Noël Haskins Murphy

Noël Haskins Murphy was born on December 25, 1896, into the Havemeyer family, a prominent American family known for their involvement in industry and commerce. Her father was Charles Waldo Haskins (1852–1903), who co-founded the accounting firm Haskins and Sells, a predecessor of Deloitte. Her mother was Henrietta Sherman Havemeyer (1854–1928), daughter of sugar merchant Albert Havemeyer; her maternal uncle, William F. Havemeyer, served as mayor of New York City twice.

Haskins Murphy trained as a singer and participated in theatrical performances. She performed under the stage name Noël Haddon with the Washington Square Players, a notable theater group.

In 1920, she married Frederic Timothy Murphy (1885–1924), who was the brother of Gerald Murphy. Following their marriage, she moved to France. Frederic Murphy was severely wounded during World War I and died on May 23, 1924, from wounds sustained during the war. After his death, Haskins Murphy purchased a residence in Orgeval, a village in the Yvelines department, northeast of Paris, located near the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Old Communal Cemetery where Frederic was buried.

In 1931, American journalist Janet Flanner arrived in Paris and developed a romantic relationship with Haskins Murphy, whom Flanner affectionately called Noeline. Their relationship was relatively brief, characterized as a romance, during which Flanner spent considerable time at Murphy's residence in Orgeval. Solita Solano, a correspondent and Flanner's long-time partner, accepted the relationship and was a frequent visitor to Murphy’s country house. The relationship between Flanner and Murphy ended in 1933.

Following her relationship with Flanner, Solita Solano developed a relationship with Elizabeth Jenks Clark. In 1958, Solano and Clark relocated to Orgeval and continued to reside there until Solano's death in 1975, after which she was buried in Orgeval.

During World War II, Noël Haskins Murphy was active in the Comité Américain de Secours Civil, an American civil relief organization. She remained loyal to her home in Orgeval and refused to leave her husband's gravesite during the German occupation. Consequently, she was detained by Nazi authorities and interned in the Vittel internment camp.

Noël Haskins Murphy died in France in 1982. She was approximately 85 years old at the time of her death.