Chicago Tribune
Helen Culver Leaves U. of C. $600,000
Charitable and educational institutions, deeded millions of dollars by the late Miss Helen Culver, philanthropist, during her lifetime, are the chief beneficiaries in the will disposing of her $1,500,000 estate, which was made public yesterday.
The University of Chicago, which already has been the recipient of more than $1,000,000 from Miss Culver, will receive an additional $600,000. Eight other institutions are given bequests totalling $75,000.
Twenty-two distant relatives, scattered over the country, were bequeathed $526,000. Ten other individuals, including domestics who had been in her service over ten years, were given amounts totalling $110,500.
Nephew Gets $200,000
The largest individual bequest is one of $200,000 to her nephew, Charles Hull Ewing, of Lake Forest, real estate operator and president of the Geographical Society of Chicago. Mr. Ewing for 30 was the chief assistant of Miss Culver in the management of her business interests.
Miss Culver died last August in Lake forest at the age of 93 years. She was one of the middle west’s pioneer advocates for votes for women. She cooperated with Miss Jane Addams in the development of Hull house. The Halsted street property on which that famous settlement now stands was inherited by Miss Culver from her cousin, Charles J. Hull.
The will disposing of the estate was filed in Sarasota, Fla., where Miss Culver had resided most of the time for 12 years. Legal work in connection with the estate was done by Attorney George T. Rogers of the firm Tenney, Harding, Sherman & Rogers. Miss Culver’s nephews, Mr. Ewing and John K. Culver of Baltimore, Md., were appointed executors. The will was drawn up in June 1914.
Use for the $600,000 Bequest
The $600,000 bequest to the University of Chicago is to be added to the Helen Culver fund, founded in 1895. According to terms of the will the bequest "is to be added to and become part of the fund devoted by me to the uses of the biological department of the university and is to be subject to all the conditions of that gift."
From the proceeds of that fund the four biological laboratories surrounding Hull court were erected in memory of Charles J. Hull, who was a trustees of the old University of Chicago.
Miss Culver had included in her will a bequest to Hull House. But in October, 1920, she gave to that institution securities amounting to a quarter of a million.
"I realize the burden placed on Miss Jane Addams in raising the annual budget for Hull House in addition to meeting the demands placed on her time and energy by a world which never calls in vain for her talented services," Miss Culver said at that time.
Then, she added a codicil to her will cancelling the Hull House bequest, writing: "In view of my donation at this time to Hull House association, I hereby cancel the bequest to the said association provided for in this will."
Details of Other Gifts
The eight institutions named in the will and the amounts given to each are:
Home for Crippled Children . . . . . . $ 5,000
United Charities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,000
Legal Aid Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,000
Home for Incurables . . . . . . . . . . .$ 10,000
Old People’s home . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10,000
Lincoln Institute, Lincoln Ridge,
(a school for colored students). . .$ 10,000
Idaho Industrial Institute, Welser,
Idaho, now known as
Intermountain institute . . . . . . $10,000
Berea college, Berea, Ky . . . . . . . .$10,000
The Northern Trust company of Chicago is named as the trustee of a fund of $20,000 bequeathed to a grand-nephew, Robert Culver Hazard, the interest being paid to him semi-annually until he reaches 30 years of age. At that time he will receive the capital.
