USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume II > Part 26
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Mr. and Mrs. Bateman were the parents of five children: Mary Eliza- beth, now the wife of Clarence J. Crossland, an attorney; William M., Jr., who since completing his college course at Harvard has succeeded his father in the management of the undertaking business; James H .; Edmund, who is
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a graduate aviator; and Helen Jean, at home. All have been given college educations, thus qualifying for life's practical responsibilities.
Following the death of her husband Mrs. Bateman served on the boards of directors of the First Trust and Savings Bank with which he had been connected, continuing to act in that position for a period of five years until her son William had finished his studies at Harvard and was able to relieve her. Mrs. Bateman also continued with his other business affairs and still retains her interest in the Memorial Home, having become a licensed eni- balmer before her husband passed away. She is a woman of sound judgment and keen business enterprise and has made notable progress in the manage- ment of her business affairs. She belongs to the Eastern Star, but her interest centers chiefly in her church-the Baptist-and in the benevolences and good deeds prompted by the teachings of the church. She believes in helping all worthy causes, but does so quietly and unostentatiously.
MARY BATES
MARY BATES, of the Union Central Life Insurance Company, was born at Camp Washington, Cincinnati, in the old Bates homestead, built in 1807. She is the daughter of Isaac and Mary Bates. Her father was a direct de- scendant of the Isaac Bates who had been a colonel in the Revolutionary War and who came from Menden, Mass., to Cincinnati and settled there in 1788. Her mother was of French and English descent, the daughter of J. See Augur, prominent Cincinnati business man in the early days of the city.
Miss Bates attended Miss Sattler's School, then the College Preparatory School. She was graduated from Wellesley College with a B. A. degree in 1910.
From 1918 to 1926 Miss Bates was secretary to John L. Shuff, nationally known insurance man, and since then has been a valued member of the sales staff of the Union Central company. She belongs to the College Club, to the Wellesley Club, to the Life Underwriters Association and to a number of college sororities.
LOUISE ANN BIRKENKAMP
The name Birkenkamp is familiar to all who know aught of the history of Toledo for the father of LOUISE ANN BIRKENKAMP was one of the first settlers in the southern part of the city where the family home has since been maintained and where for many years the family have conducted an undertaking business. Theirs is today one of the finest and largest funeral establishments in the state and the business has been built up through enter- prise and earnest effort, built upon a desire to please and help their patrons.
The parents of Louise A. Birkenkamp were Herman H. and Elizabeth (Ehlert) Birkenkamp, both natives of Germany and both came to the United States in 1856. The father, who was born in Hanover, had been orphaned before he crossed the Atlantic. Arriving in this country he made his way to
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Toledo, took up his abode in the south part of the city, when there were but three or four settlers there, and from that time forward continued to reside at his first location until his death, developing his business interests with the growth and upbuilding of the city. He was first employed as a night watch- man by a lumber company and later, buying a horse and wagon, he engaged in the drayage business. In 1867 he purchased his first carriage and established a livery business, in which he continued until 1907, keeping on until he had thirty head of horses. In 1907 he began in the undertaking business and this he enlarged and developed, adding to his property, until today the Birken- kamp Funeral Home is one of the finest and largest in the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Birkenkamp became the parents of four sons and six daughters, of whom John C. and Mary Eleanor are both deceased, and the other sons of the family have also passed away. Elise is now the widow of Fred E. Hoke. Julia A. became the wife of George Rodehauser, a jeweler of Toledo and their only son, George, is now deceased. Louise A. is the next of the family. Lina is the widow of Otto Peth and they had three children- Helen, deceased; Eunice, the wife of Elmer Rieser, who is with the Toledo Scale Company ; and Elizabeth. Emma Birkenkamp is the wife of Albert Ber- stecher, a plumber, and they have had three children, Herman, Albert and Eloise Mueller, the last named now deceased. Herman, the next son of the family, married Mary Ruswinchel and they had one son, Herman. Henry J. married Constance Barthemus and they had three sons: Roland R., who married Grace Huetter and has a daughter; Hubert H., who married Rose Fowler and has four children : June Rose, Hubert H., Donald D. and Barton Bruce. Vincent Lee Birkenkamp married Alice Schleiman and they have two children, Arlene and Gordon. William H. Birkenkamp married Minnie Clark.
