USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume II > Part 33
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In addition to the Grandmothers organization, Mrs. Brown is a member of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, the Alliance of Business and Professional Women's Club of Chicago, an affili- ated club of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Chicago Society of Ohio Women, an affiliated club of the General Fed- eration of Women's Clubs, the Zonta Club, Women's Advertising Club of Chicago, Central Eleanor Club, League of Women Voters and Illinois Council of Professional and Business Women.
NELLIE CORCORAN
NELLIE CORCORAN, president of the Railway Business Women's Asso- ciation of Cincinnati, was born in that city and has lived there all her life.
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Her first position was as telephone information clerk at the Central Union Depot. When the ticket offices were consolidated in 1918 she went with them in a similar capacity. A few months later she took a position in the same office as diagram clerk. In 1924 she entered the general passenger depart- ment of the N. Y. C. System; again as a diagram clerk, which position she held until 1938 when she was promoted to the city ticket office, in charge of the reservation department.
Miss Corcoran is said to be excellently adapted to her work, which re- quires constant contact with the public, handling innumerable reservations for parties and individuals.
She is a member of the Catholic Women's Club; of the Daughters of Isabella and is president of the R. B. W. A. of Cincinnati. She inaugurated a "'sewing circle" of the R. B. W. A., which group meets once a month. Like other railroad people, Miss Corcoran enjoys travel and has taken numerous interesting trips.
MARY M. DIBBLE
MARY M. DIBBLE, former president of the Cleveland Railway Business Women's Association, is chief clerk of the Chicago Great Western Railroad. She is still very active in the club.
KATHRYN DICKS
"Woman with a thousand jobs" is the unofficial title bestowed a number of years ago on KATHRYN DICKS of Buckland, Ohio.
Here are some of them, as listed in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Magazine.
Station agent, express agent, Western Union manager, baggage master, ticket seller, crossing watchwoman, inspector, car checker and switch thrower.
Leisure time presents, it is obvious, no problems to Kathryn Dicks. For more than 30 years, it is said, Mrs. Dicks has not lost a day or taken a vacation.
Even so, the many jobs of Kathryn Dicks has not prevented her from a number of services on the side. For one thing, she has taught telegraphy to a number of young men and young women. As a result, some of those she thus aided now have responsible jobs of their own.
EDITH E. EVANS
EDITH E. EVANS, former president of the Cincinnati Railway Business Women's Association, was born in that city. She has been with the Baltimore and Ohio for over 20 years, first as secretary to Herbert S. Harr, assistant general solicitor and at present as secretary to Frank H. Cole, Jr., commerce attorney.
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Edith Evans belongs to Violet Chapter, Eastern Star, and has been a member of Delta Theta Tau Fraternity since 1926; was president of local chapter, Alpha Tau, two years, 1932-1934; served on National Philanthropic Committee for two years, then was National Philanthropic Secretary in charge of national project, Delta Theta Tau Community School, at Brinkley, Ky., for two years, 1935-1937. She was president of the Cincinnati Railway Business Women's Association 1933-1934.
ELLEN LISHAWA FERRY
ELLEN LISHAWA FERRY, formerly chief clerk in the office of chief engineer of the old Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, has had a career marked by activities as varied as they are interesting.
She was the first woman given so responsible a position by the C. H. & D. at a time when comparatively few women even considered business careers. Nell Lishawa, in her early youth, had never thought of such a thing.
But in 1897 she was widowed with a little daughter to support. Things were different. So she took clerical courses, summoned all her courage. applied to the railroad officials for a job-and got it.
At first there were months of substituting in various offices of the com- pany but finally her competency made its way and Nell Ferry became a chief clerk.
After seven years of service Mrs. Ferry left the railroad for newspaper work on the Cincinnati Enquirer. In recent years she has devoted her working time to expert clerical service and public stenography.
VIRGINIA GOSNEY
VIRGINIA GOSNEY, chief telephone operator of the Cincinnati Union Terminal was born in Wyoming, Ohio, and was employed as telephone oper- ator at the City Hall, Cincinnati.
Here Virginia became acquainted with city and county officials, with innumerable business and business executives. In 1909 she went to work as an operator for the Central Union Depot, then located at Third and Smith Sts., in 1917 she was appointed information clerk.
