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Isabel Anderson

Born

in Boston , The United States

March 03, 1876

Died

November 03, 1948

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Isabel Anderson was a Boston-area heiress and author who left a legacy to the public that includes a park and two museums.

Born at 284 Marlborough Street in Boston's Back Bay, on both sides of her family Isabel Weld Perkins was descended from wealthy Boston Brahmin who traced their history back to Massachusetts Bay Colony. Generations of ancestors and relatives on both sides had been educated at Harvard, had traded with the Far East, and had built stately homes in Greater Boston (especially in what is now Jamaica Plain).

Isabel's father was Commodore George H. Perkins, the commander of the USS Cayuga during the American Civil War. The commodore's father had grown rich building mills in Contoocookville, New Hampshire and running a shipping fir Isabel Anderson was a Boston-area heiress and author who left a legacy to the public that includes a park and two museums.

Born at 284 Marlborough Street in Boston's Back Bay, on both sides of her family Isabel Weld Perkins was descended from wealthy Boston Brahmin who traced their history back to Massachusetts Bay Colony. Generations of ancestors and relatives on both sides had been educated at Harvard, had traded with the Far East, and had built stately homes in Greater Boston (especially in what is now Jamaica Plain).

Isabel's father was Commodore George H. Perkins, the commander of the USS Cayuga during the American Civil War. The commodore's father had grown rich building mills in Contoocookville, New Hampshire and running a shipping firm in Boston that did business in West Africa.

Her mother was Anna Minot Weld, a wealthy socialite born to the Weld Family of Boston. When Isabel was only five years old, she inherited $17 million from her grandfather William Fletcher Weld, reportedly making her the wealthiest woman in America.

In 1896, Perkins was a 20-year old debutante on a world tour. She made a stop in Rome and met Larz Anderson, a young Harvard-educated diplomat from an affluent and prestigious Cincinnati family.

They were married in Boston a year later and embarked on a life of luxury combined with public service and adventure. They traveled widely, making four trips around the world and throughout Europe and Asia. Anderson held a number of diplomatic posts, including a short stint as U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

Isabel wrote a number of books; those that concern her family specifically are those of the most interest to historians. She also wrote several travelogues, volumes of poetry, and many children's stories.

Her book 'Under the Black horse flag: Annals of the Weld family and some of its branches' describes the transportation empire begun by her great-grandfather William Gordon Weld and details his descendants up to the time of writing.

She also edited the papers of her American Civil War hero father-in-law and published them as The letters and journals of General Nicholas Longworth Anderson; Harvard, civil war, Washington, 1854-1892.

Among her other works are 'Circling Africa', 'On the Move', 'The Spell of Japan', 'The Spell of Belgium', 'The Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines', 'Topsy Turvy and the Gold Star', 'Yacht in Mediterranean Seas' and 'Zigzagging the South Seas'. Most of her own personal papers are now part of the collection kept at Larz Anderson Auto Museum. Others are stored at New England Historic Genealogical Society.

During World War I, Isabel worked for the American Red Cross as a volunteer of the District of Columbia Refreshment Corps. In 1918 she received the Croix de Guerre for her contributions.

Isabel died in 1948. She is interred in the St. Mary Chapel at Washington National Cathedral with her husband Larz Anderson. ...more

Combine Editions
Isabel Anderson’s books

Average rating: 3.58 · 31 ratings · 10 reviews · 107 distinct works

	The Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines The Spell Series 3.75 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 1916 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Spell of Japan - The Original Classic Edition 3.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2013 — 38 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Spell of Belgium 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012 — 41 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Zigzagging liked it 3.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 1918 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Polly the Pagan: Her Lost Love Letters 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 1922 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Presidents and Pies: Life in Washington 1897-1919 2.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2008 — 40 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Will The Sun Shine it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2003	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Like Being Me! it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2000 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Odd Corners really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1917 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Last Thing I Do (Momentum Literacy Program, Step 5 Level A) by Isabel Anderson, Lisa Coutts (Illustrator) liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars