How did a game inspired by early Viking settlements become one of the most popular board games in the world? The island of Catan may be fictional, but players of this game have the opportunity to interact with pieces of real history. Read More
Upcoming Virtual Author Event
An Evening with NPR Host and Author Steve Inskeep
In this special Writing History event Steve Inskeep presents his new book—Differ We Must, a compelling and nuanced exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s political acumen. The evening closes with an extended discussion about the hows and whys of writing about history. October 17 at 6 p.m. (ET)Register Now
The Bookstore at NEHGS
Save 10% on Selected Used Titles
Save 10% on our entire selection of used history and genealogy titles from the Bookstore at NEHGS through the end of the month. These rare and hard-to-find books are sure to fly off the shelves! Use coupon code UB1023 to redeem. Membership discounts do not apply to this promotion. Prices valid through 10/31/2023, while supplies last. Shop Now
Share your thoughts about the survey! Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Responses featured in a future newsletter may be edited for clarity and length.
Last Week's Survey:
Women's Work Before 1940
Total: 3,337 Responses
46%, At least one of my female ancestors was a teacher.
6%, At least one of my female ancestors was a librarian.
33%, At least one of my female ancestors was a secretary, typist, or stenographer.
3%, At least one of my female ancestors was a social worker.
27%, At least one of my female ancestors owned, managed, or worked in a boarding house.
23%, At least one of my female ancestors was a nurse.
10%, At least one of my female ancestors was a midwife.
28%, At least one of my female ancestors was a seamstress.
10%, At least one of my female ancestors was a laundress.
8%, At least one of my female ancestors was paid to care for children.
30%, At least one of my female ancestors was a domestic servant.
14%, At least one of my female ancestors was a telephone or telegraph operator.
5%, At least one of my female ancestors was a beautician, hair stylist, or manicurist.
13%, At least one of my female ancestors was a cook.
10%, At least one of my female ancestors was a waitress.
17%, At least one of my female ancestors worked in a typically female profession that was not mentioned above.
19%, At least one of my female ancestors was paid for work that, at the time, was not considered to be typical for women.
5%, I don’t think any of my female ancestors were paid for work prior to 1940.
Readers Respond
Linda C. Phillips, Milledgeville, Georgia: My great-grandmother Almina Rhodes was the first woman physician and surgeon in western Pennsylvania. She began her practice in Meadville in 1879. Two years later, she purchased land north of Cambridge Springs and built a sanitarium, the Alzadee Home. Dr. Rhodes also made home visits, traveling in a horse-drawn wagon driven by her husband, Milton Dean. She delivered her future son-in-law during one of these visits. She continued to practice medicine until her death in 1897. Later, her granddaughter Ruth Kreitz became a doctor in the same location.
Margaret Roberts, Elk Grove, California: My great-great-grandmother Elizabeth (Adamson) Feeley moved from Providence, Rhode Island, to Los Angeles, California, around 1900. By 1904 she had been hired as the third police matron for the City of Los Angeles. She served the city’s police force for almost 25 years. Her badges (matron and officer) and billy club are in my possession to this day.
Carol Litchfield, Waynesville, North Carolina: My great-great-grandmother was an Irish immigrant who worked in the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts, until she married at age 22. I found her husband listed in the 1859 Lowell city directory and his mother next door. The directory listed occupations; I was shocked to read that his mother’s occupation was “leeches.”
Lori Huntley, Johnston, Rhode Island: After my grandfather left his family in 1926, my grandmother needed to support her children. She became one of the first female postmasters in Rhode Island. She mailed each of her children a letter stamped “First air mail.” I still have two of these letters.
Michele Hoops, Livingston, New Jersey: In 1934, my grandmother Catherine Hasenbalg Berger, aged 31, started working as a pharmacist at Jersey City's Pollack Hospital. Five years later she was promoted to Chief Pharmacist. According to the 1940 census, she had an income of $1300 in 1939. She won many accolades, including an award from Eli Lilly Co. for her superior quality control while dispensing over a million prescriptions. She was also a member of the Democratic Regular Organization, and she was elected as a committee woman for many terms. She worked at both jobs until she passed away at age 67 in 1970.
“Log drivers once steered loose timber on rivers across America before railroad expansion put such shepherds out of work.”
Spotlight: Digital Archives of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System, Georgia
by Valerie Beaudrault
The city of Moultrie, seat of Colquitt County, is located in southwestern Georgia. The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System has made a newspaper collection available in its digital archive. The database comprises nearly 515,000,000 pages from five newspapers: The Moultrie Observer (1901-2022), Moultrie Observer (1894-2017), Weekly Moultrie Observer (1939-1988), The Observer (1995-2000), and Daily Observer (1905-1919). The database is keyword searchable. Individual newspapers can also be browsed. Search Now
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
