Elgin : a Women's City / EC Alft
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Elgin: A Women’s City E. C. Alft ELGIN: A WOMEN’S CITY E. C. Alft Women of Elgin, young and old, rich and poor, married or single, come let us reason together, and lend a hand in the world’s great work.” Call to Action by the Woman’s Club June 1887 Elgin Area Historical Society Elgin, Illinois Cataloging-In-Publication Data provided by Gail Borden Public Library District. Alft, E. C. Elgin : a women’s city / E. C. Alft. – Elgin, Ill. : Elgin Area Historical Society, c2008. xiii, 64 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. ISBN-13: 978-0-9815626-0-5 ISBN-10: 0-9815626-0-4 Includes bibliographical references about Hattie Hemmens (p. 55) Published as part of A Tapestry of Freedom, a community project networked by the Gail Borden Public Library District in partnership with the City of Elgin Heritage Commission and the Elgin Area Historical Society. Contents: Introduction: A majority of women – Milestones in the history of Elgin women. Women in action: Watch workers – Study clubs – Philanthropy – Strong women – Two hospitals founded by women – The YWCA – The right to vote – Closing the saloons – Community Crisis Center. Fascinating women: A bouquet of notables – Louise Logan, a helping hand – The modern marriage of Heluiz Chandler – Miss Elgin, Lucille Burns – Virtue is its own reward: Ina Ellis and Mary Bryant – The naughty one: Nettie Dunlap – Two artists: Anna Lynch and Jane Petersen – Byrd Potter, woman driver – Grace Topping, club woman – Professional baseball player: Charlene Barnett – The heiress: Hattie Pease Hemmens – Harriet Gifford and Hattie Griffin: two teachers. Appendix: Elgin’s “first” ladies – Altrusa Club’s woman of the year – Miss Elgin – Outstanding women of Elgin – Acknowledgments. 1. Women--Illinois--Elgin --History. 2. Women--Illinois--Elgin- -Biography. 3. Elgin (Ill.)--History. I. Tapestry of Freedom (2008 : Elgin, Ill.) II. Gail Borden Public Library. III. Elgin Heritage Commission. IV. Elgin Area Historical Society. 977.323 A Tapestry of Freedom is a community project networked by the Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin, Illinois from February through May 2008. A Tapestry of Freedom spotlights the faces, feelings and histories of freedom. Its goal is to promote harmony, respect and unity. Mr. Alft’s book provides the central theme for March, Women’s History Month. Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in partnership with the City of Elgin Heritage Commission and the Elgin Area Historical Society. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION A Majority of Women ....................................................................1 Milestones in the History of Elgin Women ...................................4 WOMEN IN ACTION Watch Workers ..............................................................................6 Study Clubs .................................................................................10 Philanthropy ................................................................................13 Strong Women .............................................................................15 Two Hospitals Founded by Women .............................................17 The YWCA ..................................................................................22 The Right to Vote .........................................................................25 Closing the Saloons .....................................................................27 Community Crisis Center ............................................................30 FASCINATING WOMEN A Bouquet of Notables ................................................................32 Louise Logan, A Helping Hand ...................................................35 The Modern Marriage of Heluiz Chandler ..................................36 Miss Elgin, Lucille Burns ............................................................37 Virtue Is Its Own Reward: Ina Ellis and Mary Bryant ...............40 The Naughty One: Nettie Dunlap ...............................................41 Two Artists: Anna Lynch and Jane Peterson ...............................44 Byrd Potter, Woman Driver .........................................................47 Grace Topping, Club Woman ......................................................50 Professional Baseball Player: Charlene Barnett ..........................52 The Heiress: Hattie Pease Hemmens ..........................................53 Harriet Gifford and Hattie Griffin: Two Teachers ......................56 APPENDIX Elgin’s “First” Ladies ..................................................................59 Altrusa Club’s Woman of the Year ..............................................61 Miss Elgin ....................................................................................62 Outstanding Women of Elgin ......................................................63 Acknowledgments .......................................................................64 viii INTRODUCTION A Majority of Women lgin is a city that has been greatly influenced by women. ETheir contributions to its development have extended far beyond the traditional roles of mother and housewife. Women did not outnumber men in the United States until about 1945. One reason was the deaths in childbirth. In Elgin, males were in the minority according to the 1870 U. S. census. Although unusual, the preponderance of women in this city is not unique. This circumstance can be found wherever local industries have needed their skills. In 1909 women accounted for 39.2 percent of Elgin’s industrial wage earners—a higher proportion than any other city in Illinois and more than twice the ratio in the state as a whole. Many were married, giving their families two paychecks. This led to a relatively prosperous and middle class aura in the city, not always associated with factory towns. At the Elgin National Watch Company, once the city’s leading industry, women’s nimble fingers were adept at operating intricate machinery and assembling minute parts. One visitor observed a woman placing 4,000 pivots, a delicate operation, so accurately that only 300 of them varied more than 2/10,000th of an inch. In 1925, when the watch factory’s output was nearing its production peak, of 4,216 employees, 2,139 were female. Many single women watch workers lived across the street from the factory in the National House, a boarding and rooming facility owned and operated by the company, 1867-1932. In addition to lodging, a large dining room served lunches and dinners. Women could also be seen on the floors of the shirt, shoe, 1 watchcase, and condensed milk factories. Mail orders at the David C. Cook Publishing Co. were processed in an office filled with women. Cook’s built a large, two-story frame house at 814 Brook Street for the firm’s editorial employees. Called the Olive Apartments, it was divided into nine private rooms, with a bathroom connected to each. A suite of rooms was located in the basement for the use of the matron. The Community House of the Collingbourne thread mills at 403 Bluff City Boulevard provided accommodations for about 30 women. Women were active in retail trade as well. A correspondent for the New York Tribune reported as early as 1865: “Most of the stores in Elgin have lady clerks. Married women are preferred…After eight o’clock at night there is little time to rest.” Some owned their own businesses. Commenting on their neighborhood groceries in 1909, the Elgin Daily Courier commented: “One finds the women proprietors exceedingly bright, driving the best bargains possible in the purchasing of goods and selling on credit only to those customers who will surely pay.” Early leaders in the movement for women’s rights found an audience in Elgin. Susan B. Anthony came to lecture on women’s right to vote in 1876, Frances E. Willard advocated a life of temperance in 1884, and Jane Addams discussed the relation of women to trade unionism in 1899. Carrie Nation in 1907 told them how to wage war against the demon rum. In 1907 the manager of one store explained the obvious advantage of an Elgin location: “It is well known that the dry goods business of this city is considerably larger than that of other cities in the state which are much larger.” That year more than 40 dressmakers were listed in the city directory. Women founded our two general hospitals, women closed the saloons long before national prohibition, women led campaigns for a cleaner city, and women were largely responsible for the adoption of our present form of municipal government. A visiting journalist in 1914 could say of Elgin’s remarkable women that in addition to all their achievements “on the whole 2 they are the cleanest, best dressed, best behaved, most modest appearing that I have ever seen in all my travels.” And who would disagree with that? Early leaders in the movement for women’s rights found an audience in Elgin. Susan B. Anthony came to lecture on women’s right to vote in 1876. 3 Milestones in the History of Elgin Women 1867 More than 50 women are employed at the watch factory the year the first movement was completed. 1870 Females outnumber males in the U. S. Census returns for Elgin. 1872 Lady Elgin, a periodical edited and published by women watch factory employees, is introduced. 1879 First of the women’s study clubs is formed. 1883 Women’s Christian Temperance Union is organized. 1884 The Charity