USA > Ohio > Women of Ohio; a record of their achievements in the history of the state, Volume IV > Part 16
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Through its affiliation with the National Council of Women and through it the International Council of Women, cooperating with the National Council for Prevention of War, with the Women's National Radio Committee, the National Business and Professional Women's Clubs, the National Federation of Women's Clubs, the National Wom-
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an's Party, and through it the World Woman's Party, and other organi- zations of women; its membership in the Group Action Council; its hav- ing a representative from Honolulu at Pan Pacific Women's Association conventions, and representatives at other important meetings, its ex- hibits and its representatives at the Chicago convention of the Interna- tional Congress of Women and the Century of Progress in Chicago, with its committee on birth control, etcetera, the Osteopathic Women's Na- tion Association is in touch with countless millions of women throughout the world and has become world conscious through its contacts of value without number to the profession. It has grown to be an organization for our common cause-civilization-with results as broad as the horizon and as farflung as the imagination makes possible.
It is fitting to close this article on osteopathy and the achievements of its women physicians with the final paragraph in Dr. Johnson's edi- torial: "Who can say what the future has in store for the wielders of such influence? What objective could be greater than to protect the welfare of women and children? The women and children of today are the builders of tomorrow's society, and if the root be holy, so are the branches."
HELEN MARSHALL GIDDINGS, Osteopathic Physician, Past President, the Osteopathic Women's National Association and the Ohio Divi- sion of the Osteopathic Women's National Association.
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HELEN MARSHALL GIDDINGS
HELEN MARSHALL GIDDINGS, practitioner of osteopathy in Ohio for many years and now residing in Hamilton, is a native of Green- springs, this state, and in both the paternal and maternal lines is con- nected with old and prominent American families. Her father, Frederick Schwartz Giddings, was born in the foothills of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, above Compton, near Pulsifer Hill, which was named in memory of his mother's people-the Pulsifer family. His father was a teacher, who later moved with his family to Portland, Maine. Freder- ick S. Giddings was of Welsh and English descent. The first American ancestor of the family came to the new world in 1630 and settled in Newburyport, Massachusetts. A first cousin of Frederick S. Giddings was Joshua R. Giddings, the famous abolitionist who drew up the plat- form for the Republican party when it was organized in a log cabin, not far from Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1854. Rufus Choate was one of his family.
Frederick S. Giddings was trained to be a printer and lithographer and in Boston assisted in publishing the Charles Dickens novels and stories, which had much to do with forming his character. From there he went to Nashville, Tennessee, and later to Cincinnati, Ohio, following his trade in both places. In the latter city he sang in the choir of the Baptist Church, possessing an excellent voice, and there he met the lady whom he later married and who was also a member of the choir. After two or three years in Cincinnati he developed lead poisoning and at the advice of his physician he sought the out-of-doors, going to Green- springs, Ohio, where he engaged in the lumber business and incidentally learned much about trees, blossoms and the forests. He was in partner- ship with a Mr. Robert Smith and they followed lumbering in Green-
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springs. After Mr. Smith's death Mr. Giddings' business was centered in Michigan, Illinois, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, getting out ties for railroads. He was a successful business man, entirely self-made, and deserved much credit for what he accomplished. He held broad religious views but was not a member of any church. He died when past the age of eighty years, having been born July 13, 1832. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Mary Elizabeth Marshall, was born in Mansfield, Ohio, January 29, 1832, and died at the age of seventy-seven years. She was of Scotch-Irish lineage, tracing her ancestry back to one who came to America early in the eighteenth century and settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The only diversions of these early settlers being "church going and log house-raisings." Many of her people were prom- inent as jurists and scientists, including Chief Justice John Marshall. Maria Mitchell, a relative of Mrs. Giddings in the maternal line, was chief instructor of astronomy at Vassar College. An unknown comet was discovered, in October, 1847, by this distinguished astronomer and later was called "Miss Mitchell's Comet." An ancestor, Colonel Thomas Marshall, was given a sword by General Washington for bravery shown in the Revolutionary War.
