-
Florence Spearing Randolph
1866-1951 Florence Randolph was a suffragist, ordained minister and clubwomen. She was organizer of the NJ Federation of Colored Womens’s Clubs. Randolph’s life has been covered widely in several publications including the sources below. In Newark, Randolph was pastor of AME Zion Church. Florence lived in Jersey City for many years and died there in…
-
Martha Belle Williams
1924-1969 Martha Belle Williams, with M. Bernadine Johnson Marshall, was the first African American woman admitted to the New Jersey Bar. She said, “I haven’t thought much about taking the examination as a Negro or as a woman either, I just want to be a good lawyer.’ Martha was from Montclair but attended Essex Junior College…
-
Elizabeth Blume-Silverstein
1892-1991 Eliabeth Blume-Silverstein was born in Newark. She graduated the New Jersey Law School in Newark in 1911 (just a year after the first woman graduate Laura Mayo Wilson), but could not practice until she turned 21. In Nov 1913, she was admitted to the Bar as an attorney (just after Laura Mayo Wilson and…
-
Ann VanWagenen Plume & Nancy Vischer Plume
1752-1816 and Bef. 1710-Aft. 1710 Ann VanWagenen Plume was married to Isaac Plumne. It is said that during the Revolutionary War, Hessians began destroying her property. She got so angry, the soldiers retreated. A few days later, she found a Hessian soldier in her ice house and trapped him inside. She gave him to the…
-
Esther R Newman
c. 1883 – 1901 Esther Newman was the first woman graduate of the NJ College of Pharmacy along with Emma Egge. She graduated in April and died in August due to appendicitis after an operation. She was listed as a prize winner at the graduation, graduating with high honors and had been appointed Chief Pharmacist…
-
Emma Oschwald Egge
c. 1883-1960 Born in Newark, Emma was first woman to graduate the NJ College of Pharmacy in Newark, along with Esther Newman who died a few months later of appendicitis. In 1905, Emma passed exams to receive her license to practice. Emma was a pharmacist for Newark City Hospital for over 25 years. She helped…
-
Theresa Kraker Guthrie
c. 1889-1959 Theresa Guthrie lived in Newark from at least 1910. She was the founder of the Chronically Ill Service of Essex County. She was also a board member of the Essex County Tuberculosis League and county representative on the board of the NJ Tuberculosis Association. Theresa served at base hospitals in France during WWI.…
-
Bertell Collins Wright
1908-1993 Bertell Collins Weight was resident of the Essex County Tuberculosis League, based in Newark at 42 Park Place. She was sometimes called “Director of Negro Health Work” or “Executive Secretary”. Bertell worked there from 1938-1958. She lived at 69 Somerset St in Newark from at least 1935 (likely from her marriage in 1934), until…
-
Frances “Fannie” Traphegen Rippel
1860-1943 Frances Rippel was president of the Home for Aged and Respectable Women from 1929-1934, and a longterm board member and volunteer. Frances was president of the Heidelberg Guild of the First Reformed Church. She was also active in the Newark Museum, NJ Historical Society and Daughters of the American Revolution. She worked for the…
-
Lydia Young Hayes
1871-1943 Lydia Young Hayes was the first director of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind which had offices in Newark at 14 James St (now Audible). She became director in 1910 and served until 1937, when she served as a consultant until her retirement in 1942. As director she organized home teaching, workshops, and…