USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume II > Part 30
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BIRDIE L. SHROPSHIRE
When BIRDIE L. SHROPSHIRE, now assistant manager of the Cinein- nati office of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, first entered into the business field, the number of women entrusted by insurance companies with such responsibility could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Born in Marshall, Missouri, her parents moved in her infancy to Glendale, California, where she attended the public schools. She continued her education at the University of California and then took a business course in order to fully prepare herself for whatever opportunity might offer.
Only Birdie Shropshire did not wait for opportunity. She sought it out and found it-with a fraternal insurance company of Los Angeles, where she started as clerical assistant and wound up as office manager.
Five years in this position prepared the alert young business woman for her next responsible job, which was the office management at Los Angeles of the company she now serves.
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When, in 1920, it was decided to transfer the highly skilled woman execu- tive to Cincinnati, Miss Shropshire was quite ready to apply her experience and training to new territory. She worked as cashier in the Cincinnati offices of the Pacific Mutual for five years before accepting the position of Assistant Manager.
It is now 18 years since Miss Shropshire became an adopted daughter of Ohio. In this time she has won recognition as an executive, thoroughly grounded in every detail, and thoroughly alive to every opportunity.
For Miss Shropshire, however, business life is more than making a living. It is a way of living, with interests, ethics, opportunities and obligations com- mon to groups of women in every community.
So with a large and progressive group of this type, the Cincinnati Busi- ness and Professional Women's Club, she soon became identified as an active member and presently as a director.
Achievements of this club, outstanding throughout the country, have been due in no small measure to her hearty cooperation in its purposes, plans and programs.
Miss Shropshire is secretary of the National Sorority Club and is a member of other national and local organizations devoted to educational, cultural. political or civic progress.
ALMA LAWTON SIMMONS
A notable example of the attainment of success through ability, worth and merit is found in the life record of ALMA LAWTON SIMMONS, who at the early age of ten years was a cash girl and today is owner and manager of one of the finest mercantile establishments of Cincinnati, conducted by the Lawton Company as the French Shops. Keen discernment, broad vision and a laudable ambition have carried her steadily forward, nor will she feel that she has reached the goal of success while there is opportunity to reach higher standards of service to the public.
Born in Cincinnati, Mrs. Simmons is a daughter of Austin and Mary A. (Hoeffer) Lawton, the mother also a native of this city. Her father was born in Lancastershire, England and was but six years of age when his parents brought their family to the new world, settling first in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. In young manhood he came to Cincinnati, where he engaged in business as a master machinist.
His daughter, Mrs. Simmons, was reared here and attended the public schools but was only ten years of age when she began working as a cash girl in a store here. Steadily she won promotion until she was made a member of the sales force and later was advanced to the position of buyer in the store. As she became acquainted with business methods and business procedure there awakened in her the ambition to engage in business on her own account and in 1915 she began merchandising in the same building in which she had
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been employed, securing space on the second floor and opening the first Cincinnati French Shop. Six months later her trade had increased to such an extent that she was obliged to double her floor space and the third year she trebled both her office and floor space, increasing her stock at all times to meet a constantly growing demand. She has paid especial attention to women's dresses and coats and the public soon found that she carried a line of apparel that was thoroughly up-to-date and attractive in every way. In 1921 she took a ninety-nine year lease on the entire building of six floors, which is known as the Lawton Building and which she uses exclusively. She began her business with six clerks and today she employs ninety men and women in the Lawton shops, selling women's dresses and coats, wearing apparel and accessories. She shows marked judgment in making her selec- tions and is at all times actuated by a most progressive spirit.
In January, 1924, Alma Lawton became the wife of Robert C. Simmons, a practicing attorney of Covington, Kentucky. She is a member of the Rotary Club, the Woman's City Club and the Catholic Woman's Club and she gives her political allegiance to the Democratic party. She has a fine country residence where she lives and her interests have always centered in Cincinnati and the business which she has here built up and which is one of the most ereditable factors in the mercantile life of the city.
