morris, formerly of Red Bank. Mr. Obre is a former chief of Shrewsbury Hose company. He was born at Shrewsbury, a son of Mrs. Mathilda Obre and the late

Edward Obre, was educated in the Shrewsbury grammar school and attended Red Bank high school. His brother, Edward Obre, proprietor of Shrewsbury market, is president of the Shrewsbury board of health. Mrs. Obre is a sister of the Viscountess Stuart of England and a cousin of Colonel

Robert Guggenheim. Her father, Solomon Guggenheim is the fourth of seven sons, born to the late Meyer Guggenheim, and holds the position of chairman of the exccutlve board of the American

Smelting company. Among his many land holdings is a vast ranch in Idaho,in Londnn he is remembered as the American who paid Mrs. George Keppal, a friend of Edward VII, $780 a week for her home in Groavernor Square. Last year he created a foundation to promote non-objectlve art, which is known as the Solomon R, Guggenheim Foundation. Mr. Guggenheim is a millionaire copper king and railroad magnate, He disapproved of his daughter's elopement with Mr. Wettach and cut her allowance from $7,000 to $3,000 a month, A report yesterday that the heiress had married her former chauffeur was denied by her second husband. Wettach and his brother Tony said that she and their son Michael had spent Christmas with them. They also said no final decree had been ordered in Mrs. Wattsch's divorce suit in Miami, but her attorney, William W. Charles, said that the final decree was signed October 24 and that it was absolute as are all final divorce decrees in Florida.

Edwin L. Best of Les Gertrudes apartments, Broad street, an intimate friend of Mr.Obre, is manager of the L. Best company at 28 West Broadway, New York city.

Source: Red Bank Register December 29, 1938

Henry Obre

MONKTON, Md. - Henry Obre, 64, brother of George Obre of 78 Madison Ave.,Red Bank, N.J., died suddenly Wednesday while visiting his ranch in Island Park,Idaho. Mr. Obre was born in Shrewsbury, N.J., the son of the late Edward and Mathilda Simpkins Obre, and lived here for many years. At one time, Mr. Obre operated a service station in

Shrewsbury. Beside his brother, he is survived by his widow, Mrs. Barbara Guggenheim

Obre, here, one sister, Miss Elizabeth Obre of

Newark, Del., and several nieces and nephews. Private funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Jenkins Funeral Home, Baltimore, Md.