xt7v6w96917d https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7v6w96917d/data/mets.xml Kentucky United States. Work Projects Administration. Kentucky 1940 Louisville library collection. Biography series; 3 v. 27 cm. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries. Call number F450 .U550. books  English Louisville, Ky., Louisville free public library This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Kentucky Works Progress Administration Publications Biography Series, Volume 3- A Dictionary of Prominent Women of Louisville and Kentucky, edited by Bess A. Ray text Biography Series, Volume 3- A Dictionary of Prominent Women of Louisville and Kentucky, edited by Bess A. Ray 1940 1940 2015 true xt7v6w96917d section xt7v6w96917d \
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 A

 LCUISKILLE LIBQLJQT ZCLQECYICYS
Biography Series, Tclugze I5
Kentuclqr Nor}: Projects Ad;:i1iis$rs~.i:ic11, Librc.;j,¢ Prcject
-`_~l`· `·.l=» 2/· i ». *‘,——· ~,.»~`~-°
A DIJTLOIYJQTC O? PICXITEEYT ”C§.}T-.
* of
LCTJI SJILLE mad 1Z3T‘IU·3lYI'
Compiled   ‘[Jr·i‘;‘Cc21 5;*0;:1 llitcriipl.
in The Louisville free Pzxblic Lil;1w_1·;r
Edited under the dir;-ciicn
cf
Bess A. Ray, ,¤;;si;:ta1;·b Prchfcct $up·,;·viccr
ECEZIElTC21'j `»`{OE;E·Z PELCJIJILZ  j.jIITIS'f?,c-AQICY
Official Projects ET0;. OE}-l-if-l5C,  T-
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Q LOUISVILLE LIERARI COLLECIIONS
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I History Series
  . . . /- _,_ ,
{ Volume I History of Louisville gzxtrects) 1965
U
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{ Institution Series
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{ Volume I Institutions of Louisville (Extracts) l955
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I Biography Series
{ Volume I Artists of Louisville and Kentucky (Extructs) IQEQ
{ Volume 2 Kentucky Authors {Prepered Sketches and Extracts) IGQO
I Vclume 3 Prominent Komen of Lcuisville end Kentucky
{ (Prepared Sketches and Extracts) 1940
I - . .
{ Ill f’l"G;{;)?.l”3.I7lO1’1
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{ Vclune 4 Kentucky Stetesmen (prepsred Sketcnts und Extracts)
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{ Volume 4, in preparation, is scheduled for issue in the early
{ Fall ef l9&O
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 }`FE}`fa CE
The present work is the third volume of the Biography
Series of the LGUISVILIE LIBRARY COLlECTlT“S, produced under
the KETTLCKY WORKS PROJECTS EDTFYISTRHTIOY, Official Projects
Nos. 54-1-45-l30, 665-43-5-576-E, and 465-43-5-él8-5, spon-
sored by the Louisville Free Public Library.
like its companion volumes, "Kentucky lrtists" and
"Kentucky Authors", the present volune represents a coopera-
tive undertaking. The Library has furnished material,
general supervision and advisory assistance, but the work of
research, compiling, writing and editing is to be credited
the Works Projects Administration and its staff headed by Mr.
James S. Craik, Project Supervisor, and Drs. Hess A. Ray,
lssistant Project Supervisor. lt was lhs. Pay who originally _
39 suggested a volume to be devoted to the women of Kentucky,
and it was due primarily to Mrs. Ray‘s untiring efforts,
) long patience and skill that the present work has been brought to
successful completion.
LQQO The project as planned is designed to bring together
into a single volume available biographical information
relating to Kentucky women who have achieved prominence in
many fields of activity. The contents include names of
3S) women engaged in such a wide range of activity that it we ld
be difficult to group them accurately by subject. A orocess-
ion of women is presented including exponents of woman suff-
rage and temperance, actresses, state office holders, civic
leaiers, musicians, and many others active in various pursuits.
ill oeriods of Kentucky history are represented is the bio-
eraohies start as far rack as the pre—revolutionary oeriod
in Kentucky and come down to the present day including many
women living and active in contenporary aff irs. A partictlar-
ly interestina and romantic account of the oioncer period is
found in the sketch of Febecca Bryan Foone, wife of Taniel Boone.
