USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume II > Part 1
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Go 977.1 N293W v. 2 1386758
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02398 9442
Moment
Ohin
Women of Chin
A RECORD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE
Ruth Neely EDITOR IN CHIEF
SPONSORED BY THE
Ohio Newspaper Women's A ssuriation
SEAL OF THE
STATE
GREAT
OF
THE
OIHO
3
OHIO
VOLUME II
THREE ROYAL OCTAVO VOLUMES PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED
S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1386758
CHAPTER TEN
Women in Religion
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CHAPTER TEN
WOMEN IN RELIGION
By PAULINE SMITH (Editor Religious Page, Columbus Citizen)
Ohio women have made definite contributions to organizations closely allied with religion. This is evidenced by the fact that the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was founded in Ohio, at least one National Young Women's Christion Association president has been an Ohioan, and an Ohio woman is national president of the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The past president of the National Y. W. C. A. is MRS. HARRIE R. CHAMBERLIN of Toledo and the president of the W. H. M. S. is MRS. W. H. C. GOODE of Sidney.
Virtually all church federations of Ohio cities have efficient and effective women's departments.
The Ohio Council of Churches (Protestant ) has a woman's depart- ment of which MRS. RUTH MOUGEY WORRELL, daughter of a Methodist minister and known for her successful direction of pageants at large religious gatherings, is executive secretary. This department annually sponsors a conference of Ohio church women in connection with the Ohio Pastors' Convention held in Columbus.
In these and similar capacities Ohio women have done much to pre- serve religion and religious institutions as a vital power in the com- munity, the state and the nation. They have given generously of their time and means. They have made it possible for the church to raise its budget. Through innumerable organizations they have missionary aid service-at home and in foreign lands.
In some denominations women serve in official capacities, on church boards and as delegates to denominational and general meetings.
But with all that they have done and are doing to continue and advance religion, it is an inescapable and noteworthy fact that com- paratively few Ohio women have made the pulpit their own vocation.
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There were apparently more women preachers in proportion to population in the early days of Ohio than there are today. This may be accounted for by the prevalence of Quakers, Shakers and other sects in which the privileges of the pulpit were not conditioned on defi- nite and extensive theological training.
Today the ministry is in the main, a profession with high stan- dards of education and specific training, quite comparable with the standards of law, medicine, and modern pedagogy. This in itself can- not be the deterrent, there are far more women doctors, lawyers, highly trained teachers than women ministers in Ohio. Even the fem- inist movement which brought women the ballot and with it easier access to professions, previously closed, seems to have exerted little or no influence on their entrance to the ministry.
The obvious answer is that women evidently prefer to give their time and energies to close co-operation in religious work and their leadership to those activities for spiritual, moral and social betterment which are so important, so inseparably a part of the modern church.
However, Ohio has women ministers, especially in the smaller communities, some of whom are doing excellent work. But Ohio has no Maude Royden, in whose ability and achievements England takes so justifiable a pride.
On the other hand, Ohio has no Aimee Semple McPherson-which perhaps really evens up matters, more or less.
"Order is Heaven's first law" and "Cleanliness is next to Godli- ness" but there is no question as to which came first in the minds-at least, in the conscious minds-of the pioneer mothers. God was very real in this early wilderness. He was very close. He had to be. From north, south, east and west came, all too often, only danger. Help had to come from somewhere-so it must come from above.
One must give hostages, even to good fortune. The religion of the day, certainly the religion of the common people, was frosty and stiff with Calvinism. It grimly demanded adequate quid pro quo. One must pay a price for divine protection. The price was rigid conformity with religious taboos which ruled out much innocent human happiness.
What with ever present danger and omnipresent hardships, the pioneer mother had no chance to be comfortable and little, seemingly, to be happy.
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Yet, by the paradox which is human nature, she was probably quite happy at times, because of the very contrast of these sunny inter- vals with the times of strain and struggle.
But you may be sure that she did not let herself betray too much of glee or gladsomeness. She ventured only a quiet, careful kind of happiness and probably was rather furtive about it, even in her prayers. It could easily have offended the dictator deity of that day. In important matters that affected her personally, children, husband, home, there was no sense in taking a chance by seeming too joyous.
Happiness afforded by religious ecstacy was, of course, a different matter. Evangelical religion was at the time highly emotional-or perhaps emotionalism, bottled up elsewhere, seized this chance of escape, safeguarded in the guise of worship. From religious exaltation to exhortations is but a short step. Even so, it is surprising, consider- ing the limited population of the early Ohio settlements, how many women made it. Their first step outside the home was probably into the prayer meeting. Presently some of them would even reach the pul- pit. But not yet.
