Donor
Nancy Horton, the daughter of Katerina Sakopoulou and George Horton (1859-1942), a renowned Philhellene, journalist, poet, and writer, continued her father’s legacy. George Horton served as the U.S. Consul in both Athens and Thessaloniki, and during the Turkish War, he was U.S. Consul General in Smyrna. He witnessed the city’s destruction in 1922 and risked his diplomatic authority to save thousands of Greeks and other Christians in Asia Minor. Upon his return to the United States, he organized relief efforts for refugees. Horton’s experiences led him to write the monumental book “The Blight of Asia” (1926), which documented the tragedy of Smyrna and the Christian populations in Asia Minor. He was known as “Lord Byron” in his time and instilled in Nancy a deep love for Greek language and culture. Following in her father’s footsteps, Nancy produced a remarkable body of poetry that captured the beauty and essence of Greek nature. Her first poem, inspired by the Lemon Forest of Poros, reflected the Hortons’ strong connection to the region of Troizina and Argolida. She also wrote prose and translated Modern Greek poems into English. Her academic and philanthropic contributions were widely recognized, and she was awarded honorary Greek citizenship. Nancy Horton’s involvement with Anatolia College began in the 1990s. As former President William McGrew noted, she was drawn to the college’s history, particularly its Asia Minor origins. Although she also had a home in Washington, D.C., Nancy spent most of her life in Athens. She never forgot her family’s roots in Smyrna or the struggles of the Greek people. Her generosity has had a profound impact on the lives of young students at Anatolia College, embodying the ideals, history, and educational mission of the institution.