The scope and orcanization of the work ues oricinally
determined under library direction. To initiate the project
a list of names of o`tstanding Tentwcky worer was coroiled by
the Reference Departnent fron its extensive Tentuckiana
materials. Research workers and writers then proceeded with
their work, utilizing library catalogs and indexes, bound
newsnapcrs of past years, newspaper clirpinrs which are class-
ified and filed at the library, biographical encyclopedias,
histories of Louisville and Kentucky, all avai*able in the
Louisville Free Public library. Occasionally, when these
sources failed to furnish sufficient iniorration to make a
connected accounts of events in the biocra hy, personal
intervievs with the subject or with descendants or relatives
were arranged and often resultid Tn securin? the jnfJr;aii n

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g neoessgry to izll 1T toe gaps.
5 & soeo;al wars of thanks lS due the Mat;onel Youth
I . . .· ¤ ·- · . »s- ·
{ qdNlHLSTT*YlOH OI =entuoky for fTOdUClHg the ;1n1shed work
i in wimooyravh form. The library is heoov to express its
· ’ . . . .. ° ‘
' vrutefvl XUUT€Cl9tlOH of thls cooperatzon and penerous
f assistance Tram the National Youth Administration.
1
I
Q Harold F. Eriyhem
{ Librarian, Louisville Free Public Librmrv
l L
5 Farah ZY, 194C
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Rdans lda "av Y
Qkers, Gusaf Erey %
llberts, Ylinir ("rs. ‘uvid Pirder) E
lllen, Julia Trances 8
lnderson, Jnrie Stuart 9
Anderson, Frances Fern ll
Qarber, Elsie Yandell l2
Beard, Ruth Eleanor l2
Beauchamp, Yrs. Frances Fsiill l5
Benedict, Jennie C. I5
Piehl, Yarie E. 15
Ljbygyy Bland ng, Sarah Gibson I?
M Boone, Rebecca Bryan (Yrs. Daniel Boone) 20
Bourcard, Varoline B. 23 `
Bousman, Louise Tate 25 ·
Breckinriiqe, Irs. Fadeline Ic Dowell 26
Ereckinridpe, Vary 29
Briscoe, Nay Howell 52
Brown, Mlizabeth E5
?rown, lay Feverly . 55
Brown, Yrs. Nargaretta Jason (Irs. John) 56
Bryan, Yary Boone (lhs. William) 59
Caldwell, Vary Elizabeth Breckinridge 4}
(Taroness von Zedturiz)
Caldwell, Tary Gwendoline Byrd 43
(Marcuise doa Ionstiers Terinville)
Calhoun, Rena 45
Casseday, Jennie 45
Case, Emma Young (Yrs. Robert ?.Y.) 48
Clay, laxra QS
Columba, Lother Carroll (Yarvaret Carroll) 51
Ccomes, Jane (*rs. Tillian) ?5
Woodson, hcuie (Irs. iubrey Cossar) 55
Crain, Elizabeth Johnson (Ars. Tolliver Craix, Jr.) 57
, Craig, Iary Hawkins (lhs. Tolliver Craig, dr.) EO
Crawford, Jane Todd (bbs. Thomas) Gl
Cromwell, Emra Guy (Yrs. William) 65
Crittenden, Elizabeth loss (Yrs. J. J.) 67
Daingerfield, Elizabeth 69
Dean, Tora D. 7l
deUavarro, Tary indezson (Irs. Qntonio) 72
Uesha, Kary 76
Uolfinaer, Emma 79
Dugan, Sarah Hnntoon Vance (irs. Frank Clarke) BO
Dunne, Irene 85
Etheridge, Uorothy B5
Flanery, Iary Elliott 87
Flexner, Jennie I 89
Floyd, Iary Isabelle 9]
Fonda, Octavia Iensel Q2
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? Frayser, Tannie Lee 94
I Gaggs, Alice Yuriel Q6
