Philanthropist. She received notoriety for being the organizer and first president of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Board of Managers, a much needed-hospital in St. Louis, Missouri serving the city's sick and indigent children. She had lost two children to infectious diseases; one was a six year old daughter. After having an afternoon tea in her home as a planning session, she and twenty prominent women raised $4,500 to purchase a building in downtown St. Louis at 2834 Franklin Avenue. The certificate of incorporation that was filed on May 6, 1879 named only women: Besides Blair, there were Mary W. McKittrick, Caroline B. Treat, Margaret H. DeWolf, Rebecca Webb, Cherrel l W. Parker, Virginia E. Stevenson, and M. Louise Norris. The 15-bed hospital opened on October 29, 1878 with two patients, a crippled boy and a girl who had become blind. The hospital's bylaws stated, "The object of the Board of Managers of St. Louis Children's Hospital shall be to maintain an institution; non-sectarian in its management and its benefactions; for the treatment of children from birth to 14 years.” This was the first children's hospital west of the Mississippi River and is the seventh oldest in the country . Soon a dvance surgical procedures for children were being performed at the hospital. An example would be i n 1929, Dr. Vilray Blair and his student colleague, Dr. James Brown, accomplished the first Cleft Lip repair on an child under the age of 18 months that was successful, thus aiding in speech development. At the time of accepting this endeavor, she was the widow of Senator Francis P. Blair, Jr, who had also served as a member of the Missouri State House of Representatives and the United States Congress, as well as an Union officer during the American Civil War. Serving as the board's president until 1883, Blair was succeeded by Mary W. McKittrick as president, yet Blair served on the hospital board until her death in 1908. The executive board remained only women until 1950. In addition to Children's Hospital in St. Louis, she is credited in sources with having a philanthropic role in the October 24, 1896 opening of the St. John's Hospital in Joplin, Missouri, which today is the Mercy Hospital Joplin.
Philanthropist. She received notoriety for being the organizer and first president of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Board of Managers, a much needed-hospital in St. Louis, Missouri serving the city's sick and indigent children. She had lost two children to infectious diseases; one was a six year old daughter. After having an afternoon tea in her home as a planning session, she and twenty prominent women raised $4,500 to purchase a building in downtown St. Louis at 2834 Franklin Avenue. The certificate of incorporation that was filed on May 6, 1879 named only women: Besides Blair, there were Mary W. McKittrick, Caroline B. Treat, Margaret H. DeWolf, Rebecca Webb, Cherrel l W. Parker, Virginia E. Stevenson, and M. Louise Norris. The 15-bed hospital opened on October 29, 1878 with two patients, a crippled boy and a girl who had become blind. The hospital's bylaws stated, "The object of the Board of Managers of St. Louis Children's Hospital shall be to maintain an institution; non-sectarian in its management and its benefactions; for the treatment of children from birth to 14 years.” This was the first children's hospital west of the Mississippi River and is the seventh oldest in the country . Soon a dvance surgical procedures for children were being performed at the hospital. An example would be i n 1929, Dr. Vilray Blair and his student colleague, Dr. James Brown, accomplished the first Cleft Lip repair on an child under the age of 18 months that was successful, thus aiding in speech development. At the time of accepting this endeavor, she was the widow of Senator Francis P. Blair, Jr, who had also served as a member of the Missouri State House of Representatives and the United States Congress, as well as an Union officer during the American Civil War. Serving as the board's president until 1883, Blair was succeeded by Mary W. McKittrick as president, yet Blair served on the hospital board until her death in 1908. The executive board remained only women until 1950. In addition to Children's Hospital in St. Louis, she is credited in sources with having a philanthropic role in the October 24, 1896 opening of the St. John's Hospital in Joplin, Missouri, which today is the Mercy Hospital Joplin.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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