The father of this family died in 1914, at the age of seventy-nine years and the mother's death occurred December 27, 1928, when she had passed the ninetieth milestone on life's journey. They were most earnest Christian people and reared their family in the faith. They attended St. John's Lutheran church, which is about to celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of its found- ing. Mr. Birkenkamp having been active in its organization, on the occasion of the anniversary celebration Miss Birkenkamp is presenting the church with a set of chimes. Mr. Birkenkamp also gave generously to other religious denominations and he was a member of the Knights of the Golden Rule and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
All of the children of the family were born on the corner where the home and the business buildings are still located. Miss Birkenkamp attended schools of Toledo and from the time that she was twelve years of age she worked right along with her father in the business, trimming caskets, doing the bookkeeping and other such tasks and since the death of her father and brothers she has been conducting the business in a most capable manner. She now employs eighteen men beside the three grandsons who are connected with
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the business. They have two chapels and five receiving rooms, also a morgue and they have all of their own equipment. There are four hearses, two invalid cars, two first call cars and two flower cars. They have the entire equipment for the simplest or the most elaborate funerals and do not have to go outside for anything.
The youngest son of the family was a gifted artist, of marked natural talent and in the home are numerous oil paintings, the work of his brush.
MARION B. BROGAN
MARION B. BROGAN, of Cincinnati, department manager of Thomas Emery's Sons, Inc. and for two terms president of the Ohio Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, was born in Covington, Ky., the daughter of John and Ella Morris Brogan.
She was graduated from Covington High School, then entered the Little- ford Business School of Cincinnati, later taking courses at the University of Cincinnati which further developed and trained the exceptional business aptitude with which Miss Brogan is endowed.
Her first position was in the treasurer's department of the Street Rail- way Company and her second with her present firm. She began as stenogra- pher and clerical worker.
Quickness of understanding, skilled clerical technique, excellent judgment and enthusiasm for good work won ready recognition and high appreciation.
Marion was advanced to positions of increased responsibility culminating in her present managership of a department dealing with great quantities of widely varied real estate.
Her general interest in business and business women has kept pace with her personal achievements.
Miss Brogan was a charter member of the Cincinnati Business and Pro- fessional Women's Club and was twice elected president of this organization
To her effort is largely due the organization in 1930 of the Junior Busi- ness and Professional Women's Club, of which she is now Counselor.
Miss Brogan was an energetic and resourceful promoter of the movement which resulted in an organization even more important, the Ohio Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.
Much of the fine work done by this widely recognized federation of women in business and professional life, is attributed to the broad vision, keen observation and fine judgment of this leader, who served the state as president for two terms, from 1922 to 1924.
Her interest in the civic, social and educational life of Cincinnati is reflected by Marion Brogan's membership in important groups organized for this purpose and her political interest by her work with the Hamilton County Women's Democratic Club of which she was a director for several years.
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Miss Brogan is chairman of the business women's group of the Presby- terian Women's Club of the First Presbyterian Church of Walnut Hills.
Few if any business women of Ohio have done more than Marion Brogan to advance the interests and opportunities of other business women.
This seems to be a virtually unanimous opinion. One business woman would, however, dissent violently. This would be Marion Brogan.
CHRISTINE WILSON CARES
CHRISTINE WILSON CARES (Mrs. Charles W. Cares) is a Cleveland business woman who has applied unusual ability to the field of flower mer- chandising. As president and secretary of Christine Florist, Inc., she has developed many interesting and attractive features of the floral business and is among the active members of Society of American Florists and the National Rose Growers Association. Her husband is a civil engineer and her home is at Cleveland Heights.
MINNA D. CARSTENS
MINNA D. CARSTENS is numbered among the women who did pioneer- ing in the insurance field and her continuous progress along this line has placed her in a prominent position among the representatives of life insurance in Cincinnati. Her name is also well known in club and civic circles for she has been an efficient helper in both. She has always been a resident of Ohio, her birth having occurred in Glendale, whence her parents, Hugo and Margetta Carstens, came with their family to Cincinnati, during the infancy of their daughter Minna.