I Gardner, Lida E 96
I Gheens, Mary Jo 99
I Grant, Elizaoeth Boone 101
1 Gratz, Rebecca 104
I Greenway, Irs. Isabella Selmes 107
I Hall, June XcCormick 109
I Hanlon, lary Long 110
I Hayden, Mary E. 112
I Tearin, Jane ilbina (1rs.Cordis E.) 115
I Heller, las. E. H. 115
I Helm, Irs. Lucinda Barbour Hardin (Yrs. John Larue) 116
I Helm, Kargie May 118
I ¥enning, Susan Thorton (Mrs. James Williamson) 118
1 Henning, Suzanne (Farquise Antoine de Charette) 121
I Hert, Irs. Alvin T. 122
Kicks, Frances Ross (Lbs. Guy Turner) 124
Hodges, Ida Leighton 125
I Hoffmar, Lary Elizabeth 126
C Uolres, Sarah Bennett 127
I *olt, Yrs. Leland Wallace 128
I Holt, Nellie B. 129
I Toward, Bess 130
' 5owerton, Hrs. Davis Tonroe 151
I lnrram, Frances Nac Gregor 155
.. Ingram, Dr. Julia 155
I Jacbson, Sallie 156
Kirch, Nora 159
I Knott, Ruth Jones (Ruth Breton) 141 ‘
I Hrazeise, Emma Iunt (Lis. Paul J.) 145
I Lafferty, Naude ware (Yrs. W. T.) 144
I Langley, Katherine G. (Mrs. John Wl) 146
g Leech, Caroline Apoerson (lhs. James 1.) 147
I Leidenger, Lelia Calhoun (lbs. Peter C.) 5 151
I Little, Mary Eleanor Tarrant (lis. John) 155
I hove11,Tthe1 Y. 155
I lb lfee, Mildred Helm 155
I Tc Bride, Helen 158
I Ic Ginty, Ann 159
I Vc LaumhlinQ,Marguerite 152
I Tauothor, Edith Rubel (lrsa D. E.) 162
I Iarshall, lbs. John 155
I uaury, Qarah *ebb 157
I Detoalf, Yary C 17Q
I Tiley, garion 173
I Ylller, Yrs. Bhackelford 174
I Toore, lary (Yrs. Samuel Brown) 175
' Yorton, Jennie Chinn (Lrs. John C.) 179
{· Eoshrr, Kate 182
I J1 ion, Carry Ijrs. David) 135
1
I

 Vavirro (sec de Navarro) 72
veville, Linda lS7
Futter, Vary George (`hs. Tilliams) 189
Peers, Belle l§O
Pettit, Katherine l€2
Phillips, Tenn Kadesin l96
Poage, Annie lS7
Powell, Anna D. (bbs. E. L.) 2OO
Poynter, Clara H. (Yrs. Ehley T.) 202
Radford, Grace Bennett (Hrs. Walter A.) 233
Rawson, Fannie Castleman 2G%
Rea, Virginia (Olive Palmer), (Virginia Earle Xurphy) 207
Reed, hrs. Stanley 2lO t
Robb, lery Webb (Mrs. James N.) 2l2 _
Rogers, Elizabeth Reid (Princess Christian of Hesse) 213
Sassen, Mary Powles 2l4
Seaton, Allene 2l5
Semple, Patty Blackburn 2lG
Settle, Anna. Hubouch (Lbs. George T.) 2l9
Settle, Sister Mary (lks. Franklin) 220
Shelby, Susannah Hart (Mrs. Isaac) 223
Smith, Curraleen Craig 225
Smith, Margaret Proctor 225
South, Christine Bradley (hhs. John Glover) 228
South, Lillian Herald (Vrs. H. H. Tye) 229
Soeed, Yrs. James B. 232
Speed, Mary Louise 235
‘ Staniford, *thel (Yrs. Frank L.) 237
Stone, Nay 258
Summers, Jennie T. 2él
` Sutherland, Fanniebelle (Irs. John) 243
Tevis, Julia Ann (Yrs. John) 244
Thomas, lucy Elayney 247
Threlkeld, Hilda 245
Todd, Yrs. James Foss 2éS
Towles, Susan Starling 252
Van Porn, any 254
Van Felt, kia (frs. C.E.) 255
Veech, Annie S 255
“mller, Carrie ( rs. T eoeore) 258
Yhrd, Sallie (Yrs. George T. Gowns) 260
Qeaver, ,ar§orie 2€3 2
Yhite, Alia {Irs. Kent) 335 l
Yendell, Inid 2E? Q
"ick, Essie Eortch 272 3
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 l
IDA MAY ADALS
b.
