USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume II > Part 24
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FANYEROSE GANCFRIED
Ohio women who have taken up the practice of law have reflected credit upon the history of the bench and bar of the state. They have held to the high ethical standards of the profession and earnest purpose to secure justice has been the strong actuating spirit in their work. In this connection mention should be made of FANYEROSE GANCFRIED, who is practicing successfully in Youngstown and the court records bear testimony to the many favorable verdicts she has won.
Miss Gancfried was born in Youngstown, April 7, 1908, her parents being Harry R. and Lily (Liebman) Gancfried, the father connected with the life insurance business as an underwriter. The daughter pursued her education in the public schools, passing through consecutive grades to her graduation from the Rayen High School as a member of the class of 1925. She entered business circles as a life insurance underwriter with the Sun Life Insurance Company of Canada, but laudable ambition prompted her to qualify for the bar and she enrolled as a student in the Youngstown Law School, from which she was graduated in 1930 with the Bachelor of Laws degree. On the 12th of February of the same year she was admitted to the bar and on the 20th of November, 1933, she was admitted to practice in the federal courts. She took up the general practice of law in Youngstown and it was soon evident that she prepared her cases with thoroughness and care and that she was most loyal to the interests of her clients while at the same time she never forgot that she owed a still higher allegiance to the majesty of the law. These characteristics of her work soon gained her a growing clientage and she has had much trial practice. She belongs to both the Mahoning County and State Bar Associations.
Miss Gancfried also has many other interests. She is a member of the Business and Professional Women's Club, of which she is serving as the first vice president and she is a member of the board of the Youngstown Federation of Women's Clubs, in which she has served as chairman of the committee on American citizenship and also as chairman of the legislation committee. Her political allegiance had always been given to the Democratic party and she keeps well informed on vital political and civic questions. In 1936 she was a candidate on the party ticket for the office of judge of the court of common pleas, division of domestic relations. She has been active in many political organizations and discusses most intelligently the questions of the day.
Miss Gancfried has also been helpfully associated with welfare societies and she is vice president of Rodef Sholam Sisterhood. Naturally her chief interest is the practice of law, but sound judgment has enabled her to wisely divide her time between diverse but important interests of a public character with music as her diversion.
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CAROLINE IRENE GRIESHEIMER
To few women have come the recognition of superior talent and com- prehensive knowledge that was accorded CAROLINE IRENE GRIESHEIMER, now of Chillicothe, during her long connection with the United States Civil Service Commission in Washington, D. C. The requirements of her position were most exacting, demanding learning and insight of the broadest scope and frequently of the most unusual combination. In every instance she measured up to the requirements of her work and received the commendation and regard of all who knew of her activities.
A daughter of Adam and Caroline (Feick) Griesheimer, she was born, reared and educated in Chillicothe, attending the public schools until grad- uated from high school. It was her purpose to enter the educational field and for twelve years she was a teacher in the Chillicothe schools and for nine years of that time was employed as deputy clerk by Judge B. F. Stone in the probate court of Ross County, working after school hours, on Saturdays and through vacation periods. It was thus that she laid the foundation for the legal training which she later received.
Her interest having been awakened in the practice of law, Miss Gries- heimer studied at the Washington College of Law, in Washington, D. C., receiving her LL.B. degree in May, 1899 and her Master of Law degree in 1901. Two years later, in 1903, the Master of Science degree was conferred upon her by Columbian University, now the George Washington University of Washington, D. C. In September, 1899, after a severe examination in the District of Columbia, she was admitted to the bar of the supreme court of the District and in 1901 she was admitted to practice before the appelate courts of the District of Columbia. In 1912 she was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the United States. She had the distinction of being the first woman in Chillicothe to graduate in law and moreover was the first woman of this city to be admitted to practice in the various courts of the District of Columbia and the first Chillicothe woman to be admitted to practice before the United States supreme court.
