FACT #10:
Women in Business
Brockville, Ontario woman judges dairy products at the World’s Columbian
Exposition in 1893.
Eliza Jones was a prominent dairywoman from Brockville,
Ontario. She was the author of a best-selling book Dairying for Profit: Or the Poor Man's
Cow dedicated "To the farmer's wives of America and to my sisters in toil."
Eliza's herd of purebred Jersey cows won international fame with the herd's butter selling
for record prices in New York. Her agriculture production success stemmed from her three
business principles - quality, cleanliness and bookkeeping.
Sources: Article in Family Herald No 2, Jan.
25, 1968 by Ruth McKenzie and article in The Recorder and Times Nov. 29, 1997 by Myrtle
Johnston
 Learning Extension
FACT #9: Women in Business
Watertown native, Rita Frattali Mackey, was
President and Chief Executive Officer of Marine Midland Bank of Northern New York before
her retirement in 1980.
Mackey was named Woman Banker of the Year by Finance
Magazine in 1974 and was honored at ceremonies in New York City. She was also a Ladies
Home Journal nominee for a Woman of the Year Award. Rita Frattali Mackey is a 1936
graduate of Watertown High School and a graduate of the American Institute of Banking. She
served 17 years on the Flower Memorial Library Board and 15 years on the Northern New York
Community Foundation Board.
Sources:
-Personal Interview with Mrs. Rita Frattali Mackey on January 10th, 2005.
-Watertown City School District: Distinguished Alumni Wall of Achievement
-Watertown Daily Times March 19,1989, Tracing Watertown Italians by: Frank P. Augustine
Learning Extension
FACT #8: Women in Arts & Entertainment
Esther Deer, also called “Princess White Deer,” was a famous stage actress and
dancer who came from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, located north of Massena,
NY.
 “Princess White Deer” was titled the first American Indian to gain
fame as a dancer. She traveled around the world in Texas Jack’s Wild West Show and
then broke away with her family, called the Deer Family Troupe, with their own western
show. Esther Deer eventually became a solo act and gained most of her fame from the
Florenz Ziefeld shows, where she performed and danced crossing over from Wild West to
vaudeville.
Sources: Exhibit narrative description from Kahnawake’s Cultural Center.
Newspaper clippings from Akwesasne Museum/Cultural Center collection (March 1920 Vanity
Fair, NY Tribune.)
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FACT #7: Women in Arts & Entertainment
Sackets Harbor woman rises to fame as the NY City Opera mezzo-soprano.
Frances Lillian Bible. Her career in opera spanned four
decades with leading roles in the United States, Canada and European opera houses. She
began her singing career in North Country NY church choirs, and graduated from the
Juilliard School of Music, making her New York City Opera debut in 1948. Following her
career performing, she became artist-in-residence at Rice University, Texas. She was the
only singer in New York City Opera history to receive an award commemorating her artistic
contribution to the company.
Source: Watertown Daily Times articles Jan.
29, 2001 and Feb. 1, 2001
Learning Extension
FACT #6: Women in Science
Mary Edwards Walker, from Oswego, NY, was the second
woman nationally to receive a medical degree in 1855.
Walker also received the Congressional Medal of Honor
from President Andrew Johnson in 1865 for her service and dedication throughout the Civil
War. She is only the woman to ever receive this military honor. In 2000, Mary Edwards
Walker was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame at Seneca Falls, NY.
Source: Women
In History
Learning Extension
FACT #5: Women in Science
1000 Island Salad Dressing is born!
Sophia LaLonde, from Clayton, NY, created the recipe
for 1000 Island Dressing, which May Irwin, a prominent New York City stage actress,
coined the name. Ella Bertrand, who owned the Herald Hotel, now called the Thousand Island
Inn, first introduced the dressing to the public by serving it at her restaurant. George
Boldt, the original owner of Boldt Castle on Heart Island, also had the dressing put on
his menu at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and Bellevue Stratford in
Philadelphia which introduced this popular dressing to the world.
Photo: Courtesy of the Thousand
Island Inn, Clayton, NY.
Learning Extension
FACT #4: Women in War
A resident of Sackets Harbor, New York, became the first female general of the US Army.
 Elizabeth Hoisington, of Sackets Harbor, became the
first female general of the US Army in 1970, three years after Congress authorized the
promotion of women as generals. She said: "All our women are standing taller
today." Hoisington served in the Women's Army Corps (WACs) as their executive officer
in Europe at the close of World War II. She retired as a highly decorated Brigadier
General in 1971. At one point during her career, she and her brother were the only brother
& sister generals in the US Army.
Source: “Images of America: Sackets
Harbor” By: Arcadia Press. Photo courtesty of Robert & Jeannie Brennan,
Sackets Harbor, New York.
Learning Extension
FACT #3: Women in War
School teacher Elizabeth Barnett saves Gananoque from an invasion in 1838.
1838 was a turbulent time along the border, with fear
that MacKenzie's rebels would invade Upper Canada. A secret plan was crafted. A
surprise attack on Gananoque was set. At that time, Elizabeth was a young school teacher,
born in the U.S., but living and teaching in Gananoque. While visiting the U.S. one
February evening, she overheard the plan to invade her adopted country and take control of
Gananoque and Fort Henry in Kingston. The next morning, Elizabeth rushed into
action. She traveled by horse & cutter to the River, crossing ten miles of frozen St.
Lawrence, and warned unsuspecting Gananoque citizens. A defense was
established and when the rebels learned their surprise attack had been thwarted, their
plan quickly dissolved.
Source: "Yesterday’s
News: Today’s History," by Ina G. Scott, published by 1000 Islands Publishers
Ltd. Gananoque, Ontario
Learning Extension
FACT #2: Women in Politics
The elected mayor of Sackets Harbor in 1917 was the first woman mayor in New York
State.
Anna MacQuaid Mason. Newspaper articles stated: “Mrs.
Mason is capable in every way, fully knows the needs of the Village, and no doubt will
give more time and attention to that town than any President has given for many
years.” As the mayor, she also performed the duties of the Police Chief.
Source: Watertown Daily Times
April 14, 1956 and March 28, 1999
Learning Extension
FACT #1: Women in Politics
A female Watertown native served two decades in the Department of State, and earned a
reputation as an expert of U.S. and German affairs.
Eleanor Lansing Dulles. One of her greatest
accomplishments was the organization of the “Berlin Desk.” Eleanor died in
November of 1996 at the age of 101.
Source: Chances of a Lifetime: A
Memoir By: Eleanor Lansing Dulles
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requisites of the judging standards were literary quality and influence in shaping public
thought of their own and succeeding generations.”