As telephone operator, she had become informed on all railroad personnel officials and employees and had become familiar with the train services of every road entering the city.
Callers at Miss Gosney's office window were from all walks of life. She came to know both the great and near great-one acquaintance she will always remember was Will Rogers. Several times Miss Gosney was instru- mental in aiding the railroad and city police to apprehend criminals who were endeavoring to leave the city by train.
She worked in this capacity until 1933, when the new Cincinnati Union Terminal was opened and she was appointed chief telephone operator. She
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is said to know the voices of more railroad officials and employees than any telephone operator now in the service.
Miss Gosney has many civic interests, one of which has been her work with the blind. She has assisted the Cincinnati Association for the Welfare of the Blind in many ways and has helped with programs and charitable endeavors.
DONNA J. HARKNESS
DONNA J. HARKNESS, secretary to the publicity manager of the C. C. C. & St. L. Ry. at Cincinnati, was born at Fultonham (Muskingum County), the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Chilcot Harkness.
In her childhood the family moved to Indianapolis, Ind., where her father was an engineer on the Big Four Railway, so Donna is literally a "born railroader." She went to school in Indianapolis and graduated from the Business University there.
Her first railroad position was as stenographer in the master mechanic's office, Indianapolis. Later she was transferred to the office of superintendent of motive power, the first woman stenographer in that department. Again Miss Harkness was the first woman to go into the fuel supervisor's office. During 1919, when the railroads were under Government control the office was moved to Cincinnati. Miss Harkness was the first woman statistician in the fuel department. In 1920 when the publicity department was established she was the first secretary in that office.
Miss Harkness took advertising, English and news writing in night classes at the Cincinnati University. She assisted in the editing of two house organs and writing items for newspapers and magazines. She has con- tributed articles and poems to the New York Central and other rail magazines. Her poem, "The Terminal" was widely published in Cincinnati, a copy went into the cornerstone of the new Union Terminal and the poem was featured in a publication of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. Poetry and painting, reading and travelling are her chief interests.
Miss Harkness has traveled extensively, both in this country and abroad. Her first ride in a locomotive cab was with her father and for Donna a ride in an engine cab still holds a greater thrill than an airplane trip. Her longest continuous ride was in 1923 when the New York Central operated a special exhibition and educational train over the system, covering some 12,000 miles. She took dictation, handled messages, letters and speeches for rail officials and many state and city officials in six states. During the trip she rode in the De Witt Clinton train of 1831, mounted on flat cars. She "fired the 999," famous speed engine of 1893 and opened wide the throttle of a big freight engine.
With Clara Kelly of the B. & O. Railroad, Miss Harkness organized the Cincinnati Railway Business Women's Association. She has held practically
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every office of the club, having been on the board for seven years successively. She is a member of the Ohio Newspaper Women's Association, the Republican Women's Club and past president's club of the R. B. W. A. and other rail organizations.
Like most women of the rails, Miss Harkness takes a "busman's" holiday on her vacations. Abroad she tried English, French and Italian trains and crossed the Alps by Swiss Post. She varies rail trips with boat rides, having visited Jamaica, Cuba, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda. She has been up in airplanes and ridden the little cars down in coal mines. Donna would not trade a seat in a Pullman for a locomotive cab any day.
MAE HAYES
MAE HAYES, president of the Cleveland Railway Business Women's Association, was born in Ireland, took her higher education at the Queen's University of Belfast and for a period devoted her ability and energy to school teaching.
Miss Hayes came to America in her twenties and was soon appointed to her present responsible position, that of assistant secretary to the Great Lakes Regional Advisory Board.
This work has occupied her for the past 15 years but not to the exclusion of other vivid interests.
She was among the early members of the Cleveland R. B. W. A., which she has headed for two years ; is devoted to good music and out-of-door sports ; collects hooked rugs and assists in various civic and cultural move- ments of her adopted city.
ANNA KATHERINE TILDEN HICKEY
ANNA KATHERINE TILDEN HICKEY (Mrs. J. B. Hickey), relief agent for the C. C. C. & St. Louis Railway at Ansonia, Ohio, started in railroad work as telegraph operator, then became ticket and freight agent and has served her road well in other responsible capacities.
