Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-11
MISS DORA KEEN WEDS
EXPLORER WHO CLIMBS
MOUNTAINS WITH HER
George William Handy, Explorer,
Guided Bride to Mt. Black
burns Peak at First Meet
ing Four Years Ago
COMING HERE THIS FALL

Miss Dora Keen, most adventurous of
women explorers and mountain climbers,
daughter of DR.. w. w. Keen noted sur
geon, was married last Saturday to George
william Handy. guide and explorer who
accompanied her to the peak of Mount
Blackburn the 16,O0O-foot glacier-covered
mountain of Alaska, four years ago. The
wedding was in Mccarthy. Alaska, within
n few miles of Mount Blackburn, whose
heights Miss Keen and Mr. Handy were
the first and the last persons to climb.
Doctor Keen made the announcement OF
the wedding yesterday. lie was unable to
give details. The romance. however. Is
indicated in some of Miss Keen's writings,
where she tells of the perilous ascents or
Mount Blackburn and subsequent journeys
with Handy in the wilds of Alaska Their
honeymoon will be another trip into the
fastenesses of mountains ana across
glaciers of that country.
Mr. and Mrs. Handy will come to Phila-
delphia this fall for short visit, Doctor
Keen announced. They will return to
Alaska to make their homo there.
"a GERMAN FROM CoRDovA."
Miss Keen first became acquainted with
Mr. Handy when he offered himself as
member of her party about TO make the
ascent of Munt Blackburn. She went to
Cordova, Alaska, In April, 19l2, to make
her second attempt her first having failed
because of the refusal of guide to COM
plete the climb witlt~her.
with some mistrust of my own judg-
ment." Miss Keen later wrote of this ex-
pedition with Handy. 81 had brought
German from Cordova. G.. w. Handy. to
be one of my expedition. He had been
recommended as n good man and good
climber and had prospected near another
side of Mount Blackburn i might rate
him with the least, he said, and he would
try to be the best man."
In this description and narrative by Miss
Keen Handy's name appears frequently.
1t is remarkable story of adventure, tell.
Ing how one woman, alone with six men,
started up the glacier-rdden sides Of the
almost perpendicular mountain; of how five
of the men, when the topmost peak was
nearly reached. deserted and of how Handy
chose to remain with her to the highest
pinnacle.
I'VE succeeded" she wrote of Handy,
because one man cared to succeed" And
much of the credit for the success of the
adventure she gives to the man now her
husband.
ALASKA MINING MAN.
Mr.. Handy is mining man we'll known
throughout Alaska He is the son of a
German army officer, a graduate of ,
German technical school, He has been in
the German army service in Southwest Az
rica and has been in the mining business In
South America, Mexico, California and
Alaska For a time he was cowboy in
Texas. The last 10 years of fis life have
been spent in Alaska, where he has takenl
out naturalization papers
Miss Keen was born in Philadelphia in
1871 She was educated in Miss Cases
and Miss Hallowells private schools and
graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1896
Later she became president of the Bryn
Mawr Alumnae Association for one term
For a time she directed the Philadelphia
School for Backward Children, which she
had organized.
Before her explorations In Alaska. Mrs
Handy climbed the Alps. making several
ascents of the Matterhorn. She has made
nine trips to Europe. been In Asia, Africa
and South America. Once she crossed
Paraguay on horseback.
Mrs. Mandy is one of the five women
members of the American Alpine Club; be-
longs to the Appalachian Mountain Club,
the Civil Service Reform Association of
Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Conserva-
tion Association, the National Geographical
Society the American Forestry Association
and several other civic and educational as
Boclations. She speaks French, German,
italian and Spanish.