Born in Bridgeport, Ohio, Mary Griffith had seven siblings: four sisters and three bothers. When her older brother graduated from high school, he moved farther west to Harlan, Iowa, where he worked in a general store. The rest of Mary's family soon…
Lucy Van Voorhis White (1869–1935) was born in Grundy County, Iowa, and grew up in Pleasant Township, Poweshiek County, Iowa. The second of seven children, Lucy helped the rest of the family with farm work, but she also prioritized her education.…
Diary kept by Belle Robinson (1862-1887), of Dubuque, Iowa. The middle child of three sisters, Belle’s personality was shaped by her family's focus on education and equality. Her father, Frank, was a lawyer with a private practice in Dubuque. Her…
Clara Hinton grew up in Hedrick, Iowa, where she experienced a difficult childhood. Her mother died when Clara was nine years old. Her aunt then adopted her youngest sister, while Clara helped her father take care of her two brothers and remaining…
Diary kept by Linnie Hagerman (1852-1934), of Keokuk, Iowa. Born in Missouri in 1852, Linnie moved with her family to Keokuk at age 10, and remained there for the rest of her life.
Mary Elizabeth Wood grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, with five sisters and three brothers. Her father worked as a miner, and her mother and grandmother worked as domestic servants.
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Mary graduated from East High School and attended…
The Native American woman featured in this 1925 document asked to remain anonymous. She married when at age 19 years old and outlived two husbands, then became an influential woman in her tribe. Her community considered her a wise…
