It was an ordinary day. Reading about some of Lancaster's most outstanding women...both past and present. Lancaster County's history is richer because of the contributions of outstanding women. Being that it is Women's History Month, it is a fitting time to explore the legacies of some of Lancaster's most famous women. The following women have all contributed to the storied history of the city of Lancaster, Pennsyvania. Follow along as I present them to you today and tomorrow...
Susanna Wright - Susanna was a Quaker scientist, poet and innovator who contributed to the colonial settlement of the town known as Columbia. Wright was born in England in 1697 and immigrated to the Philadelphia area in 1718. Her mother died in 1722 and forced Susanna to have to take over the household responsibilities. The family moved to the area known as Columbia in 1730. But, even after Wright was tasked with leading a household, she chose not to pursue that in her own adulthood. She chose not to marry, but instead took over the reigns of the family farm and raised a variety of crops. She developed a method that allowed silkworms to spin in paper cones, successfully producing silk. She kept up on politics and regularly corresponded with several well-known figures, including Benjamin Franklin -- with whom she occasionally shared books. She also wrote poetry; only three dozen of her poems have survived. Because there are no known images of Wright, she was represented in Woman's History Month illustrated with indigo -- one of the crops she grew.
Lydia Hamilton Smith - Lydia (1815-84) was the right-hand person to celebrated Lancaster U.S. congressman Thaddeus Stevens. She managed Stevens' household, served as his political confidant and helped raise his nephews. She was also the caregiver through illness late in life -- when Stevens was achieving some of his greatest accomplishments in Congress. But, Smith was accomplished beyond her support of Stevens. While rising her sons as a single parent, she owned rental properties in Lancaster, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. She was one of only a handful of successful African American businesswomen in Lancaster in the latter part of the 19th century. Lydia was a lifelong Catholic and was active in St.Mary's Church in Lancaster and is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Blanche Nevin - Blanch Nevin was a celebrated artist and poet in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She is described by Lancaster History as "the nation's first noteworthy sculptress." She sculpted the statue of Revolutionary War General Peter Mulenberg - which resides in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol - as well as the bust of President Woodrow Wilson. Her work is on display in Lancaster - from "Lion in the Park" (1905) at Reservoir park to her horse drinking fountain (1898) at the intersection of Columbia Ave. and West Orange Streets. Nevin died in 1925.
Harriet Lane - Harriet Lane is the only person to have served as the First Lady to a bachelor president - her uncle, President James Buchanan. Her parents died before she turned 11, and her uncle - who was then a U.S. Senator - became her legal guardian, introducing his niece to the world of politics alongside her schooling. Lane accompanied her uncle on political trip's, and even gained the favor of Queen Victoria, who referred to her as "Dear Miss Lane." During her time as First Lady, Lane hosted grand parties, sometimes needing to take special care with seating charts to separate political rivals. She also made the then-unusual choice to invite artists and musicians to the White House, a practice that has continued today. Later in life, she established the Harriet Lane Home for Children, the nation's first pediatric center which would serve children of all races, creeds and nationalities. She died in 1903 at the age of 73.
Follow along tomorrow with Part II. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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