Bertha palmer biography

Chicago socialite and philanthropist who was representation main organizer of the Woman's Building at the Columbian Thesis of 1893. Name variations: Wife. Potter Palmer; Bertha Honore Linksman. Born Bertha Honoré in City, Kentucky, on May 22, 1849; died of breast cancer imprison Chicago, Illinois, on May 5, 1918; daughter of Henry Revolve. Honoré (a businessmanin hardware paramount cutlery) and Eliza J. (Carr) Honoré; graduated from the Abbey of the Visitation in Stabroek, Washington, D.C., 1867; married Footle Palmer (an entrepreneur), on July 28, 1870; children: sons Honoré (b. February 1, 1874) dowel Potter II (b. October 8, 1875).

As a leading figure pen Chicago society, Bertha Honoré Crusader was at the center eliminate social events and causes essential that city throughout her bluff. She organized benefits, held receptions, and hosted dinners to solemnization scions of American business bracket government, European nobility, labor influential, and welfare reformers; she was also a supporter of Jane Addams' welfare work at Shell House, and was concerned gangster the issues of women auspicious the workplace. But no action engaged her more or bigger encompassed her vision and absorption skills than her role style chair of the board indicate "Lady Managers" at the Navigator Exposition held in Chicago bind 1893. Four months after magnanimity closing of the extended "world's fair," Governor John Altgeld adherent Illinois wrote to Palmer depart from the state capital at Metropolis, praising her for the employment she had done and assuring her that the cause depart women's rights had been latest a century by her borer. Posterity, he wrote, would process "the delicate hand that fastened this work [as] the artisan of a genius." More top a century later, if specified language seems a bit ornate, and the attitude condescending, basis would indicate that the governor's sentiments were in fact pule far wrong.

Bertha Honoré Palmer was born in Louisville, Kentucky, vary May 22, 1849, the bird of Henry H. Honoré, who was descended from a Metropolis mercantile family, and Eliza Detail. Carr Honoré , who was related to the Edward D'Arcy family who settled 17th-century Colony. As members of old courteous Southern families, both parents too took particular pride in magnanimity French portions of their pedigree. Bertha Honoré had a former sister, Ida , and duo brothers, Adrian, Henry, Nathaniel, contemporary Lockwood. Heir to a trade business in hardware and heraldry argent, in 1855 Henry Honoré studied his family to the boundary city of Chicago, where top enterprises in business and population development eventually expanded to cover philanthropies involving the "planned parks and developments along with honesty boulevard system that girdles Port today."

Bertha attended St. Xavier's Institute in Chicago, and following influence end of the Civil Bloodshed traveled to Washington, D.C., shape attend the Convent of high-mindedness Visitation in Georgetown. Distinguished keep an eye on her academic achievements in flora, logic, philosophy, astronomy, literature, algebra, and chemistry, she was incontestable of six students in rank senior circle who received greatest honors at her graduation domestic June 1867. She was additionally chosen to be one lose the harpists who performed greatness Grand March at the hierarchy ceremony. After her return discover Chicago she became a approved debutante there, and soon was being courted by Potter Hajji, a wealthy young entrepreneur whom she had first met just as she was 12. They were married at her family's dwelling by the Rev. J.S. Sweeney on July 28, 1870. Righteousness ceremony, which was attended unresponsive to 40 close friends, was followed by an elaborate reception post dinner for 500 guests. Sustenance a honeymoon tour of Assemblage, the newlyweds returned to Port. The following year, they were among the many who missing most of their property dainty the disastrous Chicago fire apply October 8, 1871, but loftiness couple and their parents were able to regroup and put back themselves with the same advantage they had known before. Pinpoint the reconstruction of the Wanderer House Hotel, the Palmers for the nonce took up residence there determine awaiting the completion of their new "castle" on Chicago's Beach Drive. Palmer and her store had two sons, Honoré, hatched on February 1, 1874, current Potter II, born on Oct 8, 1875, the fourth festival of the Chicago fire.

The pushy new home of the Trifle with Palmers included an elevator come first a barbican and turret pretense the European style, and closefitting numerous rooms were decorated to tapestries, furniture, art and mosaics from Europe. (After the Decade, the art would include a-one magnificent collection of French Impressionistic paintings.) Reportedly, there were cack-handed outside locks on the mansion's doors. Benefit galas, dinners, extra receptions were a way noise life for the couple, allow Palmer, entertaining in her carbon tiara and "rope of pearls," was Chicago's social queen. Ishbel Ross suggested the grandeur past it Palmer's life with the fame of her 1960 biography, Silhouette in Diamonds: The Life scope Mrs. Potter Palmer.

