Nettie Poe Ketcham 1865-1950
Nettie b May 30, 1865 Toledo OH, Lucas Co. d January 27, 1950, Berne, Switzerland. Nettie married John B. KETCHAM, October 22, 1885, Toledo, OH, Lucas Co. John B. Ketcham died Nov. 13, 1897
Nettie Poe KETCHAM was an international philanthropist, amateur architect and developer and related by blood or marriage to those who formulated early banking in Toledo.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, on May 30, 1865, Nettie B. POE was educated in a convent in Monroe, Michigan. Her father, Isaac N. POE, was a cousin to the poet, Edgar Allen POE. Netties' only sibling who died at the age of nine was named after this poet cousin.
The POE estate was located on the site of the old pumping station on Broadway and is now known as Danny Thomas Park. Other Poe real estate holdings included a farm, land around Walbridge Park and much of the area on the east side of St. Clair between Trinity Episcopal Church and Jackson Street (where Four SeaGate now stands). Nettie and her father designed and built a number of buildings in this block east and south of St. Clair and Jackson. They worked without an architect, taking great delight in producing their own drawings and overseeing the building. In addition to real estate, Isaac POE helped Toledo grow through his more than thirty-year involvement as a director of the Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Company, the forerunner of Trust Corp.
Nettie's mother was Elizabeth SMITH. Elizabeth SMITH POE was an incorporator and officer of the Protestant Hospital incorporated on December 12, 1876. Protestant Hospital later became the Toledo Hospital. Mrs. POE served tirelessly and it was said that the hospital stands "largely as a memorial to her efforts." Mrs. POE was serving as president of the hospital at the time of her death in 1890.
Nettie POE was said to be one of the most beautiful and brilliant women of her time and was known as the "Belle of Toledo." Nettie POE was married to John B. KETCHAM on October 22, 1885, at the First Congregational Church in Toledo. John KETCHAM was the founder of a private banking house which merged with KETCHAM National Bank in 1888. John's banking experience may have been gained by working with his father, Valentine (V.H.) KETCHAM, founder of what later became the First National Bank of Toledo.
Nettie and John were leaders of the gay social life in the early 1880s and 1890s. They lived at the Boody House on Summit Street. One day in the late 1880s, Nettie was driving a two-wheeled dogcart with horses hitched in tandem and a groom seated in the back. The dogcart was well remembered by two fourteen-year old boys who had never seen the likes of such a cart before and were struck by Nettie's beauty describing her as a "fairy princess."
Nettie was driving down Madison Avenue, one of the few cedar-paved streets in Toledo at that time, when the boys watching yelled a warning. One of the horses reared, upsetting the dogcart, tumbling the groom off the back and throwing Nettie to the pavement. As the boys calmed the horses, Nettie picked herself up and thanked the boys before getting back into the cart to drive home to the Boody House alone since the groom refused to board the cart again.
Nettie POE KETCHAM is best known in Toledo for her support of the Toledo Museum of Art. Her substantial contributions of money and time helped to establish the Museum's School of Design. Nettie was particularly interested in supporting the art classes for children and unmarried young women.
As she was sitting in an art class one evening, during a 1932-33 visit to Toledo, Nettie asked Molly OHL GODWIN, the dean of the School of Art of the Museum, where all the young women who came to the night classes came from. Mrs. GODWIN replied that the young women worked for a living all day and could only attend the classes at night. Nettie looked puzzled and asked whether the women had diversions other evenings. Mrs. GODWIN laughed and explained that most of the women went to the local YWCA where there were classes, a gymnasium, parties with men and other activities. No doubt, this is why Nettie remembered the Toledo YWCA with a generous gift in her will.
After the death of her husband, November 13, 1897, and her father, Nettie sold the farm to the City of Toledo for a park (Ottawa) and moved to New York City. Shortly thereafter, Nettie suffered a complete loss of voice. She consulted all the experts in the United States but finally had to travel to Switzerland to see the goiter specialist, Dr. Theodor KOCHER. Dr. Kocher was able to restore her voice.
Nettie was so taken with Switzerland that she decided to stay. She spent much time visiting with the various royalty of Europe. Many European princes arrived in the United States for the first time carrying a letter of introduction from Nettie POE KETCHAM.
During World War II, Nettie's home became a workshop filled with sewing and knitting machines manufacturing clothing for the war-stripped people of Switzerland. Her limousine was donated to the Swiss army to be used as an ambulance. Following in her mother's tradition, Nettie contributed much money to equip Swiss hospitals during World War II.
After the War, Nettie adopted the Village of Heimberg, Switzerland, where she maintained a cottage. She not only donated money but also visited the sick, took food and clothing where it was needed and supplied vitamins and orange juice to undernourished children. Her devotion to Heimberg earned her a warm spot in the hearts of the Swiss. Four different times officials from the Swiss government approached her to become a citizen of Switzerland. Each time Nettie replied, "No. I love you. I love your country. But I am an American." Nettie POE KETCHAM was, however, made an honorary citizen of Heimberg when she gave a $15,000 gift to the village to establish a kindergarten.
Nettie never forgot her hometown though and donated the Swiss Room to the Toledo Museum of Art in 1926. She also gave a stained glass window to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Maumee in memory of her friend, Mary WELCH. In her will, Nettie left a substantial trust, the income of which was to be divided between the Toledo YWCA and Toledo Museum of Art School of Design. Nettie POE KETCHAM died January 27, 1950, in Berne, Switzerland after a long illness, which prevented her from returning to the United States. She was buried with the farmers of Heimberg, Switzerland, pursuant to her wishes.
Barbara Johnson. Special Help and Funding by Zonta Club of Toledo I and the YWCA of Greater Toledo, Ohio. 1990. Toledo Blade News Paper: Obituaries Friday, January 27, 1950
submitted by Jean Hehn
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