Harriet Williams Russell Strong
Encyclopedia
Harriet Williams Russell Strong (July 23, 1844 – September 6, 1926) was an American social activist, inventor, Conservationist
, and leading figure of the early woman's movement. She is a member of the National Women's Hall of Fame
.
at Benicia, California
, the family having gone west soon after her birth, on account of her mother's ill health.
, California. It was largely planted with walnut and orange trees, and yielded profitable returns. In 1897 she drilled a number of artesian wells, and to utilize the water thus obtained purchased 1000 acres (4 km²) of land five miles (8 km) away, installed a pumping plant, and incorporated the property under the name of the Paso de Bartolo Water Company
, of which she was president, and her two daughters, respectively, treasurer and secretary, and issued bonds amounting to $110,000 to carry on the enterprise, selling the property four years later at a handsome profit.
as a flood remedy, proposing a succession of dams in the Grand Canyon
of the Colorado river
to conserve the water for irrigation purposes and the generation of electricity. On Dec. 6, 1887, she was granted a patent for a dam and reservoir construction. Her invention consists of a series of dams, one behind the other, to be constructed in a valley, canyon or watercourse in such a way that when the water has filled the lower dam it will extend up to a certain height upon the lower face of the second dam, and thus act as a brace and support for the dam above it. She obtained another patent, Nov. 6, 1894, on a new method for im pounding debris and storing water. She was awarded two medals for these inventions by the World's Columbian Exposition
in Chicago, IL, in 1893. In 1918 she appeared before the congressional committee on water power and urged the government to store the flood waters of the Colorado river by constructing a series of dams by her method in the Grand Canyon, (which in its full capacity is 150 miles (241.4 km) long), and thus control floods and increase irrigation water, making avail- able thousands of acres of land and unlimited power for generating electricity.
. She was the founder of Ebell of Los Angeles
, serving as its president for three consecutive terms. She was also a member of the Friday Morning and Ruskin
Art clubs of Los Angeles, and became the first female member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
, and of the executive board of the Inland Waterways Association of San Francisco. She was a delegate to the annual convention of the United States Chamber of Commerce
, in Chicago, in 1918, representing both the Whittier
and Los Angeles
chambers of commerce, being the first woman delegate to attend those conventions. She was a member of the board of directors of the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of its flood control committee, and member of its Law and Legislative committee, also a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Legislative committee. She was married in Virginia City, Nevada
, to Charles Lyman Strong, and had three daughters: Mary Lyman, wife of Dean Mason, of Los Angeles; Harriet Russell and Nelle de Luce Strong. Her third daughter, Georgina Pierrepont, wife of Hon. Frederick C. Hicks
, of New York, died in Washington, Jan. 1, 1918.
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
, and leading figure of the early woman's movement. She is a member of the National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame
The National Women's Hall of Fame is an American institution. It was created in 1969 by a group of people in Seneca Falls, New York, the location of the 1848 Women's Rights Convention...
.
Childhood and family background
Harriet was born in Buffalo, N.Y., fourth daughter of Henry Pierrepont and Mary Guest (Musier) Russell, and a descendant of William Russell, a native of England, who came over in the early part of the seventeenth century with his brother-in-law and sister, Lord and Lady Brooke, and Lord Say and Seal, and settled in Windsor, Conn. Her grandfather, Judge Samuel Russell, of New York city, was commissary-general in the war of 1812, and her father was postmaster of Buffalo and later adjutant-general of Nevada. Mrs. Strong was educated by private teachers and at Young Ladies SeminaryMills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
at Benicia, California
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
, the family having gone west soon after her birth, on account of her mother's ill health.
Marriage and family
She was married at an early age, and was left a widow in 1883 with four daughters. Her husband's property, consisting of mines and other lands in Southern California, was involved in litigation lasting eight years. She has since devoted her attention to the management and development of this estate, which was known as Ranchito del Fuerte in San Gabriel ValleySan Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
, California. It was largely planted with walnut and orange trees, and yielded profitable returns. In 1897 she drilled a number of artesian wells, and to utilize the water thus obtained purchased 1000 acres (4 km²) of land five miles (8 km) away, installed a pumping plant, and incorporated the property under the name of the Paso de Bartolo Water Company
Rancho Paso de Bartolo
Rancho Paso de Bartolo also called Rancho Paso de Bartolo Viejo was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1835 by Governor Jose Figueroa to Juan Crispin Perez. The name refers to a San Gabriel River ford called Paso de Bartolo Viejo...
, of which she was president, and her two daughters, respectively, treasurer and secretary, and issued bonds amounting to $110,000 to carry on the enterprise, selling the property four years later at a handsome profit.
Inventor & Water Conservationist
Mrs. Strong made a study of water problems, including the control of flood waters and water storage. She advocated source conservationWater conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
as a flood remedy, proposing a succession of dams in the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
of the Colorado river
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
to conserve the water for irrigation purposes and the generation of electricity. On Dec. 6, 1887, she was granted a patent for a dam and reservoir construction. Her invention consists of a series of dams, one behind the other, to be constructed in a valley, canyon or watercourse in such a way that when the water has filled the lower dam it will extend up to a certain height upon the lower face of the second dam, and thus act as a brace and support for the dam above it. She obtained another patent, Nov. 6, 1894, on a new method for im pounding debris and storing water. She was awarded two medals for these inventions by the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago, IL, in 1893. In 1918 she appeared before the congressional committee on water power and urged the government to store the flood waters of the Colorado river by constructing a series of dams by her method in the Grand Canyon, (which in its full capacity is 150 miles (241.4 km) long), and thus control floods and increase irrigation water, making avail- able thousands of acres of land and unlimited power for generating electricity.
Later years
Strong had considerable talent as a musical composer; she published a number of songs and a book of musical sketches, and has for many years been vice president of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra AssociationLos Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
. She was the founder of Ebell of Los Angeles
Ebell of Los Angeles
The Ebell of Los Angeles is a women's club housed in a complex in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles that includes a clubhouse building and the renowned 1,270-seat Wilshire Ebell Theatre....
, serving as its president for three consecutive terms. She was also a member of the Friday Morning and Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
Art clubs of Los Angeles, and became the first female member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is southern California's largest not-for-profit business federation, representing the interests of more than 235,000 businesses in L.A...
, and of the executive board of the Inland Waterways Association of San Francisco. She was a delegate to the annual convention of the United States Chamber of Commerce
United States Chamber of Commerce
The United States Chamber of Commerce is an American lobbying group representing the interests of many businesses and trade associations. It is not an agency of the United States government....
, in Chicago, in 1918, representing both the Whittier
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is southern California's largest not-for-profit business federation, representing the interests of more than 235,000 businesses in L.A...
chambers of commerce, being the first woman delegate to attend those conventions. She was a member of the board of directors of the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of its flood control committee, and member of its Law and Legislative committee, also a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Legislative committee. She was married in Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
, to Charles Lyman Strong, and had three daughters: Mary Lyman, wife of Dean Mason, of Los Angeles; Harriet Russell and Nelle de Luce Strong. Her third daughter, Georgina Pierrepont, wife of Hon. Frederick C. Hicks
Frederick C. Hicks
Frederick Cocks Hicks was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Westbury, he attended the public schools, Swarthmore College, and Harvard University....
, of New York, died in Washington, Jan. 1, 1918.