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(top) Mary Winslow Black with Ruth in 1897;
(left) Mary in exquisite Edwardian dress in 1905
Mary was educated by governesses until she was sent to Ogontz School, a finishing school
located on a grand estate in Pennsylvania. There, she continued to live in an idyllic and rarified
environment of Victorian elegance. And she was protected. No girl was allowed to leave
the premises without a chaperone. Their mail was screened, they were not allowed to drink
Philadelphia water, and they could only dine at certain restaurants when they visited the city.
The goal of the school was to prepare them for the elite society into which they had
been born. Math, apparently, wasn’t necessary, but art was acceptable, and Mary found a life’s
passion. Mary went on to study with William Lathrop and F. Luis Mora of the Art Students
League and exhibited her work at various New York venues. At age 21, she departed for a year-
long “Grand Tour” of Europe.
MARY AND CLARENCE IN DETROIT
A
fter their honeymoon sojourn in Seattle, Mary and Clarence moved into the family
home in Detroit. In 1897, their daughter Ruth was born, and they soon moved
into their own home at 1065 Woodward Avenue. The enterprising Clarence was involved
in several businesses in Detroit, including Michigan Sugar, Detroit Salt, and the Detroit,
Monroe, and Toledo Railroad companies. He was also president of Northern Lakes
Steamship Company.
MOGULS
&
MANSIONS
Black had always been active in Detroit civic affairs. He served as city controller and as a water commissioner. He
was also a member of the police commission. The year Ruth was born, the Republican Party tapped him to run for
mayor, challenging Democrat William C. Maybury.
Maybury won the election and set about encouraging Detroit’s economic growth. One step in that direction was
to personally pay the bills of a struggling young automobile maker, Henry Ford, and line up investors for his first
company. One of those investors was Maybury’s political opponent, Clarence A. Black. In 1898, the investors
formed the Detroit Automobile Company.
The company teetered on the brink of failure several times, and Ford left in 1901. When the investors
decided to liquidate their holdings in 1902, they brought in Henry Martyn Leland to advise them. Instead
of helping them fold, however, Leland sold them on the idea of using a new engine that had three times
the horsepower of others in existence, and so, Cadillac Motor Company was born.
Clarence Black became president of the company, a position he held on and off until 1909 when
General Motors took over in a cash/stock deal. Although Black didn’t get to be mayor of Detroit, thanks
to the mayor, he did get to amass a fortune.
EL CERRITO
IN SANTA BARBARA
C
larence turned 60 in 1911, and it was time for a sea change. He donated his mansion and property
to the city of Detroit for a new public library and moved to Santa Barbara. He purchased land on
