Dates

• Existence: 1873 - 1970

Biography

Blanche Basye was born November 15, 1873 in Rockport, Indiana to Elizabeth Mary Sampson Basye and John Basye. There were three Basye children: Taylor, Edith and Blanche. After graduating high school in Rockport, Basye attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana where she met Eugene Allen Gilmore. Following Eugene Gilmore's graduation from Harvard Law School, the couple were married on December 27, 1899 in a double ceremony with Edith Basye and her groom. The Gilmores initially moved to Boston. Then Eugene Gilmore took a teaching position at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. The Gilmores had three children: Eugene Allen, Jr. (born 1902), Elizabeth (born 1905) and John (born 1910).

In 1921, Eugene Gilmore, Sr. was asked to fill the position of Vice Governor of the Philippines and the family relocated. He served as acting-Governor General in 1927 and 1928, and again in 1929. Also in 1929, the University of Iowa invited him to become head of the law school in Iowa City, Iowa. In 1930, Eugene Gilmore, Sr. was appointed acting-President of the University of Iowa. Retiring in 1939, as mandated by Iowa law, the senior Gilmore served as Dean of the Law School at the University of Pittsburgh from 1939 until 1942. Following his retirement, the Gilmores returned to Iowa City.

Blanch Basye Gilmore died on January 13, 1970. She was preceded in death by her husband.

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