The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Stanford, Jane Lathrop
STANFORD, Jane Lathrop, American
philanthropist: b. Albany, N. Y., 23 Aug. 1825;
d. Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, 28 Feb. 1905.
She was married to Leland Stanford (q.v.)
and after his death in 1893 was occupied
chiefly in fostering the development and
extension of Leland Standford Jr. University,
which she had aided her husband to establish
in memory of their son. In 1901 she increased
her gifts to the university by further gifts of
securities valued at $18,000,000; her residence
in San Francisco, valued at $400,000, for a
museum and art gallery; and 1,000,000 acres
of land valued at $12,000,000, She subsequently
added other benefactions, thus making the
university the wealthiest educational institution
in the world. Mrs. Stanford established the
children's hospital at Albany, N. Y., at a cost
cf $100,000, and provided an additional $100,000
to secure its maintenance; she also gave
over $160,000 to various schools and
kindergartens. See
Leland Stanford Jr. University.