|
Part of the American
History & Genealogy Project |
Women as Lawyers
Ella Frances Braman
1850 ~
Mrs. Braman was born March 25, 1850, in Brighton, now a part of
Boston, Massachusetts. In 1867 she was married to Joseph Balch
Braman, a member of the Boston bar. She commenced her life as a
lawyer by assisting her husband, and proved so competent that he
decided to ask for her appointment as commissioner for different
states, and acted as such during her husband's absence. On their
removal to New York City, she became a full partner with her
husband.
Ella Knowles 1870 ~ 1911
Miss Ella Knowles was born in 1870 in New Hampshire. When quite
young she gave dramatic readings. In 1888 she took up the study
of law in the office of Judge Burnham, of Manchester, New
Hampshire. In 1889 she went to Iowa as a teacher of French and
German and taught through the West for a number of years. While
a resident of Helena, Montana, she finished her law course. In
1889 she was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of
Montana. In 1890 she was admitted to practice before the
District Court of the United States and also before the Circuit
Court of the United States. In 1892 she was named for attorney
general of Montana, by the Alliance Party She is regarded as a
woman of great ability, tact and courage and is well known
throughout the Northwest
Bell A. Mansfield
Mrs. Bell A. Mansfield was the first woman admitted to the
practice of law in the United States. She was admitted to the
bar in 1868 in the state of Iowa. Her death occurred August 1,
1911, at the home of her brother. Judge W. J. Babb, of Aurora,
Illinois. She was in her sixty-fifth year at the time of her
death.
Clara Holmes Hapgood Nash
1839 ~
Was born January 15, 1839 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Was the
daughter of John and Mary Anne Hosmer Hapgood. Her mother
belonged to the same family of Hosmer's from which Harriet
Hosmer, the noted sculptor was descended. Soon after her
marriage in 1869 to Frederick Cushing Nash, of Maine, she began
the study of law and in 1872 was admitted to the Supreme
Judicial Court of Maine, being the first woman admitted to the
bar, in New England.
Alice Parker 1864 ~
Miss Alice Parker was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, April 11,
1864, and was the daughter of the well-known Doctor Hiram
Parker, of Lowell, Massachusetts. She was admitted to the
Massachusetts bar, in 1890. Miss Parker published an interesting
series of articles in the Home Journal, of Boston, under the
title of "Law for My Sisters," of great value to women.
They contained expositions of the law of marriage, widows,
breach of promise, wife's necessaries, life insurance, divorce,
sham marriages and names. She is the author of many amendments
before the Massachusetts legislature affecting the property
rights of women, and has made it her special work to procure
such legislation at each session as will accomplish this end.
Kate Hamilton Pier 1845 ~
Was born June 22, 1845, in St Albans, Vermont. Her father was
John Hamilton and her mother's maiden name was Meakinn. Mrs.
Pier gave the name of Hamilton to each of her three daughters.
In 1866 she became the wife of C K. Pier, of Fond du Lac,
Wisconsin. She has accomplished what we believe no other woman
in this country has, she made lawyers of herself and her three
daughters. Mrs. Pier began her legal life by managing the large
estate left by her father so successfully that other business of
a like character was attracted to her. She was made court
commissioner at one time and has enjoyed a successful
professional career. She has accomplished much for women in her
work before the legislature of her state in looking after bills
in the interest of women.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
|