MELISSA TERRELL
The first woman preacher of Ohio was the REVEREND MELISSA TERRELL, born in Adams County in 1834. She was a member of the Southern Ohio Christian Conference. Her family name was Garrett; she was married twice, first to Rev. W. H. Timmons, and later to a William Terrell.
The Rev. Melissa was ordained at the Ebenezer Church, Clark County. Ohio, March 7, 1867. Her original membership in the Conference was under the designation of "Female Laborer" but after her ordination she was accepted and given credentials as "an ordained minister of good standing in this Conference".
Rev. J. F. Burnett, long a general secretary and historian of the Christian Church, says of her :
"Mrs. Terrell was the first woman ordained by the Christians and prob- ably the first woman in modern times to be ordained by any denomination by direct authority of a Conference or local congregation. She was not the first woman ordained to the ministry, but the first, as stated above, to be ordained by the authority of a Conference or local congregation. She has held, beside her work in Ohio, pastorates in Iowa and Missouri. In 1877 when the Con- ference held its annual session in Ripley, Ohio, this writer was ordained and Mrs. Timmons preached the 'Annual Conference Sermon.' The Conference
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had the sermon printed in pamphlet form and distributed it quite widely, not only among the churches of its own membership, but also throughout the denomination. She was a speaker of rare ability and persuasiveness, and her appeals were seldom without response."
HELEN FLORENCE BARNES
HELEN FLORENCE BARNES, formerly a national and an international secretary of the Young Women's Christian Association, was born at Ottawa, O., the daughter of the Rev. Adam C. and Harriet P. Barnes.
Fine educational training and exceptional administrative ability com- bined to qualify Helen Barnes for the outstanding service she has given in this country and abroad for the past 28 years. She attended Ohio Northern University, took her M. A. at Ohio Wesleyan, attended Columbia University for a special course in sociology and received the degree of LL.D. from Lincoln Memorial University. In 1927 Miss Barnes worked in Greece in the interests of Near East Relief. She traversed Egypt. Palestine and Syria in the course of her Y. W. C. A. assignments, attended the World W. C. T. A. con- vention at Stockholm, the Y. W. C. A. World Conference at Geneva and rep- resented the last named organization in many other places and connections. For several years past this notable Ohio woman has filled various Methodist Episcopal pulpits as a local preacher. Her home is at 432 W. Sandusky St., Findlay, Ohio.
MAY E. BULLOCK
MAY E. BULLOCK (Mrs. Frederick E. Bullock) secretary from 1933 to 1938 of the American Association of Women Preachers of Westboro, Ohio was born at Toledo, the daughter of James and Phoebe E. Green. She attended the Auburn School of Religion, took her M. A. at Rollins College and later took special theological and other courses. She was married in 1898 to Frederick E. Bullock, contractor, and was for 21/2 years pastor of the Con- gregational Christian Church at Plainville, N. Y., pastor for five years at Trotwood, Ohio and for three years at Westboro, Ohio.
Mrs. Bullock's deep interest in the problem of youth (she is the mother of five children) and her gift of understanding and appeal qualified her ex- ceptionally for ten years of service as secretary of children's work sponsored by the Christian denomination. She has been an editor and lesson writer for 15 years, during which she has had published many children's stories. Her present home is at Westboro, Ohio.
Between the administrations of MRS. JOHN DAVIS, first president of the Cincinnati Young Women's Christian Association, and MRS. JOSEPH KINDLE, president at the time of this writing (1939) there is a history of 71 anxious arduous but constantly amplifying years.
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Only high lights of this history can here be outlined and to those who founded this great social service only a summarized tribute can be paid.
Yet every individual on the first "Board of Managers" of the Cincinnati Women's Christian Association-the "young" was not added until 1894- surely deserved individual recognition. There were six vice presidents, Mrs. S. S. Fisher, Mrs. A. D. Bullock, Mrs. Alphonso Taft, Mrs. W. W. Scarborough, Mrs. J. F. Perry and Mrs. E. Williams. Mrs. H. W. Sage was recording secre- tary, Mrs. Robert Brown, corresponding secretary and Mrs. W. B. Davis, treasurer.
