Helen Portia Pratt Dahl was a graduate of Smith College Class of 1914. After graduation she traveled often between the United States and Europe and in 1926 was in China. She studied bookbinding in Paris in the late 1920s and eventually established a bookbinding studio in Boston, Mass., where she designed and bound many rare editions of English and French texts. In 1932 she married Dr. Ernst O. Dahl, M.D., a Danish physician. Together with him they traveled often to Europe, spent summers on Cape Cod and extended periods of time in California. Dr. Dahl died in 1949. Portia Pratt Dahl died on Jan. 20, 1970 without heirs and left the bulk of her estate to Smith College.

Ms. Dahl's father, Seth F. Pratt, attended Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, and at one time was a cashier at the Roseville Union Bank, Roseville, Illinois.

Nothing is known about Peter Dahl (1857-1929) except that he was born in Jutland and died in Copenhagen, Denmark. He likely was a relative of Dr. Ernst O. Dahl.