Josephine Porter Boardman
Encyclopedia
Josephine Porter Boardman Crane (1873–1972) was an American
socialite and patron of the arts.
. Her mother, Florence Sheffield, was the granddaughter of Joseph Earl Sheffield
, was a major benefactor of Yale University. She had 5 siblings, including Mabel Thorp Boardman
. The family moved from Ohio to Washington, D.C. in 1887-8, although they maintained connections to Ohio politics including a friendship with the Taft family
.
In 1906, Josephine Boardman married Winthrop Murray Crane, an American millionaire 20 years her senior, a former governor of Massachusetts
and current US Senator, with whom she had three children: Stephen, Bruce, and Louise
.
. She was the original sponsor for implementing the Dalton Plan
in 1920, a much-copied experiment in education.
She moved to New York City
after the death of her husband in 1922. There, Josephine Crane was a founder of the Museum of Modern Art
and was elected to the Board of Trustees in October 1929.
Mrs. Crane was the hostess of a weekly literary salon at her apartment at 820 Fifth Avenue.
The Josephine B. Crane Foundation continues to support the Sierra Club
, scientific research and various scholarship
s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
socialite and patron of the arts.
Personal life
Boardman was from a well-to-do family. Her father, William Jarvis Boardman (15 April 1832 - 2 August 1915), a lawyer and active in politics, was the grandson of the Senator Elijah BoardmanElijah Boardman
Elijah Boardman was a United States Senator from Connecticut. Born to a noted and politically connected Connecticut family, he served in the United States Army before becoming a noted merchant and businessman. Becoming involved in property and land ownership in Connecticut and Ohio, he founded the...
. Her mother, Florence Sheffield, was the granddaughter of Joseph Earl Sheffield
Joseph Earl Sheffield
Joseph Earl Sheffield was an American railroad magnate and philanthropist.Sheffield was born in Southport, Connecticut, the son of Paul King Sheffield, a shipowner, and his wife Mabel . He attended public schools, and moved south to enter the cotton trade...
, was a major benefactor of Yale University. She had 5 siblings, including Mabel Thorp Boardman
Mabel Thorp Boardman
Mabel Thorp Boardman was an American philanthropist involved with the American Red Cross. She led the Red Cross in the United States following its receiving congressional charter in 1905 until World War I, however she did not take up the post of chairman since she believed the organisation would...
. The family moved from Ohio to Washington, D.C. in 1887-8, although they maintained connections to Ohio politics including a friendship with the Taft family
Taft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
.
In 1906, Josephine Boardman married Winthrop Murray Crane, an American millionaire 20 years her senior, a former governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
and current US Senator, with whom she had three children: Stephen, Bruce, and Louise
Louise Crane
Louise Crane , a prominent American philanthropist. Crane was a friend to some of New York’s leading literary figures, including Tennessee Williams and Marianne Moore....
.
Public Life
Crane was the benefactress of the prestigious Dalton School, which took its name from the location of the Crane family estate, "Sugar Hill", in Dalton, MassachusettsDalton, Massachusetts
Dalton is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Dalton is the transition town between the urban and rural pieces of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,892 at the 2000 census.- History...
. She was the original sponsor for implementing the Dalton Plan
Dalton Plan
The Dalton Plan is an educational concept created by Helen Parkhurst.Inspired by the intellectual ferment at the turn of the 19th century, educational thinkers such as Maria Montessori and John Dewey began to cast a bold vision of a new progressive approach to education...
in 1920, a much-copied experiment in education.
She moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
after the death of her husband in 1922. There, Josephine Crane was a founder of the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
and was elected to the Board of Trustees in October 1929.
Mrs. Crane was the hostess of a weekly literary salon at her apartment at 820 Fifth Avenue.
The Josephine B. Crane Foundation continues to support the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, scientific research and various scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s.
Published work
- Crane, Boardman Jospehine. A Middle-west Child New York: Spiral Press (1971)
Donations
- http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/viewOne.asp?dep=11&viewmode=1&item=69.280.4 Gift of Mrs. W. Murray Crane, 1969
- http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/costume/object.cfm?recordnumber=365574 Mrs. Crane donated a number of items from her sister's (Mrs. Frederick Keep) estate to the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. Exhibited in the Hall of American Costume from 1964 to 1973. - http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3ACL%3AI%3A10&page_number=37&template_id=1&sort_order=1 Sculpture gift of Mrs. W. Murray Crane.