In 1890 Miss Griesheimer passed, with the highest record. the examination held by the United States Civil Service Commission for positions in the United States government at Washington, D. C., and in July, 1891, she was appointed to a position in the United States treasury department, where she did confidential work for Hon. Charles Foster.
In September, 1891, because of her superior education and training, Miss Griesheimer became the Treasury's professional examiner at the United States Civil Service Commission. A few years later she was transferred per- manently to the Civil Service Commission, being the first woman to remain permanently a professional examiner at the Civil Service Commission. She had charge of the preparation of tests and the rating of papers of all law
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examinations, professional educators, foreign service (diplomatic and con- sular), designations to West Point and Annapolis. The law examinations and foreign service examinations covered a broad field, governmental, his- torical, economics, finance and international law, treaties and other matters. In fact, a few words cannot adequately describe the multiplicity of her duties at the United States Civil Service Commission. When a new position was created in a department, calling for high and a peculiar and unusual com- bination of education, training and experience, she consulted the head of the department, studied the position to be filled and then worked out the scope of requirements and the test by examination of applicants for the said posi- tion. This often is a very difficult matter to decide, because of the peculiar or high position to be filled. Tact, knowledge and personality were required, together with a wonderful memory. One cannot estimate the broad field of knowledge required of a professional examiner.
Miss Griesheimer worked five years under Commissioner Theodore Roose- velt, afterward president of the United States. Her life in Washington, D. C. was a very happy one, for she derived much interest and satisfaction from her work and her many contacts with people of ability and prominence. She was one of the founders of the famous Women's City Club. She com- pleted forty-one years of work at the Civil Service Commission, retiring in July, 1932. While in Washington she reared her two young nephews and educated them. She met many distinguished women lawyers and her mem- ories of the national capital are most interesting. She now spends her leisure in reading, visiting and artistic needlework, her entire life being enriched with her experiences of the past.
MARY BELLE GROSSMAN
MARY BELLE GROSSMAN, judge of the municipal court of Cleveland since 1923, has always resided in this city with the exception of the year 1895-6, spent in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born in Cleveland, June 10, 1879, a daughter of Louis and Fannie (Engle) Grossman, both of Hungarian descent, the former born August 19, 1839, and the latter March 19, 1844. After attending the public schools, she was graduated from the Cleveland Law School, the law department of Baldwin-Wallace College, in June, 1912, with the Bachelor of Laws degree.
Following her admission to the bar in that year she opened a law office and engaged in practice until 1923 when she was elected judge of the municipal court for a six years' term. She had been admitted to practice in the United States district courts in 1922 and in 1932 was admitted to practice in the United States supreme court. In 1925 she became the first woman to preside over the traffic court and the following year she organized the morals court. In 1929 she was reelected for the six years' term, as she was again in
MARY B. GROSSMANN Judge of the Municipal Court of Cleveland
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1935, so that her present term will continue until 1941. It is a notable record, having already covered sixteen years service on the bench and the endorse- ment of her work is found in her three elections to the office in which the public feels that she has rendered a distinct benefit to the city in the field of constructive justice. She is especially interested in the social phases of the administration of criminal justice, particularly as regards constructive recreation, and proper segregation and classification of physically, mentally and morally unfit as a means of crime prevention.
Judge Grossman gives her political support to the Republican party. She is an honorary member of the Kappa Beta Pi, the international legal sorority and she is one of the two women first admitted to membership in the American Bar Association, this being in 1918. She also belongs to the Cleveland Bar Association, the Cuyahoga County Bar Association, the Com- mercial Law League of America, the National Association of Women Lawyers and the National Probation Association.
Holding to the faith of her people, Judge Grossman also has membership in the Women's Auxiliary of the National Jewish Congress and the Women's Auxiliary of the Order of B'nai Brith, the Cleveland Council of Jewish Women, the Temple Women's Association and Hadassah, while of the Women's City Club of Cleveland, the Business and Professional Women's Club and the Altrusa Club, she is a charter member. She likewise has membership connection with the Consumers League and the League of Women Voters, all of which is indicative of the breadth of her sympathies and her wide understanding of the problems that affect public welfare and of the oppor- tunities that are offered for individual and mass advancement. At the time of the World War she met the demand for individual service as one of the "Four minute speakers," and whenever the interests of community, common- wealth or country are at stake, her strongly felt influence is exerted for the general good with telling results.
