On This Date in Minnesota History: April 22

April 22, 1920 – Dr. Maria Sanford, professor emeritus of the University of Minnesota and the best known woman in Minnesota, was found dead in her bed at the home of Senator Knute Nelson this morning. She was 83 years old.

Professor Marie Sanford1

Miss Sanford, who came to Washington, D. C. to attend the continental congress of the Daughters of the American Revolution was apparently in good health when she retired last night. When members of Senator Nelson’s household went to her bedroom to summon her for breakfast, she was found to be dead.

Physicians were called. They said her death was due to heart disease, probably caused by overexertion.

Despite her 83 years, Miss Sanford was unusually active and took a prominent part in the D.A.R. convention. At the opening of the session she delivered an apostrophe on the American flag. It was regarded as a patriotic masterpiece, and Miss Sanford had made arrangements to go to New York City to have the speech recorded on phonograph records, which were to be used in spreading patriotism in the United States.

Miss Sanford was one of the leading women educators in the country. She was born at Old Saybrook, Conn., 83 years ago and was professor of history at Swarthmore College from 1871 to 1880, coming to the University of Minnesota faculty in 1880 and retiring as professor emeritus in 1909.

The People’s Press; “Marie Sanford Dies Suddenly in Washington; Was Best Known Woman in State of Minnesota”; Owatonna, Minn.; April 23, 1920; p. 1.

¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Sanford#mediaviewer/File:Maria_Louise_Sanford_1910.jpg


For more information on Marie Sanford, visit: https://pjefamilyresearch.blogspot.com/2014/08/on-this-date-in-minnesota-history_6.html

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