She was born in Juniata County, Penn .; reared in Ohio and married to John B. Hickey, Big Four engineer, who died in 1923.
One of her most important services was as telegraph operator at Union Station, Columbus, Ohio, during the World War.
Mrs. Hickey is owner of a large farm near Ansonia and also directs management of a general store. Her recreation is travel. She has traversed the country east and west, north and south-but has found no place as beautiful, she maintains, as the mountains and valleys of her Pennsylvania birthplace.
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MARIE McALLEENAN KELLEY
MARIE McALLEENAN KELLEY of Cleveland, is a charter member of the Railway Business Women's Club, is one of its organizers and hardest workers and was its second president.
She was formerly chief clerk of the office in Cleveland of the Boston & Maine Railway Company.
Following her marriage to Walter Kelley, of the rate department of the Nickel Plate Road, Marie McAlleenan gave up her position but is active in club work, especially the Catholic Charities. She handles the welfare activities of the Cleveland R.B.W.A. as associate member.
Marie is known as an indefatigable worker; as a musician and as a woman who, despite the duties of her home, knows railroad business as well as any man that ever held down a desk in a railway office.
CLARA B. KELLY
CLARA B. KELLY, passenger representative of the B. & O. Railroad Company at Cincinnati, Ohio, insists that she inherited what business ability she possesses from a great, great grandmother who once ran an inn-for in all her Kelly ancestry there is no other trace of business acumen on the distaff side.
The Kellys were early Cincinnati settlers. They came down the Ohio River by steamboat from Pittsburgh in 1832. Of course, they were Irish. Clara's great grandfather went back to Ireland to settle the family estate and died while there. But her great grandmother, Sue Ann Kelly, stayed here -and is buried in the old St. Joseph Cemetery on Price Hill.
Miss Kelly's first position was with the old C. H. & D. Railroad but after a few years, she drifted into the commercial field, and it was not until November of 1924 that she was selected out of some two hundred applications for the appointment as passenger representative of the B. & O. Railroad. She had always been interested in transportation and took a vacation every summer, covering all of the United States and much of Canada. She had also studied public speaking, and had been office manager of an automobile company at the time of her appointment.
While it was primarily intended that Miss Kelly handle only women's clubs and organizations, she now has a large clientele among the doctors and other men's groups.
In addition she takes out large school groups and organizations of all kinds, handling all details of their trips. She accompanies them on the journey to see that everything clicks.
Clara Kelly was the first president of the Cincinnati Railway Business Women's Association. She is active in the Zonta Club; the Catholic Women's Club and the Business and Professional Women's Club.
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HELEN M. KODET
HELEN M. KODET, passenger representative of the B. & O. Railroad at Cleveland, affords an excellent example of the advantages derived from informal as well as scholastic education.
Helen was born in Cleveland but although her parents have been United States citizens for fifty years, both are of Czechoslovakian birth. A keen intellectual curiosity caused their little daughter to speak their native tongue and later to attend Czech classes on Sunday afternoons. She learned to speak and understand German at high school and had three languages at her service when she began her present work.
This was in the nature of informational talks among schools, churches, women's clubs and lodges, creating a desire to travel combined with pleasure and education under proper guidance. Her greatest success has been among the school children, of junior and high school ages.
Due to the fact that she has at her command other languages besides English, Miss Kodet has been able to talk to many foreign groups in the city, encouraging these groups to visit the historical centers of our country, acquainting themselves with the land of their adoption.
Miss Kodet is a member of the Cleveland Railway Business Women's Club : the Zonta Club and of various groups working for Americanization of the foreign born. She is a very busy woman but still finds time for a hobby- collection of early American glass.
META JULIA MOLITOR KONCANA
META JULIA MOLITOR KONCANA, secretary to the general attorney of the New York Central System, Cleveland, was born in Cleveland, the grand-daughter of pioneer settlers and a direct descendant of General Jacob Molitor of the Napoleonic Wars.
She was in the first freshman class of the first high school of commerce in Cleveland (now John Hay High) and became the school champion in short- hand and typing. Her first position was with the leading firm of court reporters of Cleveland. Meta served as secretary to the superintendent of schools of East Cleveland and went to work for the New York Central Rail- road as secretary to the general counsel in 1916.
