Mrs. Blanche Weaver

Submitted by Carl Gage

Obituary, published in the Syracuse Newspaper 5 November 1947

Mrs. Blanche Weaver Baxter died at her home at 1037 Madison Street, last evening. She was born in 1856 in Cicero, daughter of Zebulon and Emma R. Gage Weaver. She grew up and attended school in Syracuse. She went to New York City in 1878, was engaged by Augustus Daly, and under his management, was associated with Ada Rehan and John Drew. Later engagements were with Fanny Davenport and Richard Mansfield. During 30 years on the stage she was associated with the greatest names in the theater - Maurice Barrymore, Edwin Booth, Mrs. Fiske, George Arliss, E.H. Sothern and Julia Marlow. In 1894 she was married to William Baxter, associate editor of the New York Tribune. She left the theater for a time, but returned following his early death. She retired from the stage in 1910 and returned to Syracuse. In 1916 she began working with children to interest them in art appreciation and education. Beginning with small groups after school, the work grew until grades 4, 5, 6 and 7 were released regularly during school hours and taken in buses to her classes in the Museum of Fine Arts. During this period she help establish the School Art League, was it's President for many years and was made Honorary President in 1937. One of her earliest interests was woman's suffrage. In this she was inspired by her aunt, Matilda Joslyn Gage, associate of the great suffragists. Mrs. Baxter was, for many years, President of the League for Political Equality. She was also a charter and life member of the League of Women Voters. She was founder of the Syracuse Little Theater. Its inspiring memories are still treasured by amateur actors of that period. She was always deeply interested in Negroes and was associated with Mrs. Frederick H. Hazard and others in the founding of Dunbar Center. She was a member of May Memorial Unitarian church. She is survived by her daughter, Ramona B. (Mrs. Ernest J.) Bowden, and by numerous relatives in New York City, Florida, South Dakota and California.

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20 June 1997