THE DONORS OF THE "E.W. BLATCHFORD COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS"
Eliphalet Wickes Blatchford, a philanthropist and Christian
business man from the city of Chicago, 1826-1914.
He graduated from Illinois College in 1845 and later received
the degree of LL.D. from his Alma Mater.
He settled in Chicago in its pioneer days in 1854 and entered
into business there.
He was an active member and Treasurer of the U.S. Sanitary
Commission during the Civil War of 1861-1865.
For over 30 years he was President of the Board of Trustees of
the Chicago Theological Seminary, which institution later became
affiliated with the University of Chicago.
He was one of the two original executors and trustees of the
Walter L. Newberry estate, charged with the duty of creating the
Newberry Library, of which he became President of its Board of
Trustees, and continued in that position until his death in 1914.
He retired from active business at an earlier age than most
men in order to have more time to give to the promoting and welfare of
various institutions and philanthropic work in general.
He was trustee of the John Crerar Library.
He was President of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago
Manual Training School from its foundation until its absorption by the
University of Chicago.
He was a corporate member of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions and its Vice-President,
1885-1898.
He was connected with many other religious and educational and
civic organizations in his own city and country, and was always eager
and ready to promote the civic and artistic and hygienic and religious
interests of his city and community. A lover of arts and letters and
above all a man of integrity and magnanimity, a loyal follower of
Jesus Christ, through service to his fellow men.
This collection of photographs was made by Mr. and Mrs.
Blatchford at the time of several journeys to Europe and the Near
East, and is given to the University by their daughter, Mrs. Howard
Bliss, the widow of the second President of the American University of
Beirut.