ALVIRTA WALKER TAYLOR
ALVIRTA WALKER TAYLOR, Columbus business woman, has held the unique distinction of being the only woman of her race who is an active member of the Fashion Art League of America, to which she has belonged for the past eighteen years. She has won more than honorary mention in this connection, as several times she has demonstrated her ability and skill before the group and has had many of her models to be copied in the various fashion magazines.
Madame Taylor conducts the International School of Dress Designing in addition to the work of her shop.
During the years of 1929 and 1930, she gave instructions to more than five hundred women and girls, who wanted to perfect themselves in correct dress. She also made forty-eight lectures during this same period. They were given as far east as Connecticut and as far south as Mississippi.
Alvirta Taylor has demonstrated her work on living models before various colleges, organizations, and clubs throughout the country. She is a graduate of Smith College, the Pratt Institute of Design, and the Madame Stevens School of Art. She has been a lecturer on fabrics, design and art.
Despite demands on her time and energy, Alvirta Taylor finds time to often give instructions free of charge to her less fortunate sisters and does a large amount of community uplift work among her race.
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EUGENIA MILLAR THORPE
EUGENIA MILLAR THORPE (Mrs. William H. Thorpe) has achieved distinction in a unique field, that of organization of Cincinnati's three Woman's Expositions. In 1933 Mrs. Thorpe initiated the first of these exhibi- tions, all of which were staged at Music Hall and stressed activities of women in numerous fields. Mrs. Lowell Fletcher Hobart was general chairman of the first exposition, of which 104 clubs of Greater Cincinnati were sponsors. It attracted country wide interest and inquiries came to Mrs. Thorpe from everywhere regarding it.
In 1935 she was organizer and executive secretary of the second woman's exposition, which proved a great success with Mrs. Allan C. Roudebush at its helm. Modeled on the first event, it was a more elaborate and ambitious display and demonstration. This Mrs. Thorpe carried to a successful termina- tion also, through the fine cooperation of the 118 clubs and federations on her sponsoring board.
The third woman's exposition was given in 1937 with Mrs. Thorpe again as organizer and executive. This was the largest and finest of the series. It was sponsored by 143 clubs and organizations. It not only showed the achievements of women in virtually every field of endeavor, but it also brought to Cincinnati famous lecturers and personalities, among them Dr. Allan LeRoy Dafoe, physician to the famous Quins. Mrs. Stanley Lee Clarke was general chairman. Newspapers and magazines devoted generous space to the affair -- the Christian Science Monitor, for instance, which gave columns of description.
Mrs. Thorpe was able to conduct these major projects largely through her affiliation with numerous cultural enterprises and organizations. She has long been active in the Cincinnati Chapter, Daughters of the American Revo- lution and, as a member of the program committee has been chairman from time to time of many special celebrations and observances. A former presi- dent of the Cincinnati Literary and Musical Society, she is now an honorary member. She belongs also to the Colonial Daughters of America and to the Early American Colonists, as well as the Cincinnati Hobby Club and Woman's Club and Phi Delta Theta.
Born in Tuscumbia, northern Alabama, the daughter of the late John and Emma Stanley Millar, Eugenia Millar came as a young girl with her parents to Cincinnati and has lived in that city ever since. She was married in 1912 to the late William H. Thorpe, a Canadian whose birthplace was Lon- don, Ontario.
PEARL COHN TROST
PEARL COHN TROST (Mrs. Philip Trost), director of the City Manager League of Toledo, Ohio and supervisor with the Curtis Publishing Co., was born in Cincinnati, the daughter of Emil A. and Nannie Cohn. She was married
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EUGENIA M. THORPE (Mrs. William H.) Executive Secretary of Cincinnati's three Women's Expositions
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in 1907 to Philip Trost. Mrs. Trost is president of the Toledo Society for Crippled Children, civic chairman of the Toledo Woman's Club and a board member of the Temple Sisterhood. Her residence is 2258 Hollywood Ave., Toledo.
KATIE TURLEY
KATIE TURLEY is an outstanding woman farmer of Ohio. Miss Turley was born in Findlay in her present home at 202 East Main Cross Street, fifty years ago, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard J. Turley. She was gradu- ated from Pennsylvania College for Women in Pittsburgh. Since the death of her parents in 1911 and 1912 she has been managing farms totaling over 900 acres.