Mrs. Mary E. Giddings was one of five generations of the family who were residents of Ohio and she was distinctively a home maker. By her marriage she became the mother of six children, one of whom, Wil- liam, died in infancy. Frederick, now deceased, was a lawyer in Chat- tanooga and in his early practice was with the firm of Montague and Marshall. His son, Lieutenant Frederick Giddings, a West Point gradu- ate, served in the United States Army in Hawaii, San Francisco and Missoula, Montana, where he died. He also had five daughters, two of whom are deceased. Rosetta, a musician and president of the board of the Christian Science Church of Hamilton, and a civic, political and club worker, is the wife of Henry H. Haines, a prominent attorney and Repub- lican leader of Hamilton, Ohio. Mary, associated with Dr. Helen M. Giddings in the practice of osteopathy, is a graduate of the original school of osteopathy, at Kirksville, Missouri, founded by Dr. A. T. Still, who discovered the principles and developed the philosophy and science
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of which she is a follower. Margaret is a teacher of music and conducts a studio in the Giddings home, which they maintained for years at 2990 Cleveland Heights Boulevard, in Cleveland.
Dr. Giddings, whose name introduces this record, was graduated from the high school at Greensprings and attended the Greensprings Academy, a preparatory school for Adelbert College, now known as the Western Reserve University at Cleveland. She pursued a science course under some of the ablest instructors in the different branches which she took and in 1899 she was graduated from the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, founded by Dr. Andrew T. Still. Since then she has continuously engaged in practice in Cleveland until a recent date, when she removed to Hamilton to continue her practice. She says her only jealousy has been for her profession. She has gained prom- inence in her chosen calling and in 1930 was elected president of the Ohio division of the Osteopathic Women's National Association, serving two terms, and was elected president of the Osteopathic Women's Na- tional Association in 1933, serving three consecutive terms. In 1935-37 she was chairman of the finance and budget committee of the National Association. She also belongs to the Ohio State Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, the Cleveland District Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, the Cleveland Osteopathic Hospital Committee and the American Electronic Research Association.
That her interests and activities are broad and comprehensive is shown in the fact that Dr. Giddings is a life member of the Cleveland Museum of Art, an honorary life member of the Alpha Chapter of the Delta Omega Sorority, a member of the National Women's party, the World Women's party, the Cleveland Automobile Club, the Women's City Club of Cleveland, the Foreign Affairs Council cooperating with Cleveland College, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and for five years was a member of the committee at large of the People's Mandate to End War. She is a member of the First Unitarian- Universalist Church of Cleveland and its Woman's Alliance, the Wom- en's Association of Cleveland College and the Women's Club to Elect Burton Mayor. Dr. Giddings was appointed a member of the exhibit com- mittee for the 1940 convention of the Ohio State Society of Osteopathic
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Physicians and Surgeons in Cleveland, May 5th, 6th and 7th, also chair- man of information to the profession, under publicity committee, in con- nection with the annual Osteopathic Free Examination Clinic for Chil- dren to be sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons at the Annual Metropolitan Fair in Berea in August, 1940.
Until her removal to Hamilton, Ohio, May 10, 1940, Dr. Giddings was dean of her profession in the Cleveland District Society of Oste- opathic Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Giddings was presented with a scroll of honor in appreciation of her services to the profession in Cleve- land and elsewhere by the Cleveland District Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons at the Cleveland convention of the Ohio State Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons in May, 1940. During her years as president of the society she wrote much regarding the National Association and other subjects, her articles being published in "The Forum" of the American Osteopathic Association, in the Bulle- tin of the Osteopathic Women's National Association, the Buckeye Osteopathic Association, the official organ of the Ohio State Society of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons and in various other state publica- tions. Her list of osteopathic contacts, during her administrations, re- ceived honorable recognition in the report of Dr. Russell C. McCaughan, executive secretary of the American Osteopathic Association, published in the Journal of Osteopathy, following the thirty-eighth convention of the American Osteopathic Association at Wichita, July 23-27, 1934. The articles written by Dr. Giddings have done much to enlighten the public on the purpose of osteopathy, its scientific principles and what has been accomplished in this field of which she is an outstanding repre- sentative in Ohio.
