Matilda Dodge Wilson
Encyclopedia
Matilda Dodge Wilson was born Matilda Rausch in Walkerton, Ontario
, Canada
. She was the widow of John Francis Dodge
who co-founded the Dodge
motor car company in Detroit with his brother Horace Elgin Dodge
. Wilson co-founded the Oakland campus of Michigan State University
, now Oakland University
, with John A. Hannah
. The new university was built on her 1400 acres (5.7 km²) estate: Meadow Brook Farms.
, Canada
. As a youngster she attended public school in Detroit and then attended and graduated from the Gorsline Business College in the same town. In 1902, she began working for the Dodge Motor Company and five years later, she married founder John Dodge.
After Dodge's death in 1920, Matilda inherited his share of the Dodge Brothers Company and became one of the wealthiest women in the United States. Soon thereafter, she met lumber baron Alfred G. Wilson at the First Presbyterian Church in Detroit and they married June 29, 1925. Upon Alfred Wilson's death on April 6, 1962, Matilda again received the bulk of her husband's estate.
Matilda and John Dodge had three children, Frances (1914-1971), Daniel (1917-1938) and Anna Margaret (1919-1924). In addition, she was stepmother to John's three children from his first marriage. Matilda and Alfred Wilson adopted two children, Richard and Barbara.
, was appointed the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan
in 1940. She was preceded by Luren D. Dickinson, Republican and followed by Frank Murphy, Democrat
.
. In it she takes the reader through the mansion and introduces the reader to her art collection which includes works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough
, Gilbert Stuart
, George Romney
, Frederic Remington
, Emile van Marcke
, Rosa Bonheur
, Justus Sustermans
and Louis Betts
.
During the later 1920s Wilson hired the Detroit architectural firm of Smith Hinchman & Grylls
to design two of the Detroit area's notable buildings, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
(1928) and Meadow Brook Hall
(1929). Both were designed by William Kapp and both included architectural sculpture
by Detroit sculptor Corrado Parducci
.
style mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery
, designed by New York architect William Henry Deacy and again, featuring sculpture by Corrado Parducci. It is located near the south wall of the Dodge family mausoleum where her first husband was interred in 1920.
Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She was the widow of John Francis Dodge
John Francis Dodge
John Francis Dodge was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company.-Biography:...
who co-founded the Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
motor car company in Detroit with his brother Horace Elgin Dodge
Horace Elgin Dodge
Horace Elgin Dodge, Sr. was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company.-Early years and business:...
. Wilson co-founded the Oakland campus of Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, now Oakland University
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
, with John A. Hannah
John A. Hannah
John Alfred Hannah was president of Michigan State College for 28 years, making him the longest serving of MSU's presidents. He is credited with transforming the school from a little-known, regional agricultural college into a large national research institution...
. The new university was built on her 1400 acres (5.7 km²) estate: Meadow Brook Farms.
Biography
Matilda Rausch was born to German immigrants in Walkerton, OntarioWalkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. As a youngster she attended public school in Detroit and then attended and graduated from the Gorsline Business College in the same town. In 1902, she began working for the Dodge Motor Company and five years later, she married founder John Dodge.
After Dodge's death in 1920, Matilda inherited his share of the Dodge Brothers Company and became one of the wealthiest women in the United States. Soon thereafter, she met lumber baron Alfred G. Wilson at the First Presbyterian Church in Detroit and they married June 29, 1925. Upon Alfred Wilson's death on April 6, 1962, Matilda again received the bulk of her husband's estate.
Matilda and John Dodge had three children, Frances (1914-1971), Daniel (1917-1938) and Anna Margaret (1919-1924). In addition, she was stepmother to John's three children from his first marriage. Matilda and Alfred Wilson adopted two children, Richard and Barbara.
Political career
Wilson, a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, was appointed the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of the state of Michigan
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
in 1940. She was preceded by Luren D. Dickinson, Republican and followed by Frank Murphy, Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Meadow Brook Hall & Music Hall
She was the author of A Place in the Country, a guidebook to her home, Meadow Brook HallMeadow Brook Hall
Meadow Brook Hall is a Tudor revival style mansion located at 480 South Adams Rd. in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was built between 1926 and 1929 by Matilda Dodge Wilson and her second husband, lumber broker Alfred G. Wilson...
. In it she takes the reader through the mansion and introduces the reader to her art collection which includes works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
, Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
, George Romney
George Romney (painter)
George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures - including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson....
, Frederic Remington
Frederic Remington
Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West, specifically concentrating on the last quarter of the 19th century American West and images of cowboys, American Indians, and the U. S...
, Emile van Marcke
Emile van Marcke
Emile van Marcke was a French cattle painter, born at Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine.He studied under Troyon at Barbizon. He received the cross of the Legion of Honor in 1872 and a gold medal at the Paris exhibition...
, Rosa Bonheur
Rosa Bonheur
Rosa Bonheur, born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur, was a French animalière, realist artist, and sculptor. As a painter she became famous primarily for two chief works: Ploughing in the Nivernais , which was first exhibited at the Salon of 1848, and is now in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris depicts a team...
, Justus Sustermans
Justus Sustermans
Justus Sustermans , also known as Giusto Sustermans, was a Flemish painter in the Baroque style. He was born in Antwerp and died in Florence....
and Louis Betts
Louis Betts
-Biography:Betts was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. His father was an artist who remarried after Louis' mother died. His family moved to Chicago where his three younger siblings were born. Betts was able to continue his study of art as did his siblings. Betts made a good living from stock...
.
During the later 1920s Wilson hired the Detroit architectural firm of Smith Hinchman & Grylls
Smith Hinchman & Grylls
SmithGroup ranks as the United States' 7th largest architecture and engineering firm and employs 800. The firm is composed of client industry-focused practices serving Health, Learning, Science & Technology, and Workplace markets...
to design two of the Detroit area's notable buildings, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
The Music Hall Center for Performing Arts is a 1,700-seat theatre located in the city's theatre district at 350 Madison Avenue in Detroit, Michigan...
(1928) and Meadow Brook Hall
Meadow Brook Hall
Meadow Brook Hall is a Tudor revival style mansion located at 480 South Adams Rd. in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was built between 1926 and 1929 by Matilda Dodge Wilson and her second husband, lumber broker Alfred G. Wilson...
(1929). Both were designed by William Kapp and both included architectural sculpture
Architectural sculpture
Architectural sculpture is the term for the use of sculpture by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project...
by Detroit sculptor Corrado Parducci
Corrado Parducci
Corrado Giuseppe Parducci was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early 20th Century works.-Early life and education:...
.
Final resting place
In 1939, Matilda and Alfred Wilson had constructed a pale granite Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
Woodlawn Cemetery is a cemetery located at 19975 Woodward Avenue, across from the Michigan State Fairgrounds, between 7 Mile Road and 8 Mile Road, in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the area's most well-known cemeteries.-History:...
, designed by New York architect William Henry Deacy and again, featuring sculpture by Corrado Parducci. It is located near the south wall of the Dodge family mausoleum where her first husband was interred in 1920.