Eliza Jean Nelson Penfield papers

Collection

Identifier: MSD-1893-001

Staff Only

Collection Statement

This collection contains writings and letters along with musical compositions. Collection also consists of carbon copies of letters written by Mrs. Penfield, letters from relatives and others, notes, lists of names, photographs, photostats, charts, newspaper clippings, etc. In some cases we have used titles of the original folders; we have given folders titles.

Dates

1796 - 1961

Creator

Penfield, E. Jean Nelson (class of 1893) (Person)

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Usage Restrictions

Biographical Sketch

Born November 4, 1872 and a native of Greencastle, E. Jean Nelson Penfield wrote a significant chapter in DePauw's history when in 1892 during her junior year, she became the first woman to win the national Intercollegiate Oratorical Contest. Her victory, over all-male competition, set off a celebration on the campus which would far surpass today's athletic victory celebrations. Mrs. Penfield went on to become one of the organizers of the Woman's Suffrage Party and a noted New York corporation lawyer. From 1902-1904, Mrs. Penfield was national president of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. In addition to her busy law practice, she had been a free lance and magazine writer, public speaker on social problems and legislative reforms and parliamentarian for several national organizations. Mrs. Jean Nelson Penfield, noted lawyer and lecturer, died February 28, 1961 in an Indianapolis nursing home at the age of 88.