Ida May Edams was born in Ht. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Ken- I
tucky, the daughter of Willis and Elizabeth (Schyler) Adams. Her
early education was received in the schools of Mts Vernon and in
Southeastern Kentucky. She later attended the Kentucky College Y0?
Women at Danville, Kentucky, from which she graduated with Bach-
elor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. Her legal education was
received at Southern California College of Law where she was grad-
uated with five degrees, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science,
Bachelor of Laws, tester of Laws and Juris Doctor. Miss Adams is
a Presbyterian. `
Early in life Miss Adams became interested in judicial pro-
¢ed¤;@ of the court and the practice of law. When she was still
a small girl, Judge Thomas Z, Horrow (father of Governor Edwin P`
Morrow) placed her upon the bench with him, and thus she had her
first association with legal g:¤¤e€ure., He remarked, at the time,
having heard her express views on the cases he was hearing, that
she would make an effecient and equitable judge, but that her femi-
nine sex prohibited her entering that field. Women, occupying
judicial benches, were, of course, at that time unheard of.
After graduating with her final degree from law school in
California, she began practicing private law. In the eleven
years that followed, Miss ldams won unusual distinction as an
attorney, one of her most celebrated cases being the defense of
fifty-four Indians on trial for their alleged conspiracy to alien-
ate governmental affections of other Indians. Although Attorney
Adams won her case against the government, she was not completely
satisfied with laws as they stood as they related to the Indian.
She proceeded to draft a bill known as the Howard-Dill Act, which
was passed by Conrress in 1924 and which gave citizenship te all }
American Indians who had previously been merely wards of the gov-
ernment. — 4
In 1951 Ida day niams was elected Judge in Los Angeles, Cal- `
ifornia—~the first woman ever to he elected to the bench who had _
not had a previous appointment to fill a vacancy. This distinc- 2
tion was of considerable importance, considering the fact that
only nineteen women judges had ever filled judicial chairs. i
Her career as judge has been outstanding in several respects. i
She is noted for her leniency with youth and is particularly inter- i
ested in bettering domestic affairs in the homes of the young men 3
and women brought before her for trial, Believing that most trans- ‘
gressions of youth ain be traced to environment and bad influences E
in the home, she at times attempts to bring about a better condi- E
tion therein by candidly discussing the problem with parents be- ?
fore she passes judgment on the child or adolescent youth. She is Q
2

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{ known to have a watchful and alert eye, however, and often detects the
Q wilful wrong—doer who tries to appeal to her sympathy through mis-
§ representation of ago or other devices of trickery. She has no
{ leinency for those who violate the liquor laws, being an extreme
{ prohibitionist; one of the major issues in her campaign was the
{ eighteenth amendment. _
I
I
{ Judge Ida May idams's father and brother operate a large cot-
Q ton plantation in Death Valley, near Los Angeles, California. Her
{ mother conducts a school for deficient and defective children in Los
{ Angeles, said to be the largest school of its kind in the country.
{ Judge Adams's mother is considered an international authority on the
{ subject of defective children. Judge Adams is extremely interested
{ in the school, perhaps deriving some of her sympathetic views toward
{ youth from this assooia ion with the deficient child.