She was married in 1917 to J. C. Koncana and in 1923 was called back to railway service in a position never before "held by a woman", as secretary to the general attorney of the New York Central.
Mrs. Koncana was active for years in the Cleveland Business and Profes- sional Women's Club; was president two years of the Cleveland Railway Business Women's Association and was first editor of the Cleveland Railway Business Women's Association club paper-"Stop-Look-Listen", so named by the editor herself.
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She is a past-president of Gamma Beta Chapter of East Cleveland of the Delphian Society; is an officer in Erie Temple, Pythian Sisters; secretary- treasurer of the Gamma Beta, East Cleveland Study Group, a member of Delta Gamma Sorority ; Mothers Club and of Windermere Church Women's Bible Class.
Mrs. Koncana has a daughter, now sophomore at Denison University, Granville, Ohio.
ORA DRAKE OSBORNE
ORA DRAKE OSBORNE was born at Loveland, Ohio; received her educa- tion in Loveland High School; studied music both piano and vocal and at the age of 21 was married to the late Courtland Osborne to which marriage two sons were born.
Widowed at an early age and thrown on her own resources, Mrs. Osborne moved to Cincinnati where she became connected with the C. C. C. & St. L. Railroad in the freight accounting department.
During the World War, the railroads were compelled to replace men sent to the front by women. Mrs. Osborn was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad in the ticket office where at that time she was the only woman selling railroad tickets in Cincinnati.
She remained with the Pennsylvania Railroad at the depot located at Pearl and Butler Sts. until all the railroads entering Cincinnati united in the New Union Terminal at Freeman Ave. and Laurel Parkway.
Here she took over the information desk and became known to innumer- able travelers for ready and accurate service given with unfailing courtesy.
Mrs. Osborn's hobby is traveling. She has traversed virtually every state in the Union. To this enjoyment she plans following her retirement in 1939, to devote much of her leisure. Another active interest is the Cincinnati Railway Business Women's Association of which she is a charter member.
CLARA POLLOCK
CLARA POLLOCK, former operator at Storrs Station, Ohio, was one of several Baltimore and Ohio railroad women with a long service record. She came to the B. & O. as operator, at Storrs Station, in 1884. She retired in 1929 and died not long afterwards.
JEANNETTE MOSGROVE STOKES
JEANNETTE MOSGROVE STOKES (Mrs. A. E. Stokes), first woman ever made station agent on the Northern Division of the Big Four Railway, was born at South Charleston, Ohio, the daughter of John and Mary B. Mosgrove.
Her parents settled in Ohio after leaving Ireland nearly 70 years ago. Jeannette attended school at South Charleston and was graduated from the
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South Charleston High School and for several years was a teacher of a dis- trict school at Copeland near London, Ohio.
In 1896 Jeannette was married to the late Arthur E. Stokes, railroad telegrapher and later auditor. He was also a talented musician and orchestra leader.
His death left the widow with two children to be cared for. Something had to be done.
Mrs. Stokes did not hesitate. She asked the railway officials for appoint- ment to her husband's position as depot master at Hartwell, near Cincinnati, Ohio. The officials protested. It was not, they said, a woman's job. But it was very soon the job of Jeannette Stokes and she filled it so satisfactorily that in a few years she was made demurrage clerk in the Big Four freight office at Cincinnati, a position she now holds.
In the years that have passed she has become one of the best known women employees of the division. Not only one of the best known but one of the best loved as well. She is "Mother Stokes" to innumerable fellow workers ; to department officials, even to division heads.
Natural ability, love of accurate work, training, experience and a gift for making friends have combined to fit her for the responsibilities entrusted to her unhesitatingly.
For it is said that Mother Stokes never forgets a face-a name-or a demurrage bill.
LUCY ROGERS WALSH
LUCY ROGERS WALSH, president of the Rock Island Southern Railway Company, Rock Island, Illinois, is the daughter of Eliza Crane Rogers and Job Rogers, both natives of Ohio. She was born at South Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio; attended the public schools there, afterward teaching in the same school.
