Isabel Barrows
Encyclopedia
Isabel Chapin Barrows was the first woman employed by the United States State Department. She worked as a stenographer for William H. Seward
in 1868 while her husband, Samuel June Barrows, was ill. She later became the first woman to work for Congress
as a stenographer. Barrows was also one of the first women to attend the University of Vienna
to study ophthalmology
, and the first woman to have a private practice in medicine in Washington, D.C.
.
, Katherine Isabel Hayes was the fifth of seven children. After receiving her primary education in Derry, New Hampshire
, Isabel enrolled at the Adams Academy in Derry, originally run by Zilpah P. Grant Banister
and Mary Lyon. After graduating from Adams Academy, she married William Wilberforce Chapin in Derry on September 26, 1863.
were they worked as missionaries
in Ahmednuggur. William Wilberforce Chapin died in 1865 in Ahmednuggur, leaving her a widow at the age of nineteen. Although she had lost her partner and the original reason for initially traveling to India, Isabel stayed on and completed her missionary work and returning to the United States six months later.
and became a bath assistant at a water-cure sanatorium
. At the sanatorium she was trained in hydropathy
and incidentally met the man who was to become her second husband, Samuel June Barrows. Ending her work at the sanatorium, Isabel and Samuel became engaged in 1866 and the couple moved to New York City
. On June 28, 1867, Isabel Chapin and Samuel Barrows were married in Brooklyn
by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
.
after Samuel was offered a job as secretary for the Secretary of State
William H. Seward
. The next summer Samuel came down with an illness and Isabel filled in for him, making her the first woman to officially work for the State Department.
After accomplishing her first “first”, Isabel left Samuel in Washington to continue at his position there while she went back to New York City in 1869 and enrolled at the Woman’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. She then went abroad for the second time to study ophthalmology
at the University of Vienna
. Once she completed her studies, Isabel returned to Washington to begin a private practice of her own and to become a professor of ophthalmology at Howard University
’s School of Medicine, becoming the first woman to open a private practice in D.C. and one of the first women professors at Howard. In addition to these two careers she continued working as a stenographer, primarily for congressional committees.
Following a previously made agreement, after completing her education, Samuel enrolled at Harvard Divinity School
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. Isabel continued on at all her positions in Washington, stopping only just before the birth of their first child, Mabel Hay Barrows. Shortly after her move to Cambridge, the Barrows made yet another move to Leipzig
, Germany
, where both Isabel and Samuel took up various studies. Isabel focused on Italian
, French
, and German
, while Samuel took courses in music and political economy
. A year later, they returned to the United States and moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts, for Samuel to become a Unitarian
pastor at Meeting House Hill. Soon after beginning his career as a pastor, Samuel became editor of the weekly Christian Register. Isabel continued to aid him in his work, helping him edit on a regular basis in addition to working on her own pieces. Although her life was filled with tasks helping her husband, Isabel managed to become an active member in prison reform and other various charities and religious organizations. For numerous years she acted as stenographer and as an editor for a multitude of conferences, including the National Conference of Charities and Correction and the National Prison Association.
1896 brought the election of Samuel to Congress
, but he was subsequently defeated in the election for his second term. Instead of returning to prior career choices, he became the secretary of the Prison Association of New York and again moved the Barrows family, this time to Staten Island
, New York. Isabel continued her work in prison reform and other activities across the nation, primarily delivering speeches for her cause. Even abroad she held some semblance of authority. In 1909 she went to Saint Petersburg
, Russia
, in order to petition for the release of Catherine Breshkovsky
, who was being held as a Russian revolutionary. While she was overseas, however, Samuel died. After shortly returning to New York for the funeral, Isabel returned to Russia to continue pleading for Catherine Breshkovsky’s release. Following this escapade abroad she took Samuel’s place at the International Prison Congress in Paris
.
.
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
in 1868 while her husband, Samuel June Barrows, was ill. She later became the first woman to work for Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
as a stenographer. Barrows was also one of the first women to attend the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
to study ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, and the first woman to have a private practice in medicine in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Early life and education
Born to Scottish immigrants, Henry Hayes and Anna Gibb on April 17, 1845, in Irasburg, VermontIrasburg, Vermont
Irasburg is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2000 census.-Town:* Moderator - David Turner* Selectman - Randy Wells, Roger Gagnon * Town Clerk - Barbara Lawson* Town Treasurer - Barbara Lawson...
, Katherine Isabel Hayes was the fifth of seven children. After receiving her primary education in Derry, New Hampshire
Derry, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 33,109 people, 12,537 households, and 8,767 families residing in the town. The population density was 924.8 people per square mile . There were 13,277 housing units at an average density of 143.2/km²...