{ CRITICAL ESTIMATES
{ Quoting from the Courier-Journal of April 17, 1952; "Judge Ida
' May Adams, daughter of the South, born in Mount Vernon, Kentucky,
{ has set a pace in the municipal courts of Los Angeles, California,
{ by disposing of more cases than any other judge in that city. In
{ order to establish this splendid and enviable record Judge Adams
spends more than ten hours a day in her judicial chamber. Her
{ plan is to keep a clean calendar and spare offenders a second
{ appearance in court.
{ "This young woman, fragile in form and brilliant in mind, is
F called a 'crusader’ by her opponents, but Red Men, women and tax-
E payers call her their champion. It was Judge Adams who was respons-
{ ible for amending in l927 the California community property law,
2 securing to women a present existing and eoual interest with that
? of the husband in community property. Upon the amendment is based
{ the ruling of the United States Treasury according to California
{ income taxpayers the privilege of filing separate income tax re-
{ turns, resulting in saving the people of California $l8,000,000
{ a year. Judge Adams has established, as counsel in the leading
{ cases of Stewart vs Stewart, before the California Supreme Court,
{ the previously unsettled property status of the wife of California.
{ The Red Hen are indebted to Judge Adams for the introduction and
{ passage in Congress of tho Indian Citizenship bill in l924,"
{ From the same article in the Courier·Journal, a description
{ of her court routine is given; "lhile in Los Angeles I had the
{ privilege of spending an afternoon in the Tnaffic Court where
{ Judge Adams presides. It was indeed interesting and impressive.
{ Judge Adams has both dignity and kindness. A ready smile greets
V every offender and dispolls all fear of unfairness or prejudice.
{ This petite figure in her black robe almost lost in the stately
I chair, listens intently and makes_numerous notes. These same
notes sometimes tran the witness if he is resorting to falsehood.
e   ·“·`·—. j··:~E:;2..s
{ { I ····. ·;

 5
the
Judge Adams is lenient to youth, and this perhaps has a tendency
to make some boys misrepresent their age. However, she is keen
and observing and sometimes remarks, ’you look older.’ She is a
defender of the weak and can usually spot a spineless youth who
is a victim of bad influences."
Again referring to the same source, quoting a part of the
same article: "Judge Adams refers to most young offenders as
DS 'fine young men.' She never gives the defendant an inferiority
complex. Her idea is to improve home life and bring about a better
ig understanding between parent and child.
i
.d "Judge Adams has a unique personality. She keeps the strict-
est attention of the audience and occasionally she and a waiting
offender exchange smiles. She creates absolute respect and anyone A
who believes that a woman judge is a joke should visit her court.
She has a sense of humor and enjoys the good-natured stories writ-
1 ten at her expense by humorous writers. Once she was called to
answer a traffic infraction. A paper declared the feminine judge
had insisted upon a bargain. ger chauffeur had failed to observe
a light. Another wrote that she sentenced an offender because he
neglected the respectful 'Your Honor'.
"Once off the bench, Judge Adams takes an interest in things
that interest the ordinary woman. She notices becoming fashions,
although her own clothes bear the stamp of dignity and reserve.
She chats merrily and has a flashing wit that has caused her to
be branded as a fiery speaker. She is petite, with red hair and
_ blue eyes, and can in no sense be termed masculine in speech,
°— manner or dress." y
l
Judge Ida May Adams is a member of the American Bar Asso-
ciation, California Bar Association, Los Angeles Bar Association, E
Indian Welfare League, and Order of Coif and Lawyers Club of Los [
Angeles. She is the national chairman of the Christian Citizen- i
ship Department and president of the Southern California Council,
National Association of women Lawyers. She is also an honorary
member of the Girl Scouts of America.and is a member of the Los
` Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Her clubs are the Women’s City Club
and the Woman Lawyers Club of Los Angeles. ?