JOSEPHINE L. GUITTEAU
JOSEPHINE L. GUITTEAU of Toledo, attorney at law, has been one of the active promoters of educational interests in this city and has also exerted a widely felt influence over political thought and action. She gives most earnest consideration and study to any question which engages her attention and her support of a measure is the expression of her earnest belief in its worth.
Josephine L. Guitteau is the wife of William B. Guitteau and a daughter of Arthur J. and Anna B. Leach. Her father was born in Indiana and her mother was a native of Lafayette in the same state.
After attending the schools of Thorntown, Indiana, Mrs. Guitteau accom- panied her parents on the removal to Oxford. Ohio, where she attended the
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public schools and then entered the Miami University. She was graduated from the Teachers College at Miami and then taught for a year in Urbana, after which she went south to teach among the cotton mill people of Char- lotte, North Carolina, where she remained for three years. She next went to Chicago and while there taught at times in the Francis Parker school as assistant instructor in geography until in 1915 she received her Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Chicago.
Following her graduation, Mrs. Guitteau was called to Ohio to become a member of the faculty of the Bowling Green Normal College, even before the buildings were completed, and in the succeeding year she came to Toledo, where until 1920 she was assistant superintendent of the city schools in charge of teacher training. About that time she married William B. Guitteau. There are two daughters of this marriage, Joanne Patsy and Mary Jane, the former now in college at Miami, Ohio, while the younger daughter is a student in Scott high school.
In 1930 Mrs. Guitteau was appointed by Governor White a member of the famous Ohio school survey commission and their finds resulted in the establishment of the school foundation fund of Ohio. Mrs. Guitteau has also been a potent political force in this state. In 1929 she became president of an independent Republican organization known as the Woman's Republican Club of Toledo and Lucas County, it being founded as an educational club, and in 1930 she was made a life member, being the only person ever so honored. She also served as head of the economics department of the Woman's Educational Club of Toledo. In 1934, through mayoralty appointment she became the only woman member of the board of trustees of the University of Toledo. In the same year she was admitted to the Ohio bar and began practice. Since that time her law work and her political activities have largely claimed her atten- tion. In the campaign of 1936 she was on the speakers bureau of the national committee, delivered many public addresses through southern Michigan and was retained as a speaker in Chicago because of her knowledge of city organi- zation work. In 1938 she was appointed attorney of the state tax commission in district No. 1 and it was also in that year that she was appointed by the governor as the first woman member of the board of trustees of Miami, being the only woman to serve in that capacity since the establishment of the college one hundred and twenty-five years ago. She has not only kept well informed on all vital questions and issues of the day but has aided many to a clearer and more definite understanding of problems which must be settled by public opinion and upon which public welfare largely rests.
GRACE FERN HECK
GRACE FERN HECK, Urbana, Ohio, attorney, was born at Tremont City, Ohio, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Heck. She took her A. B. at Ohio
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State University in 1928 and her degree of J. D. two years later. Miss Heck has been prosecuting attorney of Champaign County since 1933 and her ability, both in public and private practice, has won general recognition. Her home is at 409 Scioto St., Urbana, Ohio.
FLORENCE HORNBACK
FLORENCE HORNBACK, widely known as an educator and writer as well as an attorney, is at this time working for her doctor's degree while teaching at the Catholic University, New Orleans.
She is a Cincinnatian, who took her master's degree, also a diploma in adult education at Columbia University and who later practiced with the Cincinnati firm of Frederick Closs and Regina B. Closs. She has written extensively on professional and educational topics, has had published several important books and is regarded as outstanding in the fields of legal and adult education.