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MARY BASHOR-YINGER
That success which is the outgrowth of native and acquired ability has come to MARY BASHOR-YINGER, who soon after her marriage to Dr. Elmer L. Yinger came to St. Mary's, Auglaize County, where both have since practiced, attaining a prominent place in professional circles here. A native of Colorado, Dr. Mary Bashor-Yinger is a daughter of William Lafayette and Mary Lena (Webster) Bashor. The father, who was born in Tennessee, was taken by his parents to Missouri at an early day and at the age of seventeen years he removed to Colorado where he made farming his life work, retaining his residence in that state until his death, which occurred when he had reached the age of seventy-three years. His wife, whom he married in Colorado, was the second white child born in Boulder County, that state, and is still living. Her father, George Washington Webster, was born near Wooster, Ohio, but went to Colorado prior to the Civil War, becoming one of the pioneers there. He was a blacksmith and shod many oxen which were used in hauling goods from Denver to the gold fields of Blackhawk and Cripple Creek, during the early mining excitement in those fields. He was closely associated with the early development of the state, gave names to many of its mountain peaks, brought the first fruit trees into the state and was prominently connected with various events which shaped the pioneer history of Colorado.
Having acquired her preliminary education in the public schools, Dr. Mary Bashor-Yinger attended and was graduated from the State Teachers College at Greeley, Colorado, after which she engaged in teach- ing for several years in her native state. Becoming interested in the subject of osteopathy, she enrolled as a student in the American College of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, and was a member of the last class to graduate from the school before the name was changed. In Bremer,
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Missouri, she became the wife of Elmer L. Yinger, also a graduate of the American School of Osteopathy and a native of Ohio. After finishing his studies in Kirksville Dr. Elmer Yinger and his young wife came to St. Mary's and have since followed their profession here, having a liberal patronage that extends for many miles throughout the surrounding country, while their patients in the city are also numerous. Dr. Bashor- Yinger, while engaged in general practice, specializes in proctology and gynecology and is thoroughly qualified to do the most advanced pro- fessional work along these lines, at all times keeping in close touch with the most modern methods that present-day scientific research and investigation have brought to light. She is at all times stimulated by a laudable ambition to make her efforts count for the greatest possible good in her practice with the result that she today occupies a leading position among the osteopathic practitioners in this part of the state. While Dr. Elmer and Mary Yinger have no children of their own, her niece, Grace Lucile Young, daughter of Dr. Mary Bashor-Yinger's sister and now twelve years of age, has been a member of their household since her infancy.
Dr. Mary Bashor-Yinger has membership in the Methodist Church, and in the Drama Club, and has been active in the work of organizing a Business and Professional Women's Club, all of which indicates the nature and breadth of her interests. She is also a member of the State and American Osteopathic Associations. Progress has always been her watchword, this being manifest in all the relations of her life, and her sterling characteristics have gained her the warm friendship and kindly regard of all who know her.
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ESTHER MARQUITA BEBOUT
ESTHER MARQUITA BEBOUT, osteopathic physician of Akron, Ohio, was born in Ruggles Township, Ashland County, Ohio. Her father, Joshua Samuel Bebout, a native of Savannah county, Ohio, was of French descent, the first of the family coming to America in 1658 and three of Dr. Bebout's ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. Joshua Samuel Bebout was a farmer and dealer in live stock and died at the age of seventy-eight. His wife, mother of Dr. Bebout, bore the maiden name of Louise Anna Chambers and was of Scotch-Irish descent. She died when sixty-nine years of age.
When Esther was four years old her father moved to a farm at Greenwich, Ohio. Here she went to grade school and later attended high school in Elgin, Illinois, after which she entered the Kindergarten Train- ing School at Oberlin College.
Becoming interested in osteopathy Miss Bebout enrolled in the American School of osteopathy, at Kirksville, Missouri, graduating in 1912 with the D.O. degree. She then did post-graduate work at the Chi- cago College of Osteopathy and at Boston under Dr. Robert Nichols.