`
BIBLIOGRAPHY Q
sotmces  
Kentucky Historical Clippings g
(Louisville Free Public Library) é
E
A.P.C. §
a a a X * a s » a 1
E

 1 I ‘ c · ~··· V -,  , H  ,  7777777 7     — — ~——--———~~" tv
(
; 4
E SUSAN GREY AKERS
§ b. April 5, 1889
{ Susan Grey Akers was born in Richmond, Kentucky, the daughter of
E James Tazewell and Clara (Harris) Akers. She attended the Caldwell High
1 School in Richmond, Kentucky; the University of Kentucky, Lexington,
g receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree; the University of Wisconsin, Madi-
i son, Wisconsin, and the University of Chicago, securing a Doctor of Phil-
I osophy degree at the latter college. Miss Akers is a Presbyterian. Her
; political affiliation is with the femocratic party. She resides at 516
E East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
I
E Niss Akers began her varied career as teacher and librarian, as
1 second assistant (librarian) at the Nurray, Kentucky, high schools. A
l year later, in 1910, she accepted a teaching position in the Birmingham,
J Alabama, public schools, leaving to become an assistant at one of the
branches of the Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville, Kentucky.
I For the next seven yeazs Miss Akers was librarian in the Department
r of hygiene at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, spending sev-
eral of her summers in the sub-reference catalogue division of the New
Q York Public Library. From 1920 until 1922 she filled the office of
{ cataloger at the University of North Dakota.‘ Thereafter she became
{ an instructor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, later
advancing to the position of assistant professor in the Library School
{ of the same university. During 1928, 1929 and 195O she was instructor
' at the sum er sessions of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louis-
A iana, the University of Colorade, Boulder, Colorado, and the University
of Chicago. Since 1951 she has been connected with the University of
1 North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, first as assistant profes-
? sor of the School of Library Science, then as professor and acting
E director of Library Science.
Y Susan Grey Akers is the author of Simple Library Cataloging, Amer-
l ican Library Association, Chicago, Illinois. This work was first pub-
! lished in 1927, a second edition being brought out in 1955. Previously,
1 however, the first edition had been translated into Chinese, the trans-
` lation appearing in 1929.
5 Liss Akers is a member of the American Library Association, the
; North Carolina Library Association, the National Education Association
1 and the American Association of University Women, Chapel Hill, North
‘ Carolina Branch
  •
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Q aisiiocawnrr
S SOURCES
I
{ Whc's who in America 1956-57
Z Who's Who in Library Science 1955
j Who's Who in Kentucky 1956
A.P.C. * * * * * * * * x
!
  <

 5
ELINOR ALBERTS
(Mrs. David Linder)
Of d. July 27, 1958
Hlgh Elinor Alberts, orchidologist, was born in Louisville, Ken-
l’ . tucky, the daughter of John B. and Clara (Burman) Alberts. She
&dlT graduated from the Louisville Girls High School. Liss Alberts
Ph11‘ was married to Dr.David Hunt Linder of St. Louis, Lissouri, in
5§;r June of 1928.
Mrs. Linder's parents came to Louisville from Germany im-
mediately following their marriage there. When she was still a
S child her father built a small conservatory at the side of their .
A home, filling it with the usual hot house plants. It was some-
€h&m¤ time afterward that he began to experiment with the orchid, and `
he Elinor immediately became interested in the beautiful and deli-
Y• cate plant. The orchid, being a peculiar flower, and one that
requires a maximum.of care and culture, was not grown from the
bment seed, successfully, anywhere in the United States at that time;
S€V’ perhaps it was this fact that influenced the young horticulturist ":
New to ferret out the secrets of the crchid’s culture and growth.