MARY VASHTI JONES
MARY VASHTI JONES, attorney of Zanesville, Ohio, was born near Duncan Falls, Ohio, the daughter of A. L. and Ada Jones. She took her Ph. B. at Denison University, and attended Chicago University and Ohio State Uni- versity Law School. Miss Jones is secretary-treasurer of the Muskingum County National Farm Loan Association. She was formerly a high school teacher. Her home is at 1244 Greenwood Ave., Zanesville, Ohio.
CONSTANCE R. KELLER
CONSTANCE R. KELLER of Bucyrus is judge of the probate court, in which position she is a successor of her father, Judge Keller, who was born on a farm near Silver Springs, Crawford County, Ohio. He was a son of Phillip Keller, one of the early settlers of that county, where he followed the occupation of farming. Judge Keller was reared and educated in his native county and married Hester Carr, a daughter of James Carr, who served as justice of the peace and held other local offices in Crawford County.
The farm near Silver Springs which was the birthplace of her father was also the birthplace of Judge Constance Keller, who was reared on the old home place and attended the district school, while later she attended town high school. Attracted to the profession of law, she matriculated at the Ohio State University as a law student and completed her course with the class of 1926. Soon afterward she opened a law office in Bucyrus, where she continued in general practice until elected judge of the probate court in 1937. She has since served on the bench to the satisfaction of the general public, so that the name of Keller again appears on the honor roll of probate judges of Crawford County.
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Judge Keller was elected on the Democratic ticket and has taken quite an active interest in local politics, at all times being thoroughly conversant with the vital questions and issues of the day. This was further heightened by the fact that for ten years she was city editor of one of the local papers. She has long manifested a marked public spirit that finds expression in her sup- port of all measures which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride, and which tend to further the upbuilding of community and commonwealth.
At a previous date Judge Keller served as secretary of the Crawford County Farm Loan Association. She is an honorary member of the Kappa Sigma Phi, is active in the German Reform Church, is a member of the Garden Club and devotes a considerable portion of her leisure hours to good books and other literature, while her recreation is largely obtained in travel. Driv- ing her own car, she has visited many parts of the county, enjoying the great out-of-doors.
BLANCHE HARRIS KINGSLAND
BLANCHE HARRIS KINGSLAND, Cleveland, Ohio attorney, was born at Akron, the daughter of Daniel J. and Nellie Harris. She attended the Sargeant School at Cambridge, Mass., and received her LL.D. from the Ohio State University Law School. She first practiced law at Ravenna, Ohio, and resumed private practice after serving for five years as assistant city solicitor of Aurora, Ohio. In addition to her professional and civic interests, Mrs. Kingsland is a writer and composer.
SARAH GROGAN KRUSLING
SARAH GROGAN KRUSLING (Mrs. Leo Ernest Krusling), Cincinnati attorney, was born in that city, the daughter of Richard Henry and Elizabeth Foy Grogan. Both her parents, born and reared in Cincinnati, were of Irish descent.
After attending private school, Sarah Grogan entered the Y. M. C. A. Law School, received her LL.B. in 1926 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar the same year. Later she took special courses at the New York School of Social Work, at the University of Cincinnati and at Xavier University.
Sarah Grogan's first employment was as librarian of the children's depart- ment of the Walnut Hills Branch, Cincinnati Public Library. Later she was in charge of the children's room of the main library and then became associate secretary of the Consumer's League of Cincinnati. Ability displayed in this connection became even more marked when she was appointed executive attor- ney of the Legal Aid Society. This organization gives free legal service to indigent persons and also operates a legal clinic to give senior law students practical experience. This department was under Miss Grogan's direction.
CONSTANCE KELLER
Probate Judge, Bucyrus, Ohio
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She began private practice in 1934, specializing in insurance law. In 1934 Miss Grogan was married to L. E. Krusling, also an attorney. For a time she was state director for the division of women and professional pro- jects of the Work's Progress Administration, with headquarters at Columbus.
