In The Napoleon dynasty, or, The history of the Bonaparte family (New York, 1852), plate opposite p. 451., In 1803, Elizabeth ("Betsy") Patterson married Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860), the youngest brother of Napoleon I. The wedding took place in Baltimore, Maryland. Her taste in clothing, inspired by then-current European fashions, provoked criticism as immodest. Complying with Napoleon’s orders, her husband returned to Europe and effectively abandoned her., Waist-length portrait of the Maryland native, wearing a garment with a low neckline.
