The later owner of the present set of entrée dishes, George Dunton Widener, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest son of Peter Arrell Brown Widener (1834–1915), an extremely wealthy streetcar magnate, and Hannah Josephine Dunton (1836–1896). After working with his father on his various businesses, Widener eventually took over the Philadelphia Traction Company, developing cable and electric streetcar operations. Widener further served on the board of many other important local businesses, and was director of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. in 1883, Widener married Eleanor Elkins, the daughter of his father's business partner, and together they had two sons and a daughter. In 1912, Widener traveled with his wife and eldest son Henry to Paris to find a chef for their new hotel in Philadelphia. Their return to the United States was aboard the RMS Titanic, and tragically both Widener and his son perished when the ship sank. His wife Eleanor survived the disaster, and continued his legacy of support for the arts with the donation of stained glass windows to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania where their memorial service was held. She additionally completed in 1915 their 27 bedroom, 14 bath mansion in Newport, Rhode Island known as Miramar, which the couple had begun construction on in 1911.