Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-04-14
MISS ANNA 8. G. BLAKE.
The BenefactIOns OF Former Boston
woman who Was the Daughter OF
Noted Native OF Brsttleboro.

Vomsn who Was the Daughter or
Noted Native OF Brattleboro.
There will be interest hereabout in tho
news from Santa Barbara, CAL, Of the
charitable requests made by the will ~
Miss Anna S. G. Blake of that city, who
was the daughter of the late George Baty
Blake of Boston, founder Of the Boston
firm of Blake Bros. 81 Co.
George Baty Blake went from Brattle
boro to Boston when he was young man.
He amassed a fortune as an importer Of
dry goods. One of his partners was the
late Edward II. r. Lyman, who gave the
Academy of Music to Northampton. Mr.
Blake afterward became one Of the best.
known bankers in this country and his
older brother, John r. Blake, was his
partner. The pictures Of George Baty
Blake and John Rice Blake hang on the
wall of the Brattleboro town hall.
Miss Blake had been a resident OF Santa
Barbara for IA years, and had done many
generous deeds. She was born in Boston.
but spent a large portion of her youth
travelling in Europe, where she studied art
and the sciences. About Il years AGO
she went to Santa Barbara and bought
property called Miradero, on one of the
hills lust west of the old mission, where
she erected a handsome residence. This
property is estimated to be worth $50, 900
Soon after she began working in the inter
est of the manual training school of Santa
Barbara, and into this she put $4,000 or
more. In November, 1891, she established
a cooking department, and in 1892 inaugu-
rated the sloyd movement in the West
These classes we're so successful that in
1893 she put up building, in which the
school is now located, equipping it and
furnishing teachers, whose salaries she
paid. In 1895 the school was incorporat-
ed into the city system, and the whole
property was decided to Il city, the deed
TO take effect in June of this year. Her
last public work was placing In the school
several hundred dollars worth of splendid
ly selected casts representing the worlds
best sculpture, and a collection of large,
framed photographs representing the
scenes of her European travel.
On March Fl Miss Blake died, leaving
the whole city in mourning. Her funeral
three days later brought out almost every
person in the city, and last Monday the
assembled school children of the city held
a memorial service in her honor. Accord
ing to the will the Miradero property is to
be turned into a hospital for GONZALES
cents" and $500 is given in trust to
DR.. Philip K. Brown of San Francisco,
for the institution. This gift is by far the
largest of the will. The furniture of the
house, which is elegant, goes with the gift,
but all other private effects go to private
parties. Two other hospitals will also re-
ceive endowments Of $4,000 each. One
is the Cottage hospital at Santa Barbara
and the other is the Massachusetts general
hospital of Boston. These endowments
are TO be invested and are to pay for free
beds in the hospitals. whatever is left over
going to the general uses of the institu-
tions. The old mission of Santa Barbara
receives $1,000, and an annuity of $500
goes to the city for the manual training
school. Allen A. Brown of Boston is given
$4,000 as are also an aunt and an uncle.
A number of Santa Barbara people
come in for considerable sums. Miss Ed
ma Rich, principal of the training school,
receives 5000; Miss Spurgeon, also a
teacher, $1,000, and Miss Blake's physi-
clan, DR.. Robert Mckinley, gets $4,000. as
does Harry Lincoln of the First national
bank. Many others receive gifts from
$500 to $1,000, some of the Miradero
employees receiving as high as $1,000. The
residue of the estate, which is worth about
$780, 200, goes to Miss Blake's nephews
and nieces, each of whom is personally re-
membered with $1,000.