Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-09-02


Iowa.
DIS MorSEs, Iowa, July 2Sd.
Iowa is somewhat in advance OF her
sister States in the measure of civil, and
may say political rights conferred upon
woman. Whether married or single, she
has all the civil rights of her husband.
She can transact business, make con.
tracts. sue and be sued. aud convey prop
erty independent of her husbands debts.
She may even sue her own husband.
There being no statute to the contrary,
she may hold any elective office. Indeed,
one case has arisen in the courts rs 10 her
right to hold an elective office, which was
decided in her favor.
She has not yet been granted the ballot
although the question has twice been be
fore the Legislature, and once passed the
Lower House in her favor. but was de.
feated In the Senate.
Thus, the way being opened, we find
large amount OF business being transacted
ly women. They fill the pulpit, practice
before the courts, and also become physi-
Clans. There are now in this city three
who are physicians. OF those most wide
IL known in the State. and, may add,
the country at large, is Mrs. Ellen ;.
Upper, the bee culturist. As several
articles have been floating about the pa
pers in regard to her, which are incorrect,
/ will give a short sketch OF her, which
may be accepted as true, and which feel
sure will be read with interest, as the
record Of truly remarkable woman.
Mrs. Upper was born in Providence,
K. l., in 1922. She was a daughter Of
Noah Smith, afterwards prominent poll
tician in Maine, and TOR Is years First
Assistant Secretary of the United States
Senate. Her mother was a sister OF
Henry Wheaton. author of the we'll
known treatise on International law.
Mrs. Upper was educated at Proyi'
deuce. having all advantages that wealth
could give; and, with that practical turn
OF mind characteristic of her, she studied
many subjects not usually taught then to
girls. but which have since been benehc.
ial to her. She made use of her oPPor-
iunities. Tor at the age of IL she wrote AN
essay TO compete for prize offered by
leading and popular magazine. and won
1t over many competitors. The motto
which aCtuated her then has been her
beacon through lite. ITO win success"
In lS4S she married Mr.. Allen Upper.
q successful lumber merchant at Houltou.
Maine. her father having already removed
there and engaged ia the lumber bust
ness. There she resided ten years, enjoy
ing all The luxury that wealth could give,
when her husband removed to Newton.
Massachusetts, where her health failed
and she became confirmed invalid. Her
physicians pronounced her heart diseased,
and her stay on earth very short. Think
ing change Of climate might be bene'
fetal, the family came 70 Iowa. 10 1851.
locating at Brighton. WashiIgtoaCoun-
", she so feeble rs to be unable TO leave
her bed. The fresh and invigotating air
OF her new location soon revived her
wasted energies. and she regained her
health. Her husband IN the meantime
had invested his money in tract Of tim
Der land and steam sawmills. His health
soon failed, and being unable TO attend 10
bis business, his wealth melted away like
dew before the sun. and poverty and
bankruptcy came upon them. Thrown
thus upon her own resources. Mrs. Tup-
per sought some way Of relief. She had
never done 4 moments manual labor.
Necessity stared her in the face, and sew.
eral small children. one a babe. rang
their demands in her ears. She engaged
as a teacher of school miles distant,
at $50 month, and with her babe in her
arms she, on horseback, daily went 10
her task, attending 70 the household duties
when on. Of school. After the close OF
the school, she established school in her
own house she loves little children. and
soon she had house iull OF pupils. Thus
she managed 10 support her family until
1851 when she turned her attention to
bees. She purchased two colonies, and
began to work with them, meanwhile
reading everything which she could find
relating TO bee culture; but she soon
learned that the theory and practice were
two quite opposite matters. Her two
colonies increased rapidly. She bought
improved hives as fast as she could afford
them. She soon after became interested
in Italian bees, and procured few. She
then began 10 write about bees. giving
the result of her practical knowledge.
Her first article was published in the
Burlington lIawkey. she receiving pay
therefor. 10 1865, she wrote an essay on
bees for the United States Agricultural
Report, which was pronounced by good
Judges TO be the best essay ever published
by The Department, and Washington
paper said of it: Though written by
woman, it is a model for efforts OF that
kind" She knew what she wrote about.
and told it-nOt one waste word in six.
teen pages. Her reputation soon began
~ be established; she was sought out by
various journals. and she now writes
regularly for the National Agriculturist