| The
Life of Matilda Dodge Wilson |
| 1883 |
Born
Oct. 19 in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada, to George and Margaret
Rausch, German immigrants. |
|
| 1902 |
Graduated
from Gorsline Business College and went to work as a secretary
for Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company. |
| 1907 |
Married
John Francis Dodge on Dec. 10. |
| 1914 |
Gave birth
to Frances. |
| 1917 |
Gave birth
to Daniel. |
| 1919 |
Gave birth
to Anna Margaret. |
| 1920 |
Her husband,
John, died of influenza Jan. 14. |
| 1922 |
Sailed
to Europe where she lived for more than a year after her stepchildren
contested her husband's will. |
| 1924 |
Her
youngest daughter, Anna Margaret, 4, died April 13 from complications
following the measles. |
| 1925 |
Along
with Anna Thompson Dodge, Matilda sold Dodge Brothers Motor
Car Company in May for a record $146 million. She then married
Alfred Wilson on June 29. |
| 1929 |
Held
a housewarming party at Meadow Brook Hall on Nov. 19, less than
a month after the stock market crash. |
| 1930 |
Matilda
and Alfred adopted two children: Richard, at 18 months, and
Barbara, at 3 months. |
| 1931 |
Elected
to the State Board of Agriculture, the governing board of Michigan
State University. Her sister, Amelia, married John Cline, Meadow
Brook Farm manager. Matilda's disapproval instigated a 30-year
estrangement. |
| 1938 |
Her
son, Daniel, 21, died Aug. 15 while on his honeymoon. |
| 1940
|
Appointed
the first woman lieutenant governor of Michigan by Governor
Luren Dickinson. |
| 1952 |
Matilda
and Alfred built Sunset Terrace on the Meadow Brook Estate to
use as a retirement home. |
| 1955
|
Received
an honorary doctor of law degree from Michigan State University.
|
| 1957 |
Matilda
and Alfred donated their 1,500-acre estate, its buildings and
$2 million to Michigan State University to establish what became
Oakland University. She also received the Distinguished Service
Cross from the Salvation Army. |
| 1962 |
Her
second husband, Alfred, died April 6 from a heart attack. She
then moved back into Meadow Brook Hall where she lived alone
until her death. |
| 1963 |
Gave
each member of the first graduating class of Michigan State
University - Oakland a diamond ring. |
| 1967 |
Suffered
a massive heart attack on Sept. 19 and died at age 83 in Brussels,
Belgium, where she had gone to tour horse-breeding farms.
|