, Isabel enrolled at the Adams Academy in Derry, originally run by Zilpah P. Grant Banister
Zilpah P. Grant Banister
Zilpah Polly Grant Banister was an American educator known primarily for founding Ipswich Female Seminary in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1828....
and Mary Lyon. After graduating from Adams Academy, she married William Wilberforce Chapin in Derry on September 26, 1863.
First marriage and early missionary work
In 1868 she when she was 18 she accompanied her husband William Chapin to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
were they worked as missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Ahmednuggur. William Wilberforce Chapin died in 1865 in Ahmednuggur, leaving her a widow at the age of nineteen. Although she had lost her partner and the original reason for initially traveling to India, Isabel stayed on and completed her missionary work and returning to the United States six months later.
Second marriage
Starting up a life on her own, she moved to Dansville, New YorkDansville, Livingston County, New York
Dansville is a village in the town of North Dansville in the eastern part of Livingston County, New York, United States. As of the census, the village population was 4,832. The village is named after Daniel Faulkner, an early settler. Interstate 390 passes next to the west side of the village.-...
and became a bath assistant at a water-cure sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
. At the sanatorium she was trained in hydropathy
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, involves the use of water for pain-relief and treating illness. The term hydrotherapy itself is synonymous with the term water cure as it was originally marketed by practitioners and promoters in the 19th century...
and incidentally met the man who was to become her second husband, Samuel June Barrows. Ending her work at the sanatorium, Isabel and Samuel became engaged in 1866 and the couple moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. On June 28, 1867, Isabel Chapin and Samuel Barrows were married in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher was a prominent Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century...
.
Later life
Isabel began to study shorthand in addition to her medical studies while Samuel worked as a stenographer. Soon after this move, however, they were uprooted and moved to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
after Samuel was offered a job as secretary for the Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
. The next summer Samuel came down with an illness and Isabel filled in for him, making her the first woman to officially work for the State Department.
After accomplishing her first “first”, Isabel left Samuel in Washington to continue at his position there while she went back to New York City in 1869 and enrolled at the Woman’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. She then went abroad for the second time to study ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
. Once she completed her studies, Isabel returned to Washington to begin a private practice of her own and to become a professor of ophthalmology at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
’s School of Medicine, becoming the first woman to open a private practice in D.C. and one of the first women professors at Howard. In addition to these two careers she continued working as a stenographer, primarily for congressional committees.
Following a previously made agreement, after completing her education, Samuel enrolled at Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. Isabel continued on at all her positions in Washington, stopping only just before the birth of their first child, Mabel Hay Barrows. Shortly after her move to Cambridge, the Barrows made yet another move to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where both Isabel and Samuel took up various studies. Isabel focused on Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, while Samuel took courses in music and political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
. A year later, they returned to the United States and moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts, for Samuel to become a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
pastor at Meeting House Hill. Soon after beginning his career as a pastor, Samuel became editor of the weekly Christian Register. Isabel continued to aid him in his work, helping him edit on a regular basis in addition to working on her own pieces. Although her life was filled with tasks helping her husband, Isabel managed to become an active member in prison reform and other various charities and religious organizations. For numerous years she acted as stenographer and as an editor for a multitude of conferences, including the National Conference of Charities and Correction and the National Prison Association.
1896 brought the election of Samuel to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, but he was subsequently defeated in the election for his second term. Instead of returning to prior career choices, he became the secretary of the Prison Association of New York and again moved the Barrows family, this time to Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York. Isabel continued her work in prison reform and other activities across the nation, primarily delivering speeches for her cause. Even abroad she held some semblance of authority. In 1909 she went to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, in order to petition for the release of Catherine Breshkovsky
Catherine Breshkovsky
Catherine Breshkovsky was a Russian socialist and revolutionary, better known as Babushka or, more solemnly, the Grandmother of the Russian Revolution.-Revolutionary life:She left her home at the age of 26 to join followers of anarchist Mikhail Bakunin in Kiev...
, who was being held as a Russian revolutionary. While she was overseas, however, Samuel died. After shortly returning to New York for the funeral, Isabel returned to Russia to continue pleading for Catherine Breshkovsky’s release. Following this escapade abroad she took Samuel’s place at the International Prison Congress in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Death
Isabel Barrows continued her work vying for reform, primarily in prisons, and on other issues, both national and international. Writing novels, newspaper articles, and speeches, her influence was enormous in both social and political scenes. Isabel died on October 25, 1913 in Croton-on-Hudson, New YorkCroton-on-Hudson, New York
Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt, in New York City's northern suburbs...
.