At the usual age she entered the public schools and passed through con- secutive grades to the high school. After putting aside her text books, she started out in the business world in connection with life insurance work, as a representative of the Berkshire Life Insurance Company. Soon afterward she changed to the Mutual Life Insurance Company and has since been associated with that corporation. She is thoroughly familiar with every phase of the life insurance business, has systematically developed her business and now has a large clientele.
Miss Carstens is also widely known through her connection with club activities. She was one of the organizers of the Cincinnati Women's Rotary Club and is in full sympathy with its high purposes. She is likewise a charter member of the Cincinnati Women's Club and is generous and practical in her support of all civic projects of a progressive nature, being much interested in the development of advanced ideals in municipal life. She is of the Presby- terian faith and she finds her greatest pleasure and recreation in music, both vocal and instrumental. Her business and social contacts have brought her many friends and the high regard of all who know her.
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HARRIET ESTHER COLLINS
HARRIET ESTHER COLLINS (Mrs. Robert W. Collins), assistant editor of the Ohio State Monthly and assistant secretary of the Ohio State Uni- versity Association, received her A.B. at Ohio State University, where she is identified with many important activities. Mrs. Collins was formerly editor of the Ohio Public Health Journal and a member of the board of control of the Ohio State University faculty. Her home is at 2320 Tremont Rd., Columbus.
MARGARET H. CROCKER
MARGARET H. CROCKER (Mrs. Marcus W. Crocker), of Columbus, is a business executive of the Jugtown Pottery Co., of Columbus, and a lecturer on pottery and related arts. She was educated at St. Mary's School, Raleigh, N. C., married Mr. Crocker, Columbus business man, and has two children.
Mrs. Crocker is among leaders of the Big Sister Association and an ex- officer of the Ohio division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She lives at 1047 Bryden Rd.
ANNETTE LUCILLE CULL
ANNETTE LUCILLE CULL has led a very busy life and one that must have held many interesting and entertaining experiences for she devoted her early womanhood to nursing, giving her an excellent opportunity to study human nature as well as helping those needing attention of that character, while now she has a dual interest in that she heads personally conducted tours of Europe each year and when at home manages a gift house, which she owns and maintains in her residence at 327 W. Woodruff Avenue in Toledo. These two enterprises dovetail perfectly in each other, for when on her foreign travels, she purchases the most attractive things for her shop and moreover seems to know just where to find the unusual and the beautiful things that will appeal to a discriminating purchasing public.
Her life story had its beginning in Canada, for she was born in Toronto, a daughter of John G. and Mary A. Cull, both of whom were born in Ireland. They were married in Dungannon and soon afterward came to the United States, the father's people then living in Cleveland so that they made their way to that city. Miss Cull began her education in the schools of Cleveland and afterward attended the grades and high school at Norwalk, Ohio, to which place her parents had removed. After leaving high school she entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Attracted to the nursing profession, she took her training at the School of Nursing in Ann Arbor, but in the meantime her people had removed to Toledo and she completed her studies in the Toledo Nurses Training School, of which she is a graduate. She de- voted about ten years to nursing in this city and became well known pro- fessionally. About that time she and her mother went to Europe, spending
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about three months in travel in 1900 and upon her return she gave up nursing and undertook the business of conducting tours to Europe until she has now taken twenty-seven tours. The first tour which she managed had only nine people in the party, but the number steadily grew as the years passed. She had to discontinue one tour in Switzerland and return home on account of the outbreak of the World War in 1914. In 1918 Miss Cull went to France. She was fourteen days in making the trip over and during that time she conducted a study class aboard ship for those going to France, teaching them something of the language and also French money values. She was connected with the Young Men's Christian Association work. Her tours have been very popular and American appreciation of European merchandise brought to her the idea of opening a gift shop.
