Matthias, Blanche, 1887-1983.

Blanche Coates Matthias was a poet, art critic, and world traveller who worked in Chicago and northern California.

From the description of Blanche Matthias papers, 1901-1983. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702134116

Blanche Coates Matthias, only child of Frank J. and Victoria Hudson Coates, was born in Chicago on July 16, 1887. She was educated privately and married Russell James Matthias of Chicago on July 18, 1906. Russell became president of the Russell J. Matthias Lumber Company, and Blanche developed an interest in art criticism and writing. The couple had no children and had sufficient means to travel extensively in Western Europe, the Middle East, and the Orient between 1917 and World War II.

During the 1920s Blanche Matthias served as art critic for the Chicago Herald and Examiner and Chicago Evening Post . Her poetry was published in such little magazines as All's Well, The Forum, Poetry, Prairie, This Quarter, and transition .

The Matthiases moved to Carmel, California in the 1920s and later lived in San Francisco. In 1979 Blanche Matthias donated her collection of textiles gathered on her world travels to the University of Washington. Russell J. Matthias died in San Francisco on February 18, 1974; Blanche Matthias passed away on January 11, 1983.

From the guide to the Blanche Matthias papers, 1901-1983, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)