Wishing to fit herself for general practice in every possible way she took a course in Physio-Therapy and improved every opportunity to study and add to her knowledge of her profession, including a course in Foot, Eye and Nose diseases under Dr. Edward of St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Bebout who has now been in active practice in Akron for more than twenty-five years has been prominent in club circles as well and is a member of the D. A. R., Oberlin College Womans Club, Beta Study Club, Silver Lake Book and Thimble Club, Webb Group of the Presby- terian church, Board of Woman's organization, Presbyterian church, National Osteopathic Women's Association and Ohio Osteopathic Asso- ciation of Physicians and Surgeons. She served as secretary-treasurer of the Akron district, Osteopathic Society in 1939 and takes a deep in- terest in everything pertaining to her profession.
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Dr. Bebout has her home at Country Estates at Silver Lake and here she pursues her hobby, which is the study of birds, in the adjacent woods and fields.
SEVILLA H. MULLET
SEVILLA H. MULLET, osteopathic physician, practicing at Bryan, is a native of Putnam County, Ohio, a daughter of Almon J. and Sarah (Purnell) Mullet. The father, whose active life was devoted to farming, is now living retired, making his home in Bryan. At the usual age Dr. Mullet began her education in the public schools and, completing the work of successive grades, was graduated from the high school at Con- tinental, Ohio. She afterward entered the Philadelphia College of Oste- opathy, where she completed her course with the class of 1923. For six years thereafter she engaged in active practice at Lancaster, Ohio, and from there came to Bryan, where she is now located and where she en- gaged in the general practice of osteopathy. She is thoroughly familiar with the scientific basis of the profession as well as with the practical manipulation which has done so much to restore normal conditions to the thousands of patients throughout the country who are followers of osteopathy. She is now well known in Bryan and Williams County and has gained many friends both among her patients and among those with whom she has been brought in contact in other ways.
LUCY KIRK PEEL
LUCY KIRK PEEL, an osteopathic physician of Toledo, who has also been an oustanding worker in the temperance cause in Ohio and other states, is a daughter of John G. and Minerva (Sloan) Kirk, the former born in Kentucky and the latter in Missouri. The father followed farming throughout his entire life. He was a son of Jesse Kirk, who,
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LUCY KIRK PEEL
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in association with the maternal grandfather of Dr. Peel established the location of the county seat of Adair County, Missouri, Mr. Kirk donat- ing the ground on which the county courthouse still stands and the town was named Kirksville in his honor. Dr. Peel still has a brother living there who has attained the venerable age of ninety-two years.
The Doctor devoted her girlhood largely to the attainment of her education in the country school and in the old Normal school at Kirks- ville, and after her textbooks were put aside she became the wife of Isaiah B. Peel. They removed to Morning Sun, Iowa, where Mr. Peel followed farming. Dr. Peel was a graduate of the Kirksville School of Osteopathy, where she completed her course in January, 1901. She then began practice in Findlay, Ohio, where she followed her profession until her health became greatly impaired due to the death of her son, Samuel Kirk Peel. There was also a daughter in the family, Calistia Peel, who was called to the home beyond in 1904.
For the benefit of her health Dr. Peel went to Seattle, Washington, where she remained for a year and then, returning to Ohio, she opened an office in Toledo where she practiced for a year. She was then chosen by the state of Michigan to take up the scientific directorship of the "dry" campaign in 1916 and covered the entire state, presenting the scientific reasons for the adoption of prohibition. She is an ardent worker in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and has member- ship in the first Union that was ever organized. She has held the offices of county superintendent of social morality and of prison work in the W.C.T.U. She also has membership in the Norwood Christian Church and she has been chairman of the Lucas County Council of American Legion Auxiliaries. She also filled the position of chairman of the north- west division of the American Legion Auxiliary of Ohio. She has been widely known as a lecturer, appearing on the public platforms in many parts of the country, addressing her audiences on questions vital to public welfare, and she is also still actively engaged in the practice of osteopathy, in which she has rendered a valuable service to her fellow- men. Her activities have always largely been for the benefit of others and what she has accomplished has ever commanded for her the respect and high appreciation of those who know her.