Miss Cull therefore stocked her spacious home in Toledo with much attractive merchandise, little of which can be duplicated in the stores of this country, and this she has most enticingly displayed. A Toledo reporter describing her shop, wrote as follows: "An ale mug from Ye Old Cheshire Cheese in London, wool shawls from the country of the Dolomites, laces from the Italian riviera, antique bell pulls from France, costumed dolls from Ireland, linens from Esthonia, Capodimonti china, old German flint glass, carved black walnut fruit bowls that play melodious little tunes when you lift them, brass from Cairo, Amsterdam and Venice, children's chairs from Spain and from Scotland gay and homey little tea sets are some of the things that make up her stock in trade." Here one may find attractive gifts for any season or for any purpose and from almost every corner of the globe and Miss Cull's long experience in buying on her extensive travels aids her to assist purchasers in acquiring just what they want. She is building up a business of gratifying proportions and moreover a shop that is a real addition to the art exhibits of the city.
LUCILE ATCHERSON CURTIS
LUCILE ATCHERSON CURTIS (Mrs. George M. Curtis), owner and manager of the Normandie Hotel, Columbus, is among the comparatively few women who have successfully established themselves in this highly administra- tive type of business. But she has had and is on record as having won much greater personal distinction.
After the World War, Lucile Atcherson was decorated by the French Government with the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Francaise and the Medaille d'Aisne in recognition of four years service, part during the war and part afterward, when she was executive secretary of the American Com- mittee for Devastated France. Miss Atcherson received her B.A. at Smith College in 1913 and was one of the famous woman's unit of this college to go overseas for war service.
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After her work for Devastated France and the Fund for French Wounded was completed, Miss Atcherson was given an appointment in the Division of Latin American Affairs and later to the American Legation at Berne. Switzerland, then to the American Legation at Panama City. In 1928 she married George M. Curtis, a professor of surgery. They have two children. The Curtis home is at 4690 Sunbury Rd., Columbus.
LENA DALTON
LENA DALTON is manager and executive head of the Hamilton Busi- ness College, which was established in 1865 by H. H. Beck and has maintained a continuous existence since, being always regarded as an educational asset of Hamilton. The school was purchased by Miss Dalton and Miss Mildred Shaffer, as co-owners, in 1934 and under their guidance has steadily grown and developed.
Miss Dalton is a native of Union City, Tennessee, whence her parents removed with their family to Virginia and later to Maryland. She attended high school in Front Royal, Virginia, and the Eastern College of Front Royal and then entered the teachers college of Johns Hopkins University, while later she took special training at Columbia University. She began teaching in the Bryant & Stratton Business College in Baltimore, Maryland, and sub- sequently spent a year as an instructor in the Gregg College of Chicago. She went abroad in 1927, devoting a year to European travel and thus greatly broadening her knowledge. Her entire life, since finishing her own education, has been devoted to teaching and at all times she keeps in touch with modern methods and the latest results of scientific investigation in her particular field.
Miss Dalton was the prime mover in the organization of the Business and Professional Woman's Club of Hamilton and served as its first president. She is also a member of the Woman's City Club and is interested in all pro- gressive measures looking to civic welfare and betterment. Her religious faith is indicated in her connection with the Baptist Church.
ALIN TRIPP ELLIOTT DETRICK
ALIN TRIPP ELLIOTT DETRICK is the secretary of the United States Trotting Association and is well known not only in Bellefontaine, her home city, but throughout the country wherever interest is felt in harness trotting horses. A native of West Mansfield, Logan County, Ohio, she is a daughter of Nicholas Vinton and Florabelle (McAtee) Elliott, also natives of this state. The father, who was born on a farm in Logan County, engaged in the lumber business and also was a sheep buyer. After reaching the age of twenty-nine years he attended a business school in order to better qualify for his activities. It was subsequent to that time that he became interested in steel and took up bridge building in connection with the Bellefontaine
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Bridge, Iron & Steel Company. Later he was manager of the Marysville Cabinet Company for several years and he retired from active business life about 1928. He was active in politics, was a member of the city council and was appointed civil service director. He died February 13, 1938 at the age of eighty-two years. In the family were two daughters, Mrs. Detrick and Almyra Marie, who became the wife of Fred B. Hamilton of the firm of Hill & Hamilton, who have an insurance agency in Bellefontaine. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have one child Jeanne.
