Ellen MacNeille Charles Collection

Ellen Brevoort MacNeille was born June 4, 1937. She was the first-born daughter of Adelaide Riggs and Merrall MacNeille and a granddaughter of Marjorie Merriweather Post. She had a younger sister Mellissa MacNeille and an older half-sister, on her mother’s side, Marjorie (Marwee) Durant. She grew up in rural Maryland on a farm called Happy Retreat. In 1958 she married George Dudley Iverson V. She had three sons with George, George (Lee) Dudley Iverson VI, David MacNeille Iverson, and Andrew Perrin Iverson. George and Ellen divorced in 1982. Ellen remarried in 1990 to Kevin Patrick Charles. Kevin died in 1991 and Ellen never remarried.

Ellen is well known for her work in philanthropy, horse racing, and dog showing. Ellen has served on the board of several museums and has also acted as president of the board of multiple museums. Most notably she acted as president of the board at Hillwood for 25 years, from 1989-2014. Under her leadership she transformed Hillwood into the museum it is today. She also acted as the board president for Tudor Place and the Museum of the Dog. Ellen has been active in the Maryland horse racing since 2004 under the name Hillwood Stables. She has won several awards for her accomplishments in the field and has had successful horses including Bandbox, Cordmaker, Phlash Phelps, and Post Time (named for her grandmother). Ellen is also active in the dog show world, where she has owned, handled and judged dogs. She breeds and owns dogs under the name of Hillwood Kennels. She has won several rewards for her work in the field.