Katie Turley is chairman of the women's Republican organization in Findlay and has been a delegate on several occasions to the state convention. She was the first president of the Findlay Altrusa club and was head of the Red Cross distribution in Hancock County and Findlay in 1933-34.
NAN WALLACE
Any one familiar with the photographic studios of Toledo knows the name of NAN WALLACE and is familiar, at least to some extent, with her work. She is numbered with those who have raised photography to rank with the fine arts and her own productions have been deemed worthy of exhibit in various places of the country where conventions are being held that present the most beautiful and artistic work that has been brought out through photo- graphic processes. She has conducted her studio in Toledo since 1932 and each year has chronicled her progress and success.
While conducting her studio under the name of Nan Wallace, in private life Nan Wallace is the wife of John T. Franz, who is with the Multigraph & Addressograph Company, with headquarters in Toledo. She is a daughter of I. A. and Aminta (Boys) Wallace, both natives of West Virginia and their daughter born in Charleston, that state, where she attended the public schools until graduated from high school. She next spent a year at the Montgomery Preparatory School and she also pursued a business course in her native city. She married R. S. Wallace of Charleston and they had one son, Maurice R., who was born in Charleston, who is now in the United States Navy as an air cadet, located at Grosse Isle, Michigan. He was educated largely in Toledo and attended the University of Toledo for two years. Her husband, Mr. Wallace, was a photographer who had a studio in Charleston. West Virginia, where Nan Wallace secured her first training in photography. She continued there about six years, but after the death of her husband she went to Ashe- ville, North Carolina, where she was connected with the Howard studios for about two years. She next spent a year in Huntington. West Virginia, and
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then made business connections with Bachrach, Inc., when she opened their studio in Toledo, remaining with them about two and a half years, when she became identified with the Whitt Gregg studio, with which she continued two years. She purchased her present studio in 1932 and has since ranked with Ohio's leading photographers. She has won a number of blue ribbons and "honorable mentions" and her work was exhibited in the national convention held in Chicago in August, 1937. She also had four photos hung at the con- vention of 1938 and received a certificate on all four. She already has seven- teen certificates of merit out of the twenty-five necessary to have the Master's degree in photography. She also has two certificates of merit from Indiana and two from North Carolina. She has delivered a number of public lectures on photography and has frequently given talks before women's organizations and been invited to talk at many of the conventions. Hers is a well merited fame, which she has attained through the excellence of her art.
MARY WALSH
MARY WALSH, for more than twenty years cashier of the Taft Estate, Cincinnati, Ohio was born in Waterford, Ireland, educated in the National Schools and while still in her teens came to the United States and to the city which ever since has been her home.
Miss Walsh took business courses, perfecting herself in all branches and soon after was appointed stenographer and cashier in the offices of the late Charles P. Taft.
Later she became private secretary to Mr. Taft and after his death con- tinued in this capacity and as cashier of the estate until the death, in 1931, of Mrs. (Annie Sinton) Taft.
Efficiency with which she handled her responsibilities in connection with the large estate lias won for Miss Walsh an honorable reputation as a busi- ness woman and an important place in the councils of the Cincinnati Busi- ness and Professional Woman's Club of which she is a charter member.
She has been especially active in the Catholic Women's Club of Cincin- nati of which she is vice president, also, as representative of the Cincinnati Federation in the National Council of Catholic Women.
JOSEPHINE LOUISE WARNKE
Through perseverance, close application, determination and recognized merit, Mrs. Josephine Louise Warnke has reached an enviable position in manufacturing circles, being now superintendent of the Bucyrus plant of the Kaynee Company, engaged in the manufacture of boys wear. Her entire life has been spent in Ohio, first in Cleveland and since 1921 in Bucyrus. She was born in the former city, November 20, 1881, a daughter of Henry and Elinore (Brauksik) Lange, both of German lineage. The daughter attended
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the Cleveland Lutheran parochial school until graduated in 1896 and the following year she started out in the business world with the firm with which she is still associated in the capacity of trimmer. Since that time she has won successive promotions, advancing from one position to another until today she is shop superintendent and also a stockholder in the company. From 1918 until 1921 she was personnel director and chief welfare worker in the Cleveland plant and she also had charge of the dispensary there. She is familiar with every phase of the business and possesses the keen insight into business affairs and the executive ability which well qualify her for her present responsibilities.
