Ellen Browning Scripps

Ellen Browning Scripps (October 18, 1836–August 3, 1932) was an American philanthropist who was the founding donor of several major institutions in Southern California.

Biography

Scripps was born in 1836 in London to James Mogg Scripps and Ellen Mary (Saunders) Scripps. Her father was a prominent bookbinder and came to America in 1844 with six motherless children. Scripps grew up on a Rushville, Illinois farm, where her father remarried and helped raise her five half-siblings.She graduated from Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois in 1859 and taught school for eight years.

In 1873, Scripps helped her brother James start "The Detroit News". She pioneered the concept of the feature article. Her half-brother E. W. founded the powerful chain of Scripps newspapers.

Scripps retired in 1896 and moved to La Jolla, California.

Scripps lived modestly, and was shy and unassuming. After her brother George H. died in 1900, he left her a large amount of money. She regretted receiving such a large amount and felt her wealth was to be held in trust for humanity. She gave to many causes, often anonymously. Her main contributions are listed below.After breaking a hip in 1922, she became interested in medicine and founded Scripps Memorial Hospital and Scripps Metabolic Clinic.

Scripps died in La Jolla in 1932 and her ashes were scattered from the "R/V Scripps".She was affectionally known as "Miss Scripps."

Her residence was remodeled in 1941 as the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

Quote

:If one could live one's life over again with the advantages of the experiences one has gone through it might be interesting as an experiment—not as a pleasure.

Major Contributions

* 1903 George H. Scripps Memorial Marine Biological Laboratory (now Scripps Institution of Oceanography), La Jolla
* 1912 La Jolla Precinct, including The La Jolla Woman's Club
* 1913 La Jolla Playground (now La Jolla Recreation Center)
* 1915 Scripps Aquarium, La Jolla (now Birch Aquarium at Scripps)
* 1915 Scripps Park, La Jolla
* 1918 A. R. Valentien watercolor paintings of California wildflowers, now at San Diego Natural History Museum
* 1923 Scripps Aviary, San Diego Zoo
* 1924 [http://www.scripps.org/LaJolla Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla]
* 1924 Scripps Metabolic Clinic (now Scripps Clinic and The Scripps Research Institute), La Jolla
* 1926 Scripps College for Women (now Scripps College), Claremont, California
* 1931 Scripps Cottage, [ [http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~sdsutour/phototour/scripps.html SDSU Tour - Scripps Cottage ] at www-rohan.sdsu.edu] part of the campus of San Diego State University, San Diego

Notes

ee also

* "In California", "Time", February 22, 1926. Scripps appeared on the cover, the first from San Diego
* Biography, pp. 92-94; includes portrait

External links

* [http://www.scripps.org/GeneralInfo.asp?ID=2 Ellen Browning Scripps]
* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/scripps/ebscripps.htm Biography from "History of San Diego County" by Carl Heilbron, 1936]
* [http://www.library.ohiou.edu/archives/mss/mss117.html E.W. Scripps Papers, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries, Athens, Ohio.] Manuscript collection, primarily correspondence, small amount online.
* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/81summer/scripps.htm "How Scripps Institution Came To San Diego", "The Journal of San Diego History" 27:3 (Summer 1981) by Elizabeth N. Shor]
* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/92spring/scripps.htm "How Ellen Scripps Brought Ancient Egypt to San Diego", "The Journal of San Diego History" 38:2 (1992) by Bruce Kamerling]
* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/78summer/valentien.htm "Anna and Albert Valentien: The Arts and Crafts Movement in San Diego", "The Journal of San Diego History" 24:3 (1978) by Bruce Kamerling]
* [http://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/archives/siohstry/ebscripps-biog.html Biography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography]