Blanche Irving Leggett

     Blanche Irving Leggett was born on Tuesday, 22 May 1860 at the family home - "Mill Farm", Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan, at 2:00 am at her parents home "Mill Farm". Blanche Irving married James Whittemore on 14 June 1882 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, at the family home at 169 Elizabeth. James & Blanche had children: Emma Ferrand [5/19/1883-2/03/1948][m. 6/14/1906 Kenneth I. Guest [5/26/1879- ]], Margaret Fay [5/04/1884- ], & Nelson Wright [4/19/1887-6/25/1957][m. Marjorie Miller]. Kenneth & Emma had four children: James Whittemore 1907, Kenneth Irving Jr. 18 August 1910-7 July 1983 [Santa Barbara, California], John Randolph 1913, & Elizabeth Leggett 1915. Nelson & Marjorie had a daughter, Susan Blanche [3/19/1919-1/06/1993]. Both Emma's & Nelson's families resided in Glendale, California. 5 June 1900, Blanche and her husband, James, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Detroit at 67 Garfield Avenue. Enumerated in this household were James Whittemore [39 Michigan - October 1860], his wife: Blanche [40 Michigan - May 1860], children: Emma [17 Michigan - May 1883], Margaret [16 Illinois - May 1884], & Nelson [13 Illinois - April 1887]. James & Blanche were married 18 years and had 3 children, 3 living. James was a lawyer. They owned their home.² 22 April 1910, Blanche and her husband, James, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Detroit at 67 Garfield Avenue. Enumerated in this household were James Whittemore [49 Michigan], his wife: Blanche [49 Michigan], son, Nelson W. [23 Michigan-clerk], servants: Kiman Kaltin [25 Ireland/English], & Lottie Warenttit [25 Canada]. They have been married 27 years with three children, all living. James was a patent attorney.³ Blanche made her will on 16 January 1917 at Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.

Will of Blanche I. Whittemore:
I , Blanche I Whittemore of the city of Detroit, County of Wayne and State of Michigan, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament:
1. I hereby revoke all my former Wills and Testaments by me at any time made.
2. I give, devise and bequeath to my husband, James Whittemore, for his use and benefit during his life, all my household goods, furnishings and furniture. Upon the termination of his life, the property referred to in this paragraph shall be distributed amongst my children, Wright Nelson Whittemore, Emma F. Guest and Margaret F. Whittemore, share and share alike.
3. All the rest, residue and remainder of my Estate, real, personal or mixed, wherever situate, not bequeathed in paragraph 2 herein, I do hereby give, devise and bequeath to my said three children, Wright Nelson Whittemore, Emma F. Guest and Margaret F. Whittemore, share and share alike, or their respective heirs, legal representatives and assigns forever.
4. In the event of my husband, James Whittemore, pre-demising me, inasmush as he has given unto Wright Nelson Whittemore by way of advancement the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars [$10,000.00], and unto Emma F. Guest, property know as 67 Garfield Avenue, of the value of Twenty-three Tousand Dollars [$23,00.00], it is my will that from the property I shall inherit from him, there shall be deducted from the respective shares of Wright Nelson Whittemore and Emma F. Guest the sum above named, it being intended that the deduction referred to shall be made only from the property that I may inherit from my husband, James Whittemore.
5. There shall also be deducted from property I may inherit from my said husband any sums which any one of the three children [or their heirs] shall have received from my said husband after this date, that is money, stocks, bonds or property intended to produce income or for investment, and excluding small sums which may be given them from time to time and particularly excluding such sums in the way of monthly allowance given Margaret F. Whittemore while she remains unmarried.
6. In the eventof my said husband , James Whittemore, surviving me, I herby make, constitute and appoint him sole executor of this my last Will and Testament.
7. In the event of my said husband, James Whittemore, pre-demising me, I hereby make, constitute and appoint the Detroit Trust Company sole executor of this my last Will and Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 16^th day of January, A. D. , 1917.
Signed Blanche I. Whittemore [L.S.].⁴ Blanche departed this life on Tuesday, 8 August 1922 in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, at the family home at 612 East Valerio Street at age 62 years, 2 months and 17 days.

Obituary: Mrs. Whittemore Funeral Service Held Tomorrow
The funeral service will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 o'clock for Mrs. Blanche Leggett Whittemore, at her late residence at 612 East Valerio street. The Reverand Lewis Carson, pastor of the Unitarian Church will preach the funeral service. She will be buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Mrs. Whittemore's death, which occured early yesterday morning, came as a shock to immediate family and their wide circle of friends. Left to mourn her loss are her husband, James Whittemore, and her children, Mrs. Emma T. Guest, Miss Margaret Whittemore, and W. Nelson Whittemore.
Mrs. Whittemore came to Santa Barbara several years ago from Detroit, where her family have been long identified with the social and civic life of that city.
Curing the last years of her residence here Mrs. Whittemore has been an invalid but despite that she has kept an active interest in the community life and has made many friends.
In speaking of her personality, a life long friend paid this tribute "A portion of my life has fallen from me in the death of this beloved friend. I knew her wonderful Quakeress mother, Eliza Seaman Leggett, and all her splendid, highly intellectual family, since I was eighteen years old. Blanche Leggett was then a little girl. She always had a radiant personality and unfoiled her love and magnetism every day of her life."
"She never lost an opportunity to do a kind act and had the greatest love of life and no fear of death. Her heart beats were so cheerful and loving, so devoted to her family and friends, that the tradition of man is made better from the example of her life. Her spirit can never die."
Her devoted husband, son and two daughters are left to complete their life's journey without her help. Wonderful and noble, Margaret Whittemore will follow in the foot steps of her mother, never sparing time or strength in social service. [Santa Barbara News - 9 August 1922]

She was buried there in Santa Barbara in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.⁵