Mrs. Linder had just graduated from high school and with additional
time at her disposal, she immediately set out to find out all she »
it€T could about the orchid from florists; English books dealing with I
301 the subject, offered her technical information that was not avail- Q
bor able in American books; her own experiments with the plant told Q
louis- her more, for she was interested primarily in the development of 7
sity the orchid in our own particular climates, a feat that had never I
>f been accomplished successfully before. i
?es— ‘ Q
Her task was a difficult one, requiring patience as well as E
study, for the orchid requires seven years growth before the blos- i
som appears. At first she pursued this study and experimentation Q
mer- as a hobby, but when she discovered that she had successfully ac- {
1b- L complished the growing of the orchid from the seed, the possibility
xsly, of growing the flower for commercial markets presented itself.
ins- Years of work and culture of the orchid followed. The blending
of various and beautiful colors in the flower by an inter-breed-
ing of species then became her objective. This feat was accom- 3
» plished and markets began to open up for her products, as horti— S
on culturists learned of her success. By the year, 1926, Hrs. Linder E
_ had some 40,000 plants under three years in cultivation, in addi- Q
tion to about 5,000 full grown plants that were blooming or ready 2
to bloom. The hobby had grown into a business whose stock con- E
sisted of orchids with a potential value of $150,000. Q
n
Somewhat later, Hrs. Linder was offered a position as manager E
of the Seedling orchid Department at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, Q
St. Louis, Missouri. She accepted the position, turning the manage- i
ment of her established business over to her brothers. It was while E
she was thus employed at Bt. Louis that she met Dr. David Linder, _
engaged in experimental work at the Botanical Gardens. i
3

 ; , - ---. -. c of  ,KW .m-i.iiiiiirciiiiaaiaii---~ · e»— —~———~eeeee ‘l
K
Q 6
2 CRITICAL ESTIMATES
I The Courier-Journal of December 26, 1926, printed an interest-
§ ing account of Elinor Linder's career. Quoting a portion of the
Q article, reprinted in the History of Kentucky (Biographical ho. 4),
E an insight is given into the beginning of her career: "The January
E American Magazine prints the following article by James Speed, 2005
g Lauderdale Road, editor of the Southern Agriculturist. It tells the
{ story of a Louisville Girl with unusual horticultural talents. The
; Alberts Greenhouse mentioned in the story is lccated at 129 North
i Galt Avenue. Elinor Alberts of Louisville, Kentucky, is a young
§ woman who, instead of wearing expensive orchids, grows them. She
' loves the beautiful blossoms so much that she now has forty-eight
{ thousand young plants, under glass in a city back yard. She has
i even learned to cross—breed orchids to obtain unique and beautiful
f colorings in these mysterious plants from the tropical forests.
Flowers from the Alberts Greenhouse are bought as far east as New
York City, as far south as New Orleans, and as far north as Chicago.
Miss Alberts was the first woman in the United States to successfully
5 breed and grow orchids for the market. To do this she had to study
I orchids intimately from the time the tiny seeds are sown until the
full—grown plants open their gorgeous blossoms. Orchids are slow in
{ coming to bloom. From six to nine years are required by the plants
y to grow and display their delicate flowers, so naturally few flor-
ists are willing to work and wait for a crop of these expensive
{ blooms.
l
J "'My father has been a lover of beautiful flowers all his life}
said Miss Alberts. 'When I was still a small child he built a little
F conservatory at the side of our home. He filled it with the usual
i greenhouse plants. Then one day he bought an orchid or two. The
§ peculiar beauty and delicacy of the orchids fascinated me. In a
{ short time I became eager to understand these elusive beauties more
J intimately and thoroughly. They were so completely different from
' any other plant I had known that I felt they were worth gr enormous
i amount of close and critical study. I read everything I could about
g orchids in greenhouses and in their own home in the tropics. I ques-
6 tioned florists, to find out anything they might happen to know. At
g that time nobody in this country had been successful in growing orchids
i from the seed, so I decided to solve this knotty problem if it were
Q possible. With forty—eight thousand baby orchids under three years
Q old right here in our own back yard, I can safely say I have succeeded
I in solving the matter.'
