Frederick W. V. Blees
Encyclopedia
Colonel Frederick Wm. V. Blees was a Prussian immigrant to the United States
who became a philanthropist
, teacher, founder of Blees Military Academy
, and the acknowledged chief benefactor of the City of Macon
, Missouri.
Blees was born in 1860 in Aix-la-Chapelle, (Germany
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, and studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and Würzburg
, In 1881, he immigrated to the United States, and taught at many private schools and colleges in the East and the South. He settled in Macon, Missouri in 1889 as headmaster of St. James Academy, an Episcopal
military school for boys. In 1896, Blees inherited the wealth of his father's coal and iron mining interests in Germany, and he used this to benefit the City of Macon. He was responsible for the construction of several of the town's commercial buildings and the town's first sewage
system; founded the local horseless carriage factory, the first theater, and the First National Bank of Macon; and financed the paving of the town's streets on a 50-50 basis with the city.
In 1898–1899, he took on the construction of the Blees Military Academy, the project that he hoped would be his legacy. As originally constructed, the Academy was provided with 400 acres (1.6 km²) surrounding on which were located orchard
s, a working farm, extensive gardens and a dairy. The pastoral nature of the surrounding environment survives and acts to enhance, through contrast, the monumental Romanesque Revival architecture of Academic Hall and the Gymnasium.
However, Frederick Blees died in 1906, the Academy went bankrupt
soon thereafter, and the buildings stood vacant until 1915. In that year, Charles E. Still and Harry M. Still, sons of A. T. Still, the founder of the profession of osteopathic medicine, along with Dr. Arthur G. Hildreth, established the Still-Hildreth Sanatorium, devoted to the treatment and care of all types of nervous and mental disorder
s. Today, the surviving buildings of Blees Academy are on the National Register of Historic Places
and serve as low income housing in Macon.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who became a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, teacher, founder of Blees Military Academy
Blees Military Academy
Blees Military Academy was founded in Macon, Missouri by Colonel Frederick W. V. Blees, and operated from 1899 to 1907.Blees Military Academy was founded in September 1899 by Colonel Frederick Wm. V. Blees. Blees was a Prussian immigrant who arrived in Macon in 1889 to take over as headmaster of...
, and the acknowledged chief benefactor of the City of Macon
Macon, Missouri
Macon is a city in Macon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,471 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Macon County.-Geography:Macon is located at...
, Missouri.
Blees was born in 1860 in Aix-la-Chapelle, (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
, and studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
, In 1881, he immigrated to the United States, and taught at many private schools and colleges in the East and the South. He settled in Macon, Missouri in 1889 as headmaster of St. James Academy, an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
military school for boys. In 1896, Blees inherited the wealth of his father's coal and iron mining interests in Germany, and he used this to benefit the City of Macon. He was responsible for the construction of several of the town's commercial buildings and the town's first sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
system; founded the local horseless carriage factory, the first theater, and the First National Bank of Macon; and financed the paving of the town's streets on a 50-50 basis with the city.
In 1898–1899, he took on the construction of the Blees Military Academy, the project that he hoped would be his legacy. As originally constructed, the Academy was provided with 400 acres (1.6 km²) surrounding on which were located orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s, a working farm, extensive gardens and a dairy. The pastoral nature of the surrounding environment survives and acts to enhance, through contrast, the monumental Romanesque Revival architecture of Academic Hall and the Gymnasium.
However, Frederick Blees died in 1906, the Academy went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
soon thereafter, and the buildings stood vacant until 1915. In that year, Charles E. Still and Harry M. Still, sons of A. T. Still, the founder of the profession of osteopathic medicine, along with Dr. Arthur G. Hildreth, established the Still-Hildreth Sanatorium, devoted to the treatment and care of all types of nervous and mental disorder
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
s. Today, the surviving buildings of Blees Academy are on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and serve as low income housing in Macon.