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JOSEPHINE L. PEIRCE
Actuated by a broad humanitarian spirit that is guided by strong intellectual powers, JOSEPHINE L. PEIRCE of Lima has given to her state a service that reflects credit and honor upon Ohio's womanhood. While professionally trained for the practice of osteopathy, this has only been one phase of her intense activity, which has included earnest participation in club life, in church work and in civic affairs of com- munity, commonwealth and country, her native and acquired ability gaining her that leadership which has made her an influential factor in the various fields into which she has directed her efforts.
Born in Keil, Wisconsin, Dr. Peirce is a daughter of Dominick and Hannah Liffring, who were born in Belgium and England, respectively, and who sought the opportunities of the new world, casting in their lot with the pioneers of Wisconsin during the era of its early develop- ment. They afterward removed to Iowa, where Dr. Peirce spent her girlhood days and acquired her education, attending the Iowa State Teachers College, after which she engaged in teaching in the Iowa schools. She also spent a year as a student in the Northwestern Con- servatory of Music in Minneapolis. Her interest in the healing art led her to complete a course in the Still College of Osteopathy, thus winning her D.O. degree. She became the wife of Dr. William S. Peirce, a prac- ticing physician of Lima, with whom she has had close professional association as well as in the closer ties of the home life, which has largely been ideal in its character. Their son, Louis, who was graduated from Oberlin College and won Phi Beta Kappa honors, was later graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and is now practicing in
JOSEPHINE L. PEIRCE
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Cleveland. Their daughter Josephine, who is married and living in Oberlin, Ohio, completed her studies at Wellesley College, with a year at the Sarbonne in Paris and later took her Master's degree at Oberlin College.
Outside of her home Dr. Josephine L. Peirce has largely centered her interests in physical and mental health and public welfare and her work has brought her into close contact with many avenues of service that have been widely and beneficially resultant. She has long been an outstanding club woman, with local membership in the Lotus Club and the Business and Professional Women's Club. Her efforts, however, have been extended to the Ohio State Federation and the General Fed- eration of Women's Clubs, and thus she has become widely known in club circles throughout the country. In the State Federation she was chairman of the division of public health from 1913 to 1919 and chair- man of the division of child welfare from 1919 to 1921, when she became recording secretary, serving for three years. From 1924 to 1926 she was chairman of the department of public welfare and from 1926 until 1928 was president of the State Federation, in which period she was also director from Ohio on the General Federation Board, chairman of the committee on investments of the national organization and secretary- treasurer of the Council of State Presidents. In 1928 she was made chairman of the division of family finance of the General Federation, serving until 1932, and at the same time was vice chairman of the department of the American home. She was elected to the second vice presidency of the General Federation for the tri-ennial period of 1932 to 1935 and from 1933 to 1935 was chairman of the committee on standardization. In 1938 she was appointed chairman of the American home department and chairman of the division of consumer information of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. She has cooperated in all the most advanced and progressive movements instituted by the women's clubs of the country and her influence has been widely and helpfully felt as the organization has moved upward to higher levels.
All this has never interfered with her active response to local and state needs and opportunities. In Lima she organized the Child Wel- fare Association, of which she was president from 1916 to 1926, and is
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now its honorary president. She has been secretary of the Lima recrea- tion board since 1924 and from 1937 to 1939 was president of the Lima Open Forum. From 1937 to 1939 she served as president of the Lima Federation of Women's Clubs and in 1938 became president of the Allen County Tuberculosis and Health Association. Her fellow citizens are keenly appreciative of her civic service and in this connection R. E. Offenhauer, former superintendent of the Lima public schools, said: "Dr. Josephine Peirce has for several years been closely associated with those who are giving freely of their time and efforts for the build- ing of a better social order. The children of her home city owe her a debt of gratitude for better health facilities, better playgrounds, better libraries, better schools, in short, for a better chance. She has a keen understanding of our present social structure and a vision of what it might be. Dr. Peirce is a tireless worker, a splendid executive and an inspiring leader." In addition to her activities already mentioned, Dr. Peirce was president of the Lima and Allen County Mental Hygiene Council from 1930 until 1934. She is an earnest member of the Market Street Presbyterian Church.
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