4
E "Today Miss Alberts is the thoroughly well trained and self-
5 appointed nursery governess to the many thousands of baby orchids
g growing in the back yard greenhouse. Practically all of her wak-
; ing hours are spent tending the tender young plants, which must
by get their start in life on a special cotton. When the tiny seeds
E onen they appear as little green specks on the smooth surface of
· the translucent culture. For a month the painstaking and method-
A ical nurse watches over and handles the glass flask incubator until
P
  (

 7
the minute, slow—growing orchids are old enough to be transplanted
- into other flasks in which a mixing of peat and moss takes the
place of the culture. When the babies are about eighteen months
, old they are transferred to small pots, in which they can take
y care of themselves. This specially prepared culture in which
5 the young plants begin life, is a carefully guarded trade secret.
he The most fascinating part of developing orchids from seed of one's
Q growing, lies in cross-breeding to secure wonderful combinations
of color and shape. Miss Alberts feels that she is painting in
living colors when she is doing this most delicate work. In or-
der to secure exactly what she needs in the way of parent plants
for cross—breeding, hiss Alberts grows, buys, and even imports
exceptionally fine and beautiful orchids. She recently imported .
several gorgeous specimens from England, which cost hundreds of
dollars. They will be reared in her back yard nursery, so that ·
in six or nine years, Kiss Alberts may be able to see what the
)_ cross-breeding gave her in color and in size of bloom.
ily ,, ..   v L ,_ _ .
f Originally hiss Alberts was merely an amateur, greatly in-
terested in orchids because of the pleasure she got in developing
Ln them. Now that shc has a regular market for her plants and blos— F
_ soms in widely scattered cities, she must produce vigorous plants §
> and beautiful flowers for bouquets. The fragile blooms must, of I
course, be packed with the utmost care to reach the retail florist E
in perfect condition. The fully grown and ready·to—bloom plants, §
which are bought for their conservatories, can be shipped long dis- Q
_, tances with safety. Finely colored and extra large blossoms some~ I
gig times sell for ten dollars each, but when a glut on the market oc- S
ours they will drop to about half the price. 'lt is easy to find 1
an absorbing life work in your own home,' Miss Alberts says. 'Or— E
chids under glass in my back yard have given me a business which E
I keeps me constantly alert and in the sunshine.'" E
,
From the History of Kentucky (Biographical Ho. 4); "Miss Al- i
t berts' success has won her a position with the Missouri Botanical $
* Gardens, St. Louis, where she is in charge of the seedling orchid 3
E department. Eeanwhile her brothers, E. W. and G. B. Alberts, con-
hids tinue to grow the plants at the Louisville home."
Quoting from the Christian Science Lonitor of Tebruary l7, 5
ded l927? "Seven years from the seed to the flower is the history of {
orchids grown by hiss Elinor Alberts of Louisville, who has just 3
taken charge of the orchid department at the Iissouri Qotanical i
Gardens, in St. Louis. Patience——a love for growing things, an i
appreciation of beauty and some botanical knowledge, to be sure, 2
but patience above all-—is a primary requirement for the vocation 2
of orchid growing, she says. é
i
"Miss Alberts began her experiments in a greenhouse at home. ’
At first it was with her only a hobby. Soon she branched out into E
business, finding herself unique in her profession here. So suc- 3
cessful was the Kentucky girl that she attracted notice among hor- E
1

 I I- __m». ‘ n;llll___L______n.L..aan A A A e IDD Z
I
I 8
I ticulturists. Orchid seeds first must be germinated under glass,
I she explains. Then they.are potted, being transferred yearly to
I larger containers until usually the seventh, when the plants reach
I their maximum size and begin to bear the prized mauve and lavender
I blossoms. Miss Alberts ships her orchids to nearly all the states
I east of the Rockies."
I
I BIBLIOGRAPHY
I SOURCES
I
I History of Kentucky (Biogranhical Ho. A)
I
I ADDITIONAL
I REP I ‘REI=ICES
I
Louisville Clippings (Orchids)
(Louisville Free Public Library)
I
I A . P. c . _
I * * * * * * * * *
I
I JULIA FRANCES ALLEN
I b. April 14, 1896
I Julia Frances Allen, educator, was born in Barkesville, Kentucky,
I April 14, 1896, the daughter of John Edward and Laura Owsley (Baker)
I Allen; Her early education was obtained in the Kentucky College for
, Women, Lexington, Kentucky, going from grade school through junior
I college from the years 1