Introduction

Biography

Ferdinand was the son of Ed­ward Rich­mond Blan­chard and An­na W. Quin­cy, and hus­band of Eth­el West.

He at­tend­ed Am­herst Col­lege (AB 1898) and Yale Di­vi­ni­ty School (BD 1901). Or­dained a Con­gre­ga­tion­al min­is­ter, he pas­tor­ed in South­ing­ton, Con­nec­ti­cut (1901–04); East Or­ange, New Jer­sey (1904–15); and at the Eu­clid Ave­nue Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church, Cle­ve­land, Ohio, from 1915 un­til re­tir­ement.

He re­ceived hon­or­ary DD de­grees from Am­herst Col­lege (1918) and Ober­lin Col­lege (1919), and was elect­ed mod­er­at­or of the Con­gre­ga­tion­al Chris­tian Church­es of the USA (1942–44). He al­so served as a trus­tee of Fisk Uni­ver­si­ty, Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see; mem­ber of the ex­ec­utive com­mit­tee of the Am­eri­can Mis­sion­ary As­so­cia­tion; and mem­ber of the Pru­den­tial Com­mit­tee of the Am­eri­can Board of Comm­is­sion­ers for For­eign Mis­sions.