Living our Values Part 2- Our Own Dr. Strowbridge

Female Doctor Wore Pants by Jennifer Conkling [from a newspaper clipping in the UUCC archives]

A female trousers-wearing doctor was an unusual site in the 1800s, especially in Cortland.

Dr. Lydia Hammond Strowbridge was a female physician who was born Nov. 21, 1830 in Freetown to Mr. and Mrs. Silas Hammond... She was married in May of 1851 to John W Strowbridge, a Solon native... They came to Cortland in March of 1853. He enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War and was captain of Company F, 185th regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, when Lee surrendered at Appomattox...

Strowbridge, who before her marriage was an invalid, had begun the study of medicine. When her husband entered the army she decided to continue the study and graduated from the Hygeio Therapeutic Medical College of New York City.

Dr. Strowbridge made a specialty of the diseases of women and children, said Anita Wright of the Cortland County Historical Society...

She was also a member of the Universalist Church, the woman’s Relief Corps and a charter member of the Lincoln Lodge.

Strowbridge was one of the few women to wear a bloomer outfit, she knew that tight corsets and dresses that women wore were unhealthy, so she wore straight-legged bloomers underneath a short skirt, known as a Turkish style of clothing.

Strowbridge was arrested for being involved in an abortion, Wright found in her research. She said the doctor must have gotten out of it somehow because nothing was mentioned in the newspaper and there was no reference to a trial.

Strowbridge died Oct. 4, 1904. After an illness of three years form internal cancer, according to her obituary. She continued to practice after she was sick and she worked up until the time she was forcedto be in bed, it said. 

When we found this article about Dr. Strowbridge, I was curious how active she was in the church, and was delighted to find find her name all through our history of those years.

If you’ve ever had a cup of coffee in our social hall, you have no doubt see the history of the wonderful speakers that came to speak at the Unitarian Universalist church of Cortland. Well it turns out it was Dr. Strowbridge who brought many of those famous women speakers.

From an article on our church history:

“During the 1870s Dr. Lydia Strowbridge, one of the first women physicians to graduate in New York State, moved to Cortland, joined the church, and brought speakers to the church such as Clara Barton, educator and founder of the Red Cross, [born into a Universalist family] Lucretia Mott, quaker leader who was ref used a delegates seat at London’s famous anti-slavery conference as a result of her sex, thereby establishing women’s rights as. Primary goal for reform, and Susan b Anthony, feminist and suffragette.” 

As  I read about Dr. Strowbridge, a picture came into focus of a woman who was very active in many reform causes, and especially the rights of women. I found an article by Tabatha at the history center who says in a Facebook post:

“She was a member of the National Dress Reform Association and served as its president, 1857-1858. In addition to dress reform, Strowbridge was also active in the suffrage movement.”

You can see in the photo above she is pictured wearing the bloomers and skirt promoted by Ameila Bloomer, another local hero, who was also a leader in the Dress Reform movement.

The Homerville Museum found a description of Dr. Strowbridge in the bloomers:

“In 1869 she and seven male speakers took part in the 21st anniversary of the Friends of Human Progress, at Waterloo, New York. Its theme was the failure of our social system as well as our moral and physical lives. A female reporter from New York City described Lydia's appearance as "dark complexioned, about 37 years old, with sharp brown eyes, a pleasant demeanor, clad in a bloomer costume of gray trousers being loose and hanging well, and her skirt descending an inch or two below the knee. The body of her coat fitted lightly…"

A website called Women and the Vote NYS tells us that:

“She brought attention to many social issues, including abolition of enslavement, women's suffrage, the temperance movement and women's dress reform. Dr. Lydia was a speaker at the first New York State women's convention held at Congress Hall in Saratoga Springs. [July 13–14, 1869]”

But she was not just one who brought issues of reform to our congregation, she was a founding member of the Ladies Aid society. Our own History of Ladies' Aide Society tells us that when the Society formed 1883 “the First VP was Mrs. Strowbridge. We find that just 2 years later the society hit a rough patch and the notes from Sept 24 1885 tell us that “A meeting was held at Mrs. Parson’s for the purpose of disbanding. But a few of the faithful ones clung together and the words of encouragement spoken by Dr. Strowbridge kindled the smoldering embers into a flame and the fire ss still burring. The obituary of the Ladies’ Aid was not written”

The notes form 1894 mention that “The pulpit chairs bought in 1895 from money received at Dr. Strowbridge’s supper . This is to be done so that in years to come we will have something in a substantial way as well as pleasant memories to remind us of Dr. Strowbridge and her kind hospitality.”

It seems like she may also have served as congregation president, which was quite unusual as near as I can tell- it seems women mostly had leadership in the Ladies Aid, with men serving on the board [do let me know if you are aware of other exceptions and I’ll update this post]. It says in our congregation history that in 1898 a special was “called to order by president Strowbridge. Dr. Strowbridge asked the pleasure of meeting in regard to extend a call to Rev. Kenyon for another year. Much discussion followed. It was decided it would be impossible to give any advance in salary under the present financial conditions of the church and the Rev. Kenyon tendered his resignation, which was accepted.”

Now this is a special bit coming up here, that reminds us how our history repeats itself. The history continues:

“In 1898 upon the resignation of the Rev. Kenyon, there was a committee appointed to confer with the McLean Church and see if they would unite with Cortland Church and receive part time service with the Cortland Parish. A delegation came over from McLean, liked the sermon and decided to unite with this parish, holding their services in the evening. Later Upper Lisle united with Cortland and our minister held services there on Wednesdays for a number of years." 

Isn’t that wonderful, to hear that back over 125 years ago we teamed up with other congregations and shared a minister?

But Back to Dr. Strowbridge. She was written about in book of “ Biographical Setches of Leading Citizens, Cortland county, NY” published 1898:

“She endears herself to her patients by her sympathetic manner, and the womanly, kindly skill displayed in the treatment of the sick. She makes a specialty of the diseases and ailments of women and children, to which she has give especial study, but is also quite as successful in treating all other kinds of sickness, and has gained a reputation for skill and success that is second to none in the country. She was a member of the Baptist church in her earlier days, but later united with the Universalist Church of Cortland, in which she is an active worker. She is the mother of 3 children, Clarence, Silas H, and John W, Diseased."

Our own church history reports: “In 1904 Dr. Strowbridge died. The loss of such an active member was much felt here and in the Women’s Aid Association as well as the many organizations in which she had worked.” She was burried here in Cortland, and we can still visit her headstone at the Cortland Rural Cemetery [Section S, Lot 40] They note that “there is a historical marker dedicated to her that is in front of the hospital on Homer Avenue in Cortland."

I love this story of our own Dr. Strowbridge. She was a dedicated church leader - hosting dinners, cheering on discouraged volunteers, pitching in for fundraisers. She was a caring parent, and dedicated physician. All  the while working for women's rights, for abolition of slavery and bringing her reformer's passion into our community. What a wonderful story of a life guided by our Universalist Values.

 

Photo from the History Center Blog