In Cleveland, in 1907, Josephine Lange became the wife of Frank E. Warnke and now has one son, Elmer F. Warnke. Her interest centers in her housekeeping as well as in business life and she has maintained and managed her own household ever since her marriage.
Mrs. Warnke gives her political support to the Republican party and is a member of the local woman's committee. In her church membership she is a Lutheran and she belongs to the In-As-Much Circle of the King's Daughters, is a member of its board of trustees and at one time served as its secretary. All these things make the interests and activities of her life well balanced and have won for her the respect and high regard of the com- munity in which she has now made her home for eighteen years.
AGNES G. WELLS
AGNES G. WELLS had the distinction of being the first business woman of Steubenville, O. She established a florist shop, conducted a thriving business until the time of her death. Part of her success was due to native aptitude and business acumen, part to the fact that nobody in miles around was better known. For Agnes was the daughter of Bezaleel Wells, one of the principal founders of what is now the important city of Steubenville.
CLARA WESTROPP
CLARA WESTROPP, sister of Judge Lillian Westropp, of Cleveland, shares with this widely known jurist the main executive responsibility for running the first Federal Savings and Loan Bank ever conducted by women in this country.
The Westropp sisters are the leading lights of the Women's Federal Savings and Loan Company. Clara Westropp is secretary and treasurer of the savings organization ; the entire personnel of which is confined to women. But plenty of men are patrons.
Judge Lillian Westropp is president of the concern, charter for which was granted in 1921. Recently it was re-organized and granted a Federal Charter.
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Clara Westropp, said to be a business woman of rare ability, has for years devoted her entire time and energy to this bank conducted by women only. Perhaps that is why it has done so well.
ETHEL MURIAL WOOD
ETHEL MURIAL WOOD, Cleveland insurance executive, was born at Franklin, Pa., took her A.B. at Alleghany College, her M.A. at the University of Chicago and did graduate work at the University of Paris. She was for a time teacher of the East Technical High School at Cleveland and later was appointed agent and chartered life underwriter of the Equitable Life Insur- ance Association.
She has been for five years secretary of the Cleveland Chapter of Char- tered Life Underwriters and has been president of the Cleveland branch, University of Chicago Club since 1934.
ANNA M. YOUNG
No history of Zanesville would be complete or satisfactory without ex- tended mention of ANNA M. YOUNG, who has occupied a prominent position in business circles and who has done much to further those agencies and projects which have had to do with the city's advancement along moral, educational and charitable lines. Moreover she is a representative of one of Ohio's pioneer families, being a daughter of Russell H. Twiggs and a great granddaughter of Andrew Twiggs, who was born in England and in young manhood crossed the Atlantic, after which he made his way westward to Marietta, Ohio. In that locality he took up government land on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made. He soon wrought a marked change in the appearance of the place as he continued the work of farming until his death and his son, Andrew, Jr., Mrs. Young's grandfather, con- tinued; in addition to tilling the soil he engaged in carpentering and manu- facturing hand made furniture. His son, Russell H. Twiggs, who was born on the farm near Marietta, also learned the trades of carpentering and furniture making. He was Mrs. Young's father.
It was upon a part of the old family homestead near Marietta that Mrs. Young was born and she early attended the district and later the public schools and at the age of eighteen years began teaching. On the 4th of July, 1883, she became the wife of George F. Young, who was also a teacher and who was born at Lower Salem. His father was a blacksmith. Mrs. Young and her husband attended the same school. In 1884 they moved to Zanesville, where she has since made her home. Mr. Young attended business college and then took up bookkeeping, which he followed for nine years. In 1890 he established the Roseville Pottery, and became a manufacturer of art pottery. His products soon became widely known and the business steadily increased under his direction until his death, which occurred May 9th, 1920.