Mrs. Detrick first attended the grade schools of Bellefontaine and was graduated from high school with the class of 1906, after which she concen- trated her attention upon music. She had begun studying that art when but nine years of age and when fourteen began the study of voice, at the same time keeping up her instrumental music. She is still enthusiastic con- cerning music and plays whenever she has opportunity to do so.
It was in 1907 that Alin T. Elliott was married to Don A. Detrick, who was born in Logan County and educated here. After his graduation from the Bellefontaine High School, he secured a position in the People's Com- mercial Bank, where he remained for about two years and was then con- nected with the Lake Shore Bank at Cleveland for a year and a half. He later returned to Bellefontaine, where he became deputy probate judge. He also engaged in the real estate business and for twenty years he was sec- retary of the local County Fair board, in which work he was assisted by his wife. Actively interested in sports, he was a member of the Bellefontaine Country Club and was the club champion for five years. In 1929 he was secretary of the Grand Circuit of Trotting Horses of America, and during the year of his absence Mrs. Detrick had charge of his real estate business as well as of the Fair and the horses. At his death she became secretary of the Ohio County Fair Association and was also made secretary-treasurer of the United Trotting Association. She also took over the Huff National Fair Directory as editor and publisher.
On the 2nd of January, 1936, Mrs. Detrick met in New York with rep- resentatives of these different organizations and was instrumental in getting a uniform classification to raise harness horses and to establish uniform rules. In 1938 she was instrumental in bringing to Columbus the meeting of the five associations, including the Trotting Horse Club of America, the American Trotting Register Association, located in Goshen, New York, the National Trotting Association, which has its headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, the American Trotting Association of Chicago and the United Trotting Asso- ciation of Ohio.
On Armistice Day of 1938 a group of horsemen met at Indianapolis, Indiana, and formed a new organization, called the United States Trotting Association and at the Columbus meeting Mrs. Detriek was chosen its execu-
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tive secretary, and is in charge of its interests from Ohio westward. There is not another woman in the country that has had the honors accorded Mrs. Detrick in connection with the raising of harness horses. Her name is known wherever fine harness horses are found and she speaks with authority on all phases of the business.
Mr. and Mrs. Detrick had a family of seven children. Of these Vinton married Helen Henning of Bellefontaine and they have a daughter six years old and lost a son at the age of four years. Betty is the wife of J. Phillip Gordon of Huntsville, Ohio, and they have a son, Johnnie, three years of age. Joan is the wife of Lewis Smith of Huntsville, Ohio.
Mrs. Detrick is a stockholder in the Bellefontaine Country Club, but since her husband passed away has not been active in the organization. She belongs to the Methodist Church and is a member of the Bellefontaine Circle of the King's Daughters.
CORA M. DOW
CORA M. DOW, first graduate woman pharmacist of the United States, who, from earnings begun before she was out of childhood left, on her death in 1915, hundreds of thousands of dollars as endowment to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, has a separate niche in the hall of fame. She was Ohio's ablest business woman.
She was born in New Jersey in 1868, the daughter of Edward Burleigh Dow, a druggist who moved with his wife and child to Cincinnati in the late seventies.
Edward Dow was an excellent druggist but he was also an idealist, a dreamer. His little daughter was on the contrary a realist and a doer.
So a little girl still in short dresses spent her days and evenings assisting her father in a little drug store located in a poor district of West Fifth Street, Cincinnati. When not busy with the duties of clerking, bookkeeping and bottle washing, the little girl divided her time between the study of music, for which she had extraordinary talent, and the study of her father's medicines, from which she acquired the basis of her pharmaceutical education.
Cora's father died when she was still in her teens. The cares and manage- ment of the drug store fell entirely upon her shoulders. She saw it was a task that would require all the efforts of a trained mind to manage, and so set about obtaining an education that she might carry on. She entered the Cin- cinnati College of Pharmacy, completed her course with honors. At that time she was the first woman pharmacist in the United States. Magazines and news- papers commented widely on her achievement.
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