Other members of the board were: Mrs. D. W. Clark, Mrs. J. F. Perry, Mrs. B. F. Brannan, Mrs. C. J. Acton, Mrs. Jacob D. Cox, Mrs. Thane Miller, Mrs. Frank Whetstone, Mrs. A. J. Howe, Mrs. C. L. Thompson, Mrs. George W. McAlpin, Mrs. Elizabeth Dean, Mrs. Murray Shipley, Mrs. Mary J. Taylor, Mrs. W. M. Bush, Mrs. E. G. Hall, Miss Mary Fitz, Miss H. A. Smith, Miss Mary H. Sibley and Miss Julia Carpenter.
The outstanding purpose in starting the Cincinnati Y. W. C. A. was to provide a home for working women. Magnitude of this task can be estimated from the grim economic fact that whereas minimum board cost was $3.50 per week, the average woman's wage was at the time, $2.00 weekly, not daily.
So at once Mrs. Davis and her board members set about trying to remedy, while they met, an underlying economic condition.
The Y. W. C. A. has continued ever since to work on this same principle : To meet the needs of today, while striving for a better tomorrow.
Here is a skeleton outline compiled by the board in 1938 for celebration of its 70th anniversary, of major achievements.
The first committees were an employment committee to help girls to get situations and a missionary committee, the members of which visited the jail, and workhouse and gave out tracts.
In 1870 a Young Ladies Branch was organized and a library was opened.
A house on Broadway was next leased and later purchased, in which 90 girls could be accommodated.
An Industrial Institute was opened in 1872 under the supervision of the Young Ladies Branch in which girls were taught trades of various kinds. Much work of a charitable nature was done and this led to the formation of the Cincinnati Associated Charities.
In 1872 a summer cottage was built at Epworth Heights through the generosity of Mrs. L. B. Reakirt.
A committee was appointed to see that girls be allowed seats behind their counters. This was the beginning of work later taken over by the Con- sumers League.
In 1883 saw the opening of a Woman's Exchange to market the products of the Industrial Institute-a forerunner of the present Cincinnati Woman's Exchange.
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A great event of 1885 was the meeting in Cincinnati of the International Conference of Y. W. C. A.'s with 20 Associations represented. Five years later MRS. THANE MILLER was sent as a Cincinnati delegate to the London Conference.
In 1899 the Y. W. C. A. joined the Travelers' Aid Society.
In 1904 the Business Girls Club was organized. Sewing classes were popular in the Junior department.
In 1905 saw the opening of the then new building at No. 20 East 8th St. Bible classes taught in factories at the noon hours and educational work done in the evenings in the new building.
In 1907 the Association joined National Board.
Cottage at Epworth Heights was rebuilt after a fire had destroyed the first one.
In 1916 the first Girl Scout group was formed, but was later changed to the present Girl Reserve clubs.
In 1918-1919, War Work Council and Industrial Centers established at Norwood and West Eighth Street by the Government; were taken over and became Y. W. C. A. Norwood Branch and West End Branch (Blue Triangle) for Negro girls.
In 1920 Y. W. C. A. joined the Community Chest.
Crowded conditions became acute and plans for a new building with a campaign for funds occupied all members.
In 1927 building campaign was carried on and was very successful. A beautiful gift of a camp on the Whitewater River at New Trenton, Indiana, in memory of her husband, was bestowed by one of our beloved members and named "Lenmary."
The cornerstone of the new building in 1928 was laid and within the year entered new home-in March, 1929. Through the generosity of their two daughters a chapel was dedicated to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Peters and became the heart of the building.
Laundry opened on the 13th floor became a great convenience as it takes care of all laundry for all branches and Lenmary Camp.
The University Y. W. C. A. (student) began close cooperation with pro- gram of city association.
Penmaen Farm, an old-fashioned home with 32 acres on a hill above New Richmond, was given by a generous friend to be used as a rest home for members of staff.
A wider scope of work inaugurated with centralization of effort at the city association.
"We begin our next decade of work and helpfulness with firm faith in the guidance of the Holy Spirit with gratitude for all the way in which God has led us and a sincere consecration to do a larger and better work in the future."
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FLORENCE OTIS KINDLE
FLORENCE OTIS KINDLE (Mrs. Joseph Kindle), president of the board of directors of the Young Women's Christian Association has become, through her ability, training and personality, one of the highly valued citizens of Cincinnati. She came to that city about fifteen years ago, to join the faculty of the University of Cincinnati.
Born in Hudson, Wisconsin, she is the daughter of Charles Herbert Otis and Elizabeth Comstock Otis, both of English descent. She attended the high schools of St. Paul, Minnesota, Macalester College, the University of Chicago, receiving there an A. B. degree, finally did graduate work at Columbia Uni- versity. She taught household economics first in Emporia College, Kansas, then at Drake University and eventually in the University of Cincinnati.