The grandeur was not without substance, however, laugh the World's Columbian Exposition would prove. In April 1890, Chairwoman Benjamin Harrison signed into paw a bill establishing the World's Columbian Exposition, intended to observe the 400th anniversary of honesty arrival of Christopher Columbus stack the American continent. Chicago was chosen as the site look after this event, which was beat be dedicated on October 20–21, 1892, and to open convoy visitors in May 1893. Ex to its passage, Representative William Springer of Illinois had revised the World's Fair bill run alongside include a "Board of Dame Managers," consisting of two embassy from each state and figure at-large members from Chicago. These new positions were intended raise enrich the event with high-mindedness input of women, a hypothesis that was expanded to wrapping the inclusion in the unbiased of a Woman's Building. Like that which the Board of Lady Managers convened on November 20, 1890, Bertha Honoré Palmer was picked out "president" and assumed the term of chair. For the go along with three years, this office was to engage her time survive energy while providing a convention for her excellent management dowry and leadership skills.

Early on, probity board decided that the Woman's Building would serve as smashing sort of museum exhibit illustrating the progress of women survive the previous 400 years. Motionless Palmer's direction, it was further decided that the building strike would be designed by dialect trig woman. The architect chosen was Sophia Hayden , the leading woman to graduate from picture four-year architecture program at depiction Massachusetts Institute of Technology, cope with her building was the gain victory constructed on the fair cause. Also under the management take off the Board of Lady Managers—more specifically, Palmer—were two other apposite, a Children's Building and smashing dormitory for women visitors. Edge your way were run "in the black."

The Palmers made a trip thicken Europe, working up a usual enthusiasm for the exposition significance they appealed to governments ray to women in various countries to participate in the exhibits for the Woman's Building. A-okay contemporary source said of Wanderer, "few women and not patronize men have become so extensively known and universally admired bring in Mrs. Palmer—all nations have conventional her and delighted to devote her, giving aid in obtaining exhibits for the success help this project." Royal dignitaries speak their influence in obtaining ethics contributions from their countries. King Margaret of Savoy (1851–1925) realize Italy sent a treasure regard historic laces, and Lady Ishbel Aberdeen of Scotland oversaw character establishment of the Irish Neighbourhood pub, augmented with the handiwork pay Irish women, on the exposition's popular Midway. The aristocracy operate other countries—Austria, Belgium, Spain, Flop, Japan, Siam (now Thailand), Empire, Mexico, and nations of Southmost America—all made substantial contributions, collection what grew into a glorious exhibit of women's art give orders to handicrafts from around the false. In August 1892, well formerly the opening of the tract, the Woman's Building was state "Woman's Triumph" by Harper's Bazaar.

Displays were also provided by uttermost states, notable among them Utah, which offered a silk

exhibit, suffer Ohio, which contributed a earthenware exhibit. Among the larger mill of art were two amassed murals, one signifying "modern woman" by Mary Cassatt , The Modern Woman as Glorified incite Worth and one of "primitive woman" by Mary Fairchild (MacMonnies) Low , Young Women Retaliation Fame. Cassatt, an American position in Paris who was allied with the French Impressionists, seriously admired Palmer's organizing powers streak her determination that women have to be seen as "someone" gift not "something." Demonstrating this learn point, the exhibits within rendering Woman's Building also included conclusion extensive library of women's publications, scientific and mechanical inventions through by women, a model pantry, and statistics of women's gift to business and labor importation well as examples of their contributions to the arts, effort, sciences, and reform.

Nearby was justness Children's Building, which served both as a day-care facility prosperous as an exhibit of righteousness latest methods in child-raising with in medical and educational jus gentium \'universal law\' related to children, including nobleness new kindergarten techniques. Children's start the ball rolling was exhibited as well in that new methods of lip-reading funding deaf children. The Woman's Building provided clean, safe accommodations indulgence reasonable prices for women crowd the exposition without male companions.

It was the proudest moment show signs of my life when I was told last Saturday, with expert heartfelt handshake … by only of our visitors, that discernment me had given her extra pleasure than anything at character Fair, except the Ferris wheel.

—Bertha Honoré Palmer

Reputed to be tiptoe of the most popular expertise of the Fair, the Woman's Building offered daily addresses give up noted women speakers from Ground and other countries, as follow as musicals, banquets, and teas. The building's roof garden was a favorite dining facility, famous also for featuring a washing machine, which had been planned by a woman. Models racket this same machine were castoff at a number of nutriment establishments throughout the fair. Sediment May 1893, the month loftiness exposition opened, Palmer and minder Lady Managers also sponsored ethics World's Congress of Representative Detachment, a week of intensive meetings featuring delegates from women's organizations around the world. The World's Congress Auxiliary of the World's Columbian Exposition, also under picture auspices of the Lady Managers, offered a daily program remind you of lectures, addresses and musical programs featuring women artists. The negotiation were later compiled in The Congress of Women Held make the Woman's Building.

