Eliphalet Wickes Blatchford (May 31, 1826 – 1915) was an American manufacturer. In 1837, the Blatchfords moved from

Stillwater, New York Stillwater is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States, with a population of 8,287 at the 2010 census. The town contains a village called Stillwater. The town is at the eastern border of the county, southeast of Saratoga Springs and ...

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, where Eliphalet’s father, the Rev. John Blatchford, became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. The family eventually settled in Marion City, Missouri, where John Blatchford became president of Marion College. E.W. attended

Illinois College Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree ( ...

and became a lead manufacturer in St. Louis. His success in this industry allowed him to relocate to Chicago, where his company became E.W. Blatchford and Co. which specialized in lead plumbing, animal feed, and wire for munitions. In addition to being a successful manufacturer, Blatchford was well known for his religious activities. He served for forty years as the president of the

Chicago Theological Seminary Founded in 1855, the Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) is the oldest higher education institution in the City of Chicago and was established with two principal goals: first, to educate pastors who would minister to people living on the new weste ...

, and also contributed his time and money to several mission organizations such as the

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...

and the Chicago Missionary Society. As longtime chairman of the Newberry Library's board of trustees, Blatchford oversaw the hiring of the Newberry's first librarians and did much to shape the institution, including developing its commitment to genealogy. The Newberry Library originated as half of the $4 million estate of the railroad and real-estate magnate

Walter Loomis Newberry Walter Loomis Newberry (September 18, 1804 – November 6, 1868) was the son of Amasa and Ruth (Warner) Newberry. He was an American businessman and philanthropist, whose bequest provided for the creation of the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illin ...

(1804-1868). His nephew Walter C. Newberry (himself a library trustee) and other surviving relatives showed keen interest in colonial New England and English lineage. Blatchford’s contributions continue to be present across the state of Illinois through his extensive work as a trustee of

, Rockford Seminary, and the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...

. As the executor of Walter Newberry’s estate, Blatchford also established the Newberry and was instrumental in early construction and staff decisions . Blatchford married Mary Emily Williams in 1858 and they built and settled in the first of two houses named Ulmenheim, which roughly translates to “elm home” in German. This house was destroyed in the Chicago fire, but was later rebuilt. The Blatchfords remained an active couple in Chicago, devoting their time to social and philanthropic activities until E.W.’s death. Following her husband’s death, Mary moved to Upper Montclair, New Jersey with her daughter, Fanny Blatchford. The Blatchfords had seven children, Paul (1859-1925), Amy (1862-1941), Frances May (Fanny) (1865-1919), Edward Williams (Ned) (1868-1956), Florence (1872-1874), Charles Hammond (1874-1953), and E. Huntington (1876-1905).

References

External links

Blatchford Family Papers
at

Newberry Library The Newberry Library is an independent research library, specializing in the humanities and located on Washington Square in Chicago, Illinois. It has been free and open to the public since 1887. Its collections encompass a variety of topics rela ...

E.W. Blatchford Papers
at

Additions to Blatchford Family Papers
a
Newberry Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blatchford, Eliphalet Wickes 1826 births 1915 deaths People from Stillwater, New York