In 1926 she married Joseph H. Kindle, professor of mathematics in the Engineering College of the University of Cincinnati.
Since that time Florence Kindle has taken a prominent part in the civic life of Cincinnati. A member of the Cincinnati Women's Club and the College Club, her chief interest and energy has been given to the character building work of the Young Women's Christian Association, which she has served in many capacities, before assuming her present responsible post as president of its board.
Vice presidents-as of 1938 are: Mrs. Fred W. Moore, Mrs. Carl W. Rich and Mrs. Joseph A. Hall. Mrs. W. Orville Ramsey was recording sec- retary, Mrs. Albert P. Matthews, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. August Marx, treasurer.
Other members of the board of directors are: Mrs. C. V. Anderson, Mrs. George B. Barbour, Mrs. Eva M. Bowles, Mrs. Robert Brinkman, Mrs. I. J. Cortright, Mrs. Claude V. Courter, Mrs. Orville W. Crane, Mrs. John W. Dalzell, Miss Florence Dieckmann, Miss Fern Dunkin, Miss Nellie Hayes Fairweather, Mrs. Frederick V. Geier, Mrs. Eric W. Gibberd, Miss Zana Harrow, Mrs. David Heusinkveld, Mrs. Leo Lindenberg, Mrs. Vivien Mc- Intire, Mrs. Alfred D. Moore, Mrs. Marcus M. Rambo, Mrs. Ida M. Rhodes, Mrs. G. Barrett Rich, Mrs. Chas. S. Riley, Mrs. Stuart H. Smith, Mrs. Frank H. Stevenson, Mrs. Samuel P. Todd, Mrs. P. G. Vondersmith and Miss Helen Wilson.
Honorary members were: Miss Margaret B. Graham, Mrs. M. L. Kirk- patrick, Mrs. D. B. Meacham and Mrs. Charles H. Stephens.
LYDIA SUTLIFF BRAINARD
LYDIA SUTLIFF BRAINARD of Warren, O., was graduated from Warren High School in 1885. She married Edward J. Brainard of Warren, who later became assistant manager of the American Linseed Oil Co. with
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offices in New York City. Mrs. Brainard and her sister, Miss Phebe Sutliff, are the last of the eight children of Levi and Phebe Marvin Sutliff. In 1921 following the death of Mrs. Brainard's husband and only child, Edward Sutliff Brainard, Lydia Brainard returned from New York to Warren to reside. She has devoted her time to church and Y. W. C. A. activities and has served as trustee and deaconess at First Baptist Church. Through her efforts gifts were secured that freed the Y. W. C. A. building from debt and she also secured an endowment gift for that institution. She is a trustee and vice president of the Warren Y. W. C. A.
Before the death of Mr. Brainard, the Brainards endowed a prize scholar- ship in memory of their son, who had prepared for college there. During the World War Mrs. Brainard went twice a week to Camp Merritt, N. Y., to distribute gifts to the soldiers, especially those who were ill.
A bequest of Judge Milton Sutliff, an uncle of Miss Phebe Sutliff and Mrs. Brainard, to be used for the benefit of the "Warren Youth" was eventually combined with a Carnegie Fund to erect the present Warren Public Library. Miss Sutliff and Mrs. Brainard have endowed a room in that institution known as the Brainard room in memory of Mrs. Brainard's only son.
IRMA A. COHON
IRMA A. COHON (Mrs. Samuel S. Cohon), Cincinnati writer and musi- cian, was born at Portland, Ore., the daughter of J. F. and Amelia Reinhart.
She took her A. B. at the University of Cincinnati, completed her educa- tion at Hebrew Union College, and entered on a career of religious educational writing, which has won excellent recognition in this special field. Among her published books and monographs are "Introduction to Jewish Music," "Har- vest Festival," "A Brief Jewish Ritual," and a number of religious poems.
MARIE GWYNNE CROTTI
Outstanding in Columbus for her welfare work among children and her devotion to the Catholic church is MARIE GWYNNE CROTTI, wife of Dr. Andre Crotti, internationally known goiter specialist. One rarely sees her name in the public print, nor are many of her philanthropies known.
Descendant of a pioneer Columbus family, Mrs. Crotti was a member of the first board of governors of the Big Sister Association of that city when it was founded through the Franklin County juvenile court in 1913. Three years later it was incorporated and her name again was listed as a member of the board of trustees. She also was active in the woman's suffrage movement.
