Jane Lathrop Stanford Papers

Sunday, Jan 24th 92

The Windsor

New York

Dear Tim & May -

I know it will interest you both to hear from us and know while around us there has been sickness we with God's protection have escaped even the entire household. We find it more like winter here than it is in Washington it has snowed steadily nearly all day. We arrived last evening. Mr. Stanford desired

STANFORD UNIVERSITY FUND

THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS

Mrs. Jane L. Stanford Gives Valuable Property to the Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and Will Have a Few Million Left for Heirs - Gifts Accepted.

San Francisco, Dec. 11. - Mrs. Jane L. Stanford has executed and delivered to the board of trustees of the Leland Stanford, Jr. university, two deeds of grant and one deed of gift. One of the deeds of grant covers all of the real estate heretofore given to the university, including the university campus of about 9000 acres. The other deed of grant covers the Stanford residence upon California Street, which is eventually to be used for educational purposes.

The deed of gift covers bonds and stocks heretofore given and certain securities not included in former grants. The grants are confirmatory in character and are made under the provisions of the Stanford university constitutional amendment, which legalized grants and gifts made to the university. This amendment was adopted in order to set at rest any question as to the validity of the original endowment and to prevent legal technicalities from interfering with future donations to this educational institution, which was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Stanford as a memorial to their only son.

The deeds delivered practically cover the grants made in the original endowment, which, however, is more than doubled in value, chiefly owing to the remarkable business ability displayed by Mrs. Stanford in the management of the vast interest left in her charge by the death of her husband. By these grants she has conveyed to the Leland Stanford, Jr., university, for the benefit of the people of California, about $18,000,000 in stocks and bonds, $10,000,000 to $12,000,000 in real estate, including the university buildings and equipments. All of the bonds are first mortgage and the stocks, with scarcely an exception, are what are known as gilt edge securities.

F. F. Lieb of San Jose, president of the board of directors, received the deeds on behalf of the board, and also took formal possession of the bonds and other personal property. Messrs. Charles G. Lathrop, Joseph D. Grant and Timothy Hopkins, resident trustees, were also present. The legal features of the donation were conducted by Mrs. Stanford's attorneys, Crothers & Crothers.

Notwithstanding that she has now given the equivalent of over $25,000,000 to the Leland Stanford, Jr., university, making it one of the richest institutions of the kind in the world, Mrs. Stanford has not impoverished herself, but is understood to still retain several millions for her personal use and to provide for the various members of her family. It is believed that the amount of her endowment to the university, which she aided in founding, exceeds in amount any similar gift in history.

the books in my homes, all periodicals, all things suitable for a library, I desire the Trustees to place, as soon as possible, in the new Library Building connected with the University. The ivory, painted breastpin, surrounded with small brilliants, picture of my son, and one of the same of my mother, and another with large diamonds surrounding it of my husband, I desire shall be placed and carefully pr eserved in one of the cases in the memorial room of my husband in Stanford Museum Building.

XXIV.

I nominate and appoint my friend RUSSELL J. WILSON, of San Francisco, California, and my brother CHARLES GARDNER LATHROP, and my friends TIMOTHY HOPKINS of Menlo Park, and JOSEPH D. GRANT of San Francisco, California, to be the Executors of this my Will. No bonds shall be required of them, either upon qualification as Executors, or for the performance of any of the trusts of this Will, either as Executors or otherwise.

XXV.

It is my solemn wish and desire that my dear brother CHARLES G. LATHROP, who has been unsurpassed in his devotion and loyalty to me through my trials and sorrows during the past eight years, and devoted to all the interests left me by my dear husband, should be retained in the Board of Directors of the Pacific Improvement Company as long as my Estate retains any interest therein. I hereby request that the Board of Trustees of the University shall retain my brother CHARLES G. LATHROP as Treasurer of and Business Manager for the Board of Trustees, he to receive annually the salary of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars each year, and I trust for my sake my dear brother will be willing to retain

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class of her own age. She enteres [sic] there for one year, giving special attention to french German and Music - also History. They do not allow a word spoken but French. Jennie thought she knew French at home but it did not amount to any thing. I am eager to see her. I hear from her twice a week. I will take her by surprise.

In Paris I stay at the Hotel Meurice opposite the Tulleries [sic] garden. It is a very elegant Hotel, quiet with best attention. I have been there since I came here alone. We always went in years past to the Hotel Bristol near Hotel Ritz but I could not teach my heart to go under present conditions.

Mary Miller is very happy that she is to see you again. I see them often. Give best regard to Tim and Lydia also remember me to dear Mrs and Mis Kohl. Ever Yours Sincerely

Mrs. Leland Stanford

cruel to her - the dear Doctor idolized this precious gift from God. I can only pray for them that Our Good Father who gave them their children will in His own way shed light peace, and resignation to His will.

I remain here 'till the 14th of Oct and then if I continue well, I start for Italy, staying a few weeks at the largest cities, going as far as Sorrento stopping a few days at Castellamare where I passed a week with my dear son in 1880. I will take a steamer from Naples to go to Alexandria en route to Egypt.

I have made two visits to the Exposition. I take it in small doses. There is much that is chaff that we can see in all Fairs. The Picture gallery has a Portrait of Queen Victoria that excells [sic] all else in the great collection. I hope you will try and see it.

Give my kind regards to Mrs. and Miss Kohl.

To Tim and Lydia my tender love - for yourself dear May the same love that I have felt for you.

Yours faithfully

Mrs. Leland Stanford