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Mr. and Mrs. Young had a family of three children: Leota Frances, now the wife of F. S. Clement; Ona, who died at the age of twelve months; and Russell T., who died at the age of forty-six. At his father's death he had taken charge of the Roseville Pottery and had continued in charge until his health failed him. Mrs. Young then took up the business and continued as president and general manager until 1937, when she turned the management over to her son-in-law, F. S. Clement, who is now in charge. Mrs. Young proved herself a capable business executive, adding to the prestige of the Roseville Pottery, which is now widely known and its products are sold all over the country, so that the business is one of the largest and most important manufacturing enterprises of Zanesville.
While active in business Mrs. Young also found time to continue her charitable, philanthropic and other work for Zanesville and its people. She has been a most generous contributor to the Salvation Army and she has done much in establishing food kitchens for the needy. In memory of her husband she presented a set of chimes to the Presbyterian Church, in which she has membership and she has served as assistant treasurer and as president of the Missionary Society of the church and as chairman of its board of trustees. Any good work done in the name of charity or religion receives her liberal assistance and her broad sympathy prompts her to continually extend a helping hand to the unfortunate. Mrs. Young is active in the Republican party. She is at present serving as a trustee of the State Archae- logical and Historical Society under appointment of Governor Davey, her term expiring February 18, 1941.
In the order of Pythian Sisters Mrs. Young has been especially active, becoming a member March 15, 1892 and was elected past chief of Beulah Temple of Zanesville at the institution of the temple. In May of the same year she was elected Grand Trustee at Columbus when the Grand Temple convened in that city. In 1893 she was elected Grand Junior, in 1894 Grand Senior and in 1895 Grand Chief of the Order. Since that time she has held many positions of honor and trust in the Pythian Sisters and, in 1906, at the convention in New Orleans was elected to the highest office in the order, that of Supreme Chief. Throughout the years she has maintained her interest in the Sisterhood, doing everything possible to further its aims and purposes.
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WOMEN IN LIBRARY SERVICE
In special recognition of her extraordinary service, this group of representative Ohio women in library service is led by Miss Linda Eastman, former librarian of the Cleveland Public Library. Other names are arranged alphabetically.
LINDA EASTMAN
Realization of good work well done is said to be sufficient recognition for the real worker. Perhaps it is. But when this realization extends to the public in general, there is no good reason for assuming that the good worker's satisfaction is not thereby definitely increased.
Four times the metropolitan city of Cleveland, O., has set itself to en- thusiastically honor LINDA EASTMAN, who in September, 1938, resigned as head of the Cleveland Public Library.
In April, 1929, the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce awarded Miss East- man its public service medal. In December of the same year her portrait, painted by Walter E. Brough, was unveiled at a public dinner for 700 members of the library staff. The portrait hangs in the main library building. In 1933 a city wide recognition service was held in honor of Miss Eastman at the Euclid Ave. Baptist Church and in October, 1937, a beautiful grassy tract where an open air library has been started was officially named the Linda Eastman Park.
Yet 46 years ago, when Linda Eastman, then a teacher in the Cleveland public schools, decided to change her occupation, she was earnestly advised against taking such a chance. Already her work in public education was recognized as skilled and thorough. Why leave so safe and sane a field ?
But, Linda Anne explained, she would not be leaving it, really. School libraries had begun to be established in Cleveland. Here was a new and, in Miss Eastman's opinion, tremendously important development of public edu- cation. For some time it had challenged her deepest interest. Was not a librarian an educator in the most definite as well as in the comprehensive services of the profession ?
Without question. Very well. The matter was practically settled. All that was necessary was to take the first opportunity for appointment-and start all over again.
Linda Eastman was born at Oberlin and her Master of Arts degree was a special honor from Oberlin College. But she has earned other imposing academic dignities. Doctor of Literature, accorded by Mt. Holyoke College;
LINDA EASTMAN former Librarian of Cleveland Public Library
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LL.D. for post graduate work at Western Reserve; and various special honors. Her official qualifications always kept pace with her practical work, especially in the beginning of her new career, when in the entire Cleveland public library system there were only 18 employes. When she retired, there were 1,200 individuals in the employ of the great institution-and more than two million books on its catalogues.
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