Sulzberger, Iphigene Ochs, 1892-1990

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Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger (1892-1990) helped shape the history of the New York Times throughout a long and active life. Sulzberger nurtured and bridged the generations of the family that controlled The Times since 1896, when her father, Adolph S. Ochs, acquired it. She played important roles in selecting the succeeding publishers: her husband, Arthur Hays Sulzberger; her son-in-law, Orvil E. Dryfoos, and her son, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 19, 1892, Iphigene Bertha Ochs grew up as the only child of Adolph S. and Iphigenia Wise Ochs. Her father was then proprietor of The Chattanooga Times, a growing Tennessee newspaper. Her mother was the daughter of Isaac Mayer Wise, rabbi of the Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati and founder of American Reform Judaism.

On August 13, 1896, when Iphigene was nearly 4 years old, Adolph Ochs bought the faltering New York Times, and moved the family from Chattanooga to New York City. From that day forward her life was closely intertwined with The New York Times.

Iphigene was educated at home until she was 8, when she began attending Dr. Sachs's School for Girls, which was followed by four years at the Benjamin-Dean School. In 1910 she entered Barnard College.

She met Arthur Hays Sulzberger while attending Barnard. Sulzberger asked her to marry him twice, before she agreed. They were married on November 17, 1917 while he was on a 10-day leave from the Army. After World War I ended, the couple settled in New York, where Mr. Sulzberger joined the staff of The Times.

Iphigene began making a home and raising her children: Marian, born in 1918; Ruth, in 1921; Judith, in 1923, and Arthur Ochs, who was born in 1926.

In 1935, after the death of her father, Mrs. Sulzberger became a trustee of The New York Times Company under his will, along with her husband and cousin Julius Ochs Adler. Arthur Hays Sulzberger was elected president and publisher of The Times. As the publisher's wife, Mrs. Sulzberger shared her husband's concerns and problems but remained steadfastly an offstage figure in the operation of the paper.

Mrs. Sulzberger was a director of the Times Company from 1917 until 1973, when she became a director emeritus. She was among those who voted to alter the company structure fundamentally, granting limited voting rights to the Class A stock and listing it on the American Stock Exchange. At her death she was a trustee of the stock trust established by her father that exercised effective control of the enterprise.

On February 27, 1990, Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger, died of respiratory failure at her home in Stamford, Conn. She was 97 years old.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf New York Times Company Records. Adolph S. Ochs papers, 1853-2006, 1904-1933 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn New York Times Company records. Oral History files, 1948-1986, 1969-1971 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn New York Times Company records. A.M. Rosenthal papers, 1955-1994, 1967-1986 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Robert Ross Alden Papers, 1935-1973 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Margaret Sanger papers, 1917-1959. Houghton Library
referencedIn Sulzberger, Iphigene Ochs : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn New York Times Company records. Photographs, 1875-1987 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Papers of Dorothy Rodgers, 1922-1987 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn New York Times Company records. Arthur Hays Sulzberger papers, 1823-1999 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn New York Times Company Records. Adolph S. Ochs papers, 1853-2006, 1904-1933 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Howard Teichmann Papers, 1857-2001, (bulk 1940-1987) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Cardozo, Benjamin N. (Benjamin Nathan), 1870-1938. Benjamin Cardozo letter, 1932 Jan. 8. The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
referencedIn Papers, 1919-1965. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Rogan, Felicia Warburg. Felicia Warburg Rogan papers [manuscript, 1959, 1973-1974, 2000. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Robert E. Sherwood papers, 1917-1968 (inclusive), 1934-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Bettman-Ochs-Sulzberger-Wise photograph collection The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
creatorOf New York Times Company records. Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger papers, 1896-1990, 1960-1982 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Reminiscences of Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger, 1983 Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
Relation Name
associatedWith Adler, Julius Ochs, 1892-1955. person
associatedWith Alden, Robert Ross. person
associatedWith Alden, Robert Ross. person
associatedWith Barnard College corporateBody
correspondedWith Cardozo, Benjamin N. (Benjamin Nathan), 1870-1938. person
associatedWith Dorothy (Feiner) Rodgers, 1909- person
associatedWith Mason, John T., 1909-, person
associatedWith New York Times Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Ochs family family
associatedWith Ochs family. family
associatedWith Rodgers, Dorothy F., 1909- person
associatedWith Rogan, Felicia Warburg. person
associatedWith Rosenthal, A. M. (Abraham Michael), 1922-2006 person
associatedWith Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966 person
correspondedWith Sherwood, Robert E. (Robert Emmet), 1896-1955 person
associatedWith Sulzberger family family
associatedWith Sulzberger family. family
associatedWith Sulzberger family. family
correspondedWith Teichmann, Howard. person
associatedWith Woods, George David, 1901-1982. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Cincinnati OH US
Stamford CT US
Subject
Occupation
Newspaper publishers
Philanthropists
Activity

Person

Birth 1892-09-19

Death 1990-02-26

Information

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