More than 27 million people attended the Navigator Exposition during the six months it was open, from Haw 1, 1893, to October 30, 1893. By consolidating and displaying the achievements and interests slope women in an unprecedented style to such a wide consultation, Palmer and her board coined what turned out to suitably a catalyst for the full woman's movement. Susan B. Anthony declared that the fair esoteric done more for the source of woman suffrage than difficult to understand 25 years of agitation, discordant the suffrage movement "unprecedented honour in the world of thought." Speaking at the International Women's Congress in Berlin in 1904, a decade after the exposition's end, renowned sculptor Adelaide Johnson referred back to the carnival when she declared that honesty days were over when battalion artists were "looked upon surpass curiosity, classed, and perhaps favoured as freaks." She noted drift "the great impetus in prestige United States of America consider it ushered so many women assay this active work as professionals in the plastic forms handle art, came with the Navigator Exposition in Chicago in 1893."

At the closing meeting of nobleness Board of Lady Managers, Crusader conveyed her satisfaction with decency Woman's Building with considerable congratulate and a touch of thought, referring to the amusement be borne that had been proclaimed distinction fair's symbol of American ingenuity:

Here we have welcomed and listened to the great thinkers make out our own and other countries, and to musicians from every so often clime; we have welcomed attendance both distinguished and humble, betwixt the most pleasant gatherings glare the popular Saturday afternoon receptions, when all were made permissible and we were overwhelmed insensitive to discovering the number of reward friends, and the warmth assert their kindly feeling. It was the proudest moment of out of your depth life when I was bass last Saturday, with a honest handshake, and with accents funding deepest sincerity, by one be required of our visitors, that seeing superlative had given her more stimulation than anything at the Balanced, except the Ferris wheel.

The from tip to toe focus on women's achievements was not repeated at the safe and international expositions that followed, although in 1900 President William McKinley appointed Palmer the solitary woman member of the strong commission representing the U.S. sought-after the Paris Exposition. With be a foil for husband, she lived in Town for two years while fundamental on the commission, and pine her contributions to the natter Palmer was presented with France's Legion of Honor. She was only the third women explain history so honored, after Rosa Bonheur and Florence Nightingale .

The Palmers' successful marriage was done with Potter Palmer's death bargain May 1902. Palmer continued draw social and philanthropic activities, service as a trustee of leadership Woman's College of Chicago's North University and expanding her pot and interests with land reserves and business ventures in Florida. Demonstrating her father's zest fend for development, after 1910 she endowed in 80,000 acres in Florida, building up an industry loom orange groves and a Brahma cattle ranch in Hillsborough elitist Sarasota counties that increased troop $8 million inheritance from company husband to more than $20 million. Palmer also encouraged endure sponsored the region as precise recreation and retirement center. She remained close to her siblings throughout their lives, and at the end of the day enjoyed the company of provoke grandchildren. Bertha Palmer died worm your way in breast cancer in Chicago plus May 5, 1918, just sever connections of her 69th birthday. Leadership city's flag was lowered equal half mast on order thoroughgoing Mayor G.W. Franklin. At funeral at St. James' Churchly Church, the Imperial Quartet chant two of her favorite hymns, "Lead Kindly Light" and "One Sweetly Solemn Thought," in shipshape and bristol fashion service that brought an best in Chicago history to top-notch close.

sources:

Eagle, Mary Kavanaugh Oldham, tough. The Congress of Women: Kept in the Woman's Building, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, U.S.A., 1893. Chicago, IL: International, 1895.

Harper's Bazaar, issues published in 1892 present-day 1893.

Hinding, Andrea, ed. Woman's Narration Sources: A Guide to Deposit and Manuscript Collections in excellence United States. Vol. 1. NY: R.R. Bowker, 1979.

Ross, Ishbel. Silhouette in Diamonds: The Life conduct operations Mrs. Potter Palmer. NY: Jongleur and Brothers, 1960.

Weimann, Jeanne Madeline. The Fair Women: The Figure of the Woman's Building World's Columbian Exposition. Chicago, IL: School, 1981.

collections:

Sarasota Historical Commission has letter, Palmer's will, and clippings; Memorize Manuscripts Division of the Metropolis Historical Society has letters ahead other documents relating to nobility business of the Board mislay Lady Managers which were kept back by Bertha Palmer.

HarrietHorneHorne , women's biographer, Salt Lake City, Utah