Mrs. Krusling is a member of the Roman Catholic Church and is active in numerous civic and welfare organizations, among them the League of Women Voters, International Federation of Catholic Alumnae, Catholic Women's Association and the Consumers League.
MARGARET LAWRENCE
MARGARET LAWRENCE, assistant prosecuting attorney at Cleveland for many years, is an active member of Phi Delta Delta.
CORNELIA ANN LEARY
CORNELIA ANN LEARY, Cincinnati attorney of fine attainment, has been president for the past four years of the Women Lawyers Club of Cin- cinnati and secretary of the Law Alumni Association of the Cincinnati Uni- versity. She received her LL.B. from this university in 1929 and has since been engaged in private practice.
CLARA MAY MILLARD
The women who have chosen to make the practice of law their life work have added a most interesting chapter to the history of the bench and bar of Ohio for on the whole they have done much to uphold the standards of the profession and have proven that the analytical trend of mind and the habits of logical thought and careful preparation are just as much attributes of feminine as of masculine mentality, all of which finds expression in the life record of CLARA MAY MILLARD of Toledo, who is engaged in law practice with office in the Spitzer Building. She is a daughter of Judge Irwin I. and Mary Catherine (Keller) Millard, both natives of Ohio, the former born in Richland County and the latter in Crawford County.
Miss Millard was born in Toledo and was a kindergarten pupil in the Trinity Episcopal School. She afterward entered the grade schools of Toledo and advanced to the high school, from which in due time she was graduated. Attracted by the legal profession she enrolled as a student in St. John's University Law School and was graduated therefrom in June, 1911. Hers is the honor and distinction of being the first woman in Ohio to take that law degree. She has spent several seasons in study at summer schools and she was the first woman to be graduated from a Jesuit school.
About two years after she had completed her general education she entered her father's office and there remained for exactly forty-two years to the day and was head deputy of the probate court for the entire period. It
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was in June. 1911, that Miss Millard was admitted to the Ohio bar and she is a member of the Lucas County Bar Association. She belongs to Trinity Episcopal Church as did her father and mother and she is a member of the Toledo Woman's Club. Her life has been characterized by indefatigable effort and by laudable ambition, which made her a valuable assistant in probate matters and as a lawyer she bears a well merited reputation for the ability she has always displayed in her law work.
MIRIAM E. ROMAINE
Although born in Brooklyn, New York, MIRIAM E. ROMAINE has always regarded herself as a native Cincinnatian. Her mother's maternal grandparents came to the Ohio city from Maryland in 1829, and all of their children and grandchildren were born there. Her father was a native of New York State, his ancestors having come from Holland before the American Revolution, in which they participated. Miriam has lived in Cincinnati since the age of two. She attended the public schools, graduated from Woodward High School and from the University of Cincinnati, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Subsequently she attended the Y. M. C .A. Law School and there received her LL.B. in 1926. Before taking up the study and practice of law she worked for a time with the United States Employment Service in the Cincinnati and Canton, Ohio offices. For one year she taught French and mathematics in Milford, Ohio, High School, and then became secretary to the city auditor, George P. Carrell, who later was elected Mayor of Cincinnati. For about four years she was assistant clerk at the Hamilton County Board of Elections.
Miss Romaine has been engaged in general practice since February, 1928. She is the first woman to hold the position of deed deputy for the sheriff of Hamilton County, to which office she was appointed early in January, 1939. Duties of the position consist in scrutinizing the court papers in all cases culminating in sheriffs' sales and in drawing the deeds conveying the properties to the purchasers at such sales.
In the past Miss Romaine has belonged to the Woman's City Club, to the Business Women's Club and is a member of the League of Women Voters. She is an active worker in the Republican Women's Club and the Women Lawyers' Club, of both of which organizations she is a charter member, having served in various important capacities in the Women's Club and as president of the Women Lawyers' Club. She is also a member of the D. A. R., of the Cincinnati Bar Association, and is active in the Woman's Alumnal Association of the University of Cincinnati, of which she was president and for a number of years an executive board member.
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BESSIE D. MOORE
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