Month: January 2024

Sophia Little was born in Newport in 1799, the daughter of Asher Robbins. Her father was a prominent Rhode Island politician who served as U.S. Attorney General for Rhode Island and then in the state legislature before serving as U.S. Senator from 1825 to 1839. Not much is known about Sophia’s early education other than she

Sara Louise Algeo was born on June 13, 1876 in Cohasset MA, the fifth child to John and Sarah (Clemens) MacCormack. Following her education in the Cohasset public schools she attended and graduated from Boston University. Upon graduation she came to Rhode Island in September 1899 to teach at Cranston High School. She would remain

Roberta Dunbar was born in Narragansett, Rhode Island on July 10, 1868 to John and Louisa Cartwright Dunbar. By 1870 the family was living in Providence and Roberta attended the English High school. She worked in a number of professions including dressmaker, masseuse and hairdresser but her work of note was as an activist dedicated

Fanny was an author, poet, and social activist. She was born in New York City on July 11, 1839 to Henry and Mary (Sharp) Purdy. Following the death of her father when she was only seven, she grew up in upstate New York.  She attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Buffalo and graduated

The names of Maria Kindberg and Ingeborg Kindstedt are irrevocably intertwined in the woman’s suffrage movement not only in Rhode Island but nationally because of their accomplishments during the early decades of the twentieth century. Maria Albertina Kindberg was born in Ryd near the town of Skövde, Sweden, on October 12, 1860; she arrived in

Florence Parker Simister was an author, historian, and radio personality. Born on December 13, 1913 in Providence to George L. and Bertha Zinner Parker she attended the local public schools graduating from Classical High School in 1931. Following high school, she enrolled in extension courses at both Brown University and the University of Connecticut. Her

Florence Markoff was born on August 24, 1917 in Attleboro, MA to David and Molly Shapiro. She lived her entire life in Rhode Island, graduating from Hope High School and Emerson College in Boston. Upon graduation from college she gave private elocution and drama lessons in Rhode Island. She was a pioneer in radio broadcasting,

Born: December 10, 1847 Died: January 10, 1929 Suffragist, social activist and author. Lillie Wyman was the eight child born into the Quaker family of Samuel Buffington Chace and Elizabeth Buffum Chace. Her maternal grandfather was Arnold Buffum the noted Rhode Island abolitionist, a co-founder and first president of the New England Anti-Slavery Society. Her

Bertha was born in Danville, VA on November 18, 1872 to Horace and Barbara Dillard. She was married twice, first to Walker Thomas in 1887, but following his death in 1897, she married Dr. William Higgins. In 1903 the couple moved to Providence, Rhode Island where Dr. Higgins practiced medicine. Bertha was an accomplished dressmaker

Anna’s life is somewhat of a mystery, but her accomplishments are significant in the history of social reform, especially that for women’s equality and suffrage. In 1852 she began the publication in Providence of the newspaper The Pioneer and Woman’s Advocate; the newspaper’s motto was “Liberty, Truth, Equality, Temperance.”  Anna’s newspaper is significant since it

Anita E. Tyng, the daughter of Charles A. and Anna A. (McAlpine) Tyng, was a medical doctor and surgeon.  She was born in Massachusetts on February 4, 1838.  Her father’s ancestors dated back to the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Little is known of Anita’s childhood or adolescent years.  What is known is

Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, a Newport socialite, was born on January 17, 1853 in Mobile, Alabama, one of six children to Murray and Phoebe Smith. She was married twice, first to William K. Vanderbilt and later to Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont. Following the death of her second husband in 1908, Alva moved back to Marble House,

Ada Sawyer was Rhode Island’s first female lawyer. She went to Providence English High School, where she graduated with honors in 1909. The day after graduating, she was hired as a stenographer at the law office of Charles E. Salisbury and Percy Winchester Gardner. While at the firm, Ada showed an interest in “reading law.”