She went to Clinton, Iowa on a visit and met James W. Walsh, who was a native of Clinton. Some years later, in 1908, they were married in Davenport, Iowa. After a wedding trip to Europe, Egypt and Palestine they returned to Davenport to make their home. But Mrs. Walsh has kept contacts with her native state and takes pride in her Buckeye origin.
During the first two years of their marriage the Rock Island Southern Railroad was built by Mr. Walsh and his three brothers. The line was origin- ally built to serve the rich coal fields in its territory-it was an expensive piece of construction-there being twenty bridges and trestles-the one over Pope Creek 110 feet high and the one over Edwards River 1100 feet long. The road carried more than 1000 passengers daily, but after public highways were built and automobiles came into general use, passenger service was dis- continued. After a time, the coal mines were abandoned and Mr. Walsh had the problem of operating a railroad without sufficient revenue.
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A man of quick vision, he saw that gasoline and fuel oil were to be a big bulk of freight traffic and through an affiliated company he began the con- struction of bulk storage tanks along the right of way from Rock Island to Galesburg. Now this freight comprises half of the road's revenue.
Mrs. Walsh often accompanied her husband during the building and financing of the road and he discussed its business with her. When Mr. Walsh died suddenly in July, 1932, the question of a successor arose. It was sug- gested that Mrs. Walsh, who was more familiar with the affairs of the Rock Island Southern than anyone else in the family, be made president and this was done.
So the woman railroad president plunged into her new job, determined to learn its every angle. She acquainted herself thoroughly with all office details. But she did not stop there. From the rear platform of the "caboose" Lucy Walsh made regular inspections of the road, which she still continues. She knows every foot of bridge, every plank of trestle, every "tanker" as she knows the furnishings of her home.
As the Rock Island Southern was always her husband's special interest, it was easy to understand Mrs. Walsh's very personal desire to keep the name and credit of the road as Mr. Walsh had left it, and so far she has been able to do so.
Mrs. Walsh has two daughters, Jeanne Rogers, now Mrs. Thomas Ewing. Jr., who received both her B. A. and M. A. degrees at the State University of Iowa and Mary Jeannette, now Mrs. Wiley H. Johnston, who graduated from Martha Washington Seminary, Washington, D. C. But this is not all of her family. It includes almost every employee of her railroad, to each of whom she has for years been counselor and friend.
FRANCES WHITE WELLS
FRANCES WHITE WELLS, the founder president of the Cleveland Rail- way Business Women's Association, was at that time a secretary in the Cleveland office of the New York Central. She was also a leader in the Cleve- land Business and Professional Women's Club and in the Zonta Club. She was married several years ago and at present resides in Vancouver, Wash.
LUCY ROGERS WALSH
President, Rock Island Southern Rail- way Company, born at South Lebanon, Ohio
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Women in Literature
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WOMEN IN LITERATURE
By MARY BERGER Steubenville Herald Star
Literature has been well defined as "the lasting expression in words of the meaning of life." Women, born creative and imaginative, have shared largely in this activity. Ohio women, in particular, may take honest pride in their place in American literature.
Perhaps this statement may be questioned and in all sincerity it may be asked: Who have been these gifted daughters of Ohio? Where did they live? What did they write? From what background did they draw their "expression in words of the meaning of life."
The biographies that follow are answers to these questions. One of these women, through her pen alone, did more than any other human being to change the course of American history. A few of them wrote prose or poetry still classed as gems by literary authorities.
The writings of others are important parts of our contemporary literature. Their viewpoint is representative of the times in which they live. Their work is current record, even though it may not win undying fame.
Much of the poetry written by Ohio women shows depth as well as felicity of expression. Novels and short stories are marked by strong emotional appeal which makes no pretense at philosophic de- tachment.
Some of the women here listed were not Ohio born but they spent their formative and creative years among Ohio plains and hills and valleys.
They lived among Ohio people, absorbed their habits and customs until they became one of them. Their writings often have as back- ground the Ohio they knew and loved-what other state could better claim them?
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This chapter on Ohio Women in Literature concerns itself there- fore, not only with the contributions women writers from the Buckeye State have made to American literature, but with their backgrounds and their ideals and with the communities in which they lived as wives, mothers, daughters and sisters before they were anywhere recognized or even recognized themselves as writers.
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