Flora Stone Mather 1852-1909

          Born Flora Stone to Amasa and Julia Ann Stone in 1852 in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father was a philanthropist and one of the wealthiest men in the nation that endowed the Home for Aged and Indigent Women in Cleveland. She married her neighbor Samuel Mather in 1881 who also came from one of the wealthiest families in the country and had four children. This was seen as a marriage of love not just economics by those closest to them. Amasa Stone committed suicide in 1883 and Flora took over his philanthropy and also took on her own causes. Flora “focused on the physical, intellectual, cultural and spiritual needs of Cleveland especially the poor, women and children” (Haddad).

          Flora had incredible vision to the needs of her community. She not only started one of Cleveland’s first totally funded settlement house, the Goodrich House, but also funded it for its first ten years. The main purpose of the settlement was to make a better life for the immigrants of the inner city. The Goodrich house has moved and expanded, now called the Goodrich-Gannett Neighborhood Center, and still serves the community.

          Education was very important to Flora, specifically women’s education. At Case Western Reserve University she was the primary benefactress for the College for Women. She donated the Guilford House, a residence hall for women, and dedicated it to her former teacher Linda Guildford. She also donated Haydn Hall. She would frequently visit the residence bringing books for the sparse library and also bringing lectures and musicians that the women would probably never of had the opportunity to see.

          Flora did her work through others, leading by example and shunning publicity. She never sought credit for her work. Her leadership did not come from words but from actions. She has helped transform the lives of many through her donations of not just money but by creating places for the oppressed to grow. Her pastor Dr. Meldrom is quoted as saying “It was easier to ask for money than to thank her” and Flora replied “that as it should be. It is more blessed to give than receive.”  Because she never wanted recognition it was not until 1931 that her name was given to the College for Women making it the Flora Stone Mather College for Women. Some of her other endeavors include: The Home for Aged Women, Children’s Aid Society, Day Nursery Association, Young Men’s and Young Women’s Association, Welfare Federation, and many struggling schools, churches and colleges. Many of these organizations are still helping the Cleveland community.

          Flora died at the age of 57 of breast cancer. At the time she still was in charge of the large fortune of her fathers. She left it to thirty institutions consisting of religious, educational, cultural and welfare. Her family continued to carry out her work.

          At a time when women had very strict guidelines for their behavior Flora Stone Mather used her resources to help educate women and improve the lives of the underprivileged. She led through her influence and spotlighting the importance of health and education.

Works Cited

Goodrich-Gannett Neighborhood Center - Home. Goodrich-Gannett Center. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ggnc.org/>.

Haddad, Gladys. Flora Stone Mather: Daughter of Cleveland's Euclid Avenue & Ohio's Western Reserve. Kent, OH: Kent State UP, 2007. Electronic.

"A MILLIONAIRE'S SUICIDE - LAMENTABLE DEATH OF AMASA STONE, OF CLEVELAND. - Front Page - NYTimes.com." NY Times 12 May 1883. The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. NY Times, 12 May 1883. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40C10F73C5511738DDDAB0994DD405B8384F0D3>.

Smith, Helen. "Flora Stone Mather Center for Women: Flora Stone Mather College for Women - a Brief History." Case Western Reserve University - One of the Nation's Top Universities and the Best College in Ohio. Case Western Reserve University. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. <http://www.case.edu/provost/centerforwomen/women/fsm.html>.

Word Count:517