In October, 1938, Mrs. Crotti was invested with a gold cross "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifici", sent to her by Pope Pius XI as a special award for loyalty and
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devotion to the church and for her generous work among the poor. Time and money contributed by her has enabled scores of underprivileged children to attend school.
JESSIE BURRALL EUBANK
JESSIE BURRALL EUBANK (Mrs. Earle E. Eubank) Cincinnati speaker and writer on religious education, has acquired a position of authority in this field hitherto attained by comparatively few women.
She was born at Hillsdale, Wis., received her A. B. degree at the Uni- versity of Wisconsin and was for a period a faculty member of the Teachers College of St. Cloud University.
In 1928 she married Dr. Earle Eubank, head of the department of socio- logy, University of Cincinnati. Ever since her work began in Cincinnati, Mrs. Eubank has participated enthusiastically in the educational, cultural and social activities of her adopted city. She has had published many articles re- lated to religious education, in which field she is regarded as expert.
FLORENCE MARY FITCH
FLORENCE MARY FITCH, professor of Biblical literature, Oberlin College, was born at Stratford, Conn., the daughter of the Rev. Frank S. and Anna Fitch. She took her A. B. at Oberlin, her M. A. and Ph. D. at the Uni- versity of Berlin, Germany. Miss Fitch is trustee of the Oberlin Shansi Mem- orial Association and was formerly dean of women of the college. She is active in the National Association of Biblical Instruction, in the National Association, Teachers of Religion, the American Schools of Oriental Research and other important organizations. Among her writings are "What Are Our Social Standards?", and "The Daughter of Abd Salam". Her home is at 97 Ehm St., Oberlin.
STELLA HEINSHEIMER FREIBERG
To list the achievements of STELLA HEINSHEIMER FREIBERG (Mrs. J. Walter Freiberg) would be in large measure to index the progress in social welfare, in education, in culture and in civie growth of her native city, Cin- cinnati, for more than thirty years, for along these lines she has put forth intelligent and effective effort that has brought forth rich fruit for the benefit of human kind and has had tangible results not only in the uplift of the individual but also in the development of the city in which she has spent the greater part of her life. Born in Cincinnati, Mrs. Freiberg is the daughter of the late Lewis and Emma Heinsheimer. Her education, begun in this eity, was completed abroad and her interest in and innate understanding of music and art have been developed by the opportunity of seeing, hearing and com- paring the best in these and other fields of art both at home and in foreign
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lands. She has visited the great art centers of Europe, with appreciation for the works of the great masters in those fields which lead at all times to cul- tural advancement, and her life has known the great enrichment which travel can bring. In 1884 Stella Heinsheimer became the wife of the late J. Walter Freiberg and has one son, Julius W. Freiberg.
Not only is Mrs. Freiberg well known in art circles but also in connection with the great philanthropic movements of Cincinnati and of the country at large. She is president of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, is a director of the National Council of Jewish Women and she gave a gym- nasium to Hebrew Union College in memory of her husband. She has given in what would total a far greater amount to virtually every cause of funda- mental benefit to her fellow citizens. In addition, she has given unstintedly of her time and energy to worthwhile organizations, including the Consump- tive Relief Association, the Federation of Music Clubs, the League of Women Voters, the Foreign Policy Association, the English Speaking Union and many others and in the field of art she is well known as the first vice president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and of the Cincinnati Art Museum. She has made her life richer, better, broader to those to whom her example is a stimulus and her life an inspiration.
MARY FULTON
DR. MARY FULTON, who was born in a little house on Center Street, Ashland, now a part of the grounds of the residence of the late F. E. Myers, was the first medical missionary sent out to China by the Philadelphia board of the Presbyterian church. One of her first pupils in China was Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who became the first president of the Chinese republic and the "George Washington of China". Dr. Fulton was head of a hospital in China for many years and also of an educational institution and school for nurses. She died at Pasadena, Calif., in 1926.
MARY LOU BOWERS GRAY
MARY LOU BOWERS GRAY (Mrs. Louis G. Gray), former missionary to Japan and to the Virgin Islands, whose unusual service to the Lutheran Church is widely recognized in that and other denominations, was born at Columbia, S. C., the daughter of Andrew and Mary Lou Bowers.
She took her A. B. at Newberry College, attended the Biblical Seminary, New York and first served as deaconess of the First Lutheran Church of Rock- ford, Ill.
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