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Soldier, Entrepreneur and Pioneer Politician Honored Among New York's Distinguished Women
Monday, March 8, 2004
Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno today announced that three women have been inducted into the New York State Senate�s historic "Women of Distinction" exhibit. Citizen soldier
The three women to be included in the exhibit will join over 40 other women who have been recognized for their outstanding community and professional services and groundbreaking achievements. Each of these women have played a crucial role in New York State's political, social and economic development.
"The outstanding women we are honoring today have made several important contributions to the communities of New York State," said Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. "Their achievements have no doubt blazed a trail for future generations of young women and will greatly add to their legacy as �Women of Distinction�."
The Senate�s "Women of Distinction" program was created in 1998 to honor New York women of outstanding accomplishment and importance. The women honored represent a small sample of the countless women who have enriched the quality of life in the Empire State and beyond. Past honorees include 19th Century suffragists and women accomplished in the sciences, academics, business and the arts. This year�s inductees include:
Margaret Cochran Corbin
"The first American woman to take a soldier�s part in the War for Liberty." So reads the bronze plaque commemorating Margaret Chochran Corbin in Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan. When her husband joined the Army, Margaret Corbin became a "camp follower" and she fought alongside him as a "half-soldier" in the American Revolutionary War. In 1776, Fort Washington, New York (now Fort Tryon Park) was attacked and her husband was killed. Without missing a beat, Margaret continued loading and firing the cannon by herself until she herself was seriously wounded. She never recovered fully from her injuries and was left without use of her left arm for the rest of her life. The Continental Congress granted her a pension ("half the pay and allowances of a soldier in service") due to her distinguished bravery. Corbin was also the first woman to receive a military pension from the United States government.
For the next 20 years until her death in 1800, "Capt. Molly" (not to be confused with Molly Pitcher) lived in the West Point area. In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution had her remains re-interred with full military honors at the cemetery of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she remains the only woman buried in West Point.
In the wake of the 1976 Bicentennial, Corbin�s story resurfaced and Fort Tryon Park�s plaza and drive were renamed for her. Subsequently, local schools developed a curriculum about Corbin, and a plaque honoring the heroine was placed at 190th Street & Fort Washington Avenue, Manhattan. She is also commemorated by several bronze plaques within Fort Tryon Park and a bronze statue at West Point.
"Margaret Cochran Corbin was one of those extraordinary women whose spirit, strength and commitment to defend our nation and its principles makes her one of the most courageous women of her time," said Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson). "She fought side-by-side with men in a time in history when women had no military standing. She fulfilled the ultimate duty of citizenship -- the willingness to make the supreme sacrifice for her country. I am proud that Margaret Cochran Corbin is an integral part of the rich history of the Hudson Valley and the United States Military Academy at West Point. She is one of the most important predecessors of the American female soldier of today, and the value of her contribution should be justly recognized."
Martha Matilda Harper
A Rochester-based entrepreneur extraordinaire, Martha Matilda Harper created modern retail franchising. Her groundbreaking business methods were a dynamic innovation that changed thousands of women�s lives. Today, franchising is the major vehicle by which women become business owners in America.
After years of low-paying domestic service, Harper struck out on her own at age 38, and opened the area�s first public hair salon. The demand for her products and services grew so quickly that she launched a new business model to meet demand, and by the 1920s, there were 500 franchised Harper shops worldwide. Harper Shops offered countless low and middle-income women economic security.
Martha Harper is credited with other groundbreaking employment practices including paid personal time off, flexible financing and profit sharing. Harper was also a marketing innovator long before the phrase "customer service" came to be. Harper Shops offered evening hours and childcare for working women. She invented the reclining shampoo chair that is used the world over today, as well as produced her own natural hair and skin care products which she tested on her own floor length tresses. Harper customers included royalty, prime ministers, presidents, social reformers, as well as working class men and women.
Recognized by her peers as a successful businesswoman, Martha Matilda Harper was the first woman member of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Today, she is acknowledged as a model for such beauty industry women entrepreneurs as Estee Lauder, Mme. C.J. Walker, and Elizabeth Arden. For her contributions to the development of American entrepreneurship, Harper was inducted into the National Women�s Hall of Fame.
"It is important to honor the many distinguished women who have greatly enriched our communities," stated Senator Joseph E. Robach (R, Rochester). "Some of our past recipients have made exceptional contributions to health care, education and neighborhood revitalization as well as overall volunteerism which have dramatically improved the quality of life for New York�s residents."
Rhoda Fox Graves
A Republican from St. Lawrence County, Rhoda Fox Graves was the first woman to be elected to both houses of New York State Government. Born in Fowler, Graves was a school teacher in Gouverneur who later owned and operated a farm before turning pioneer politician. In her first campaign for a seat in the Assembly, her opponent in the primary reportedly boasted that "Anybody can beat a woman." Her subsequent victory was viewed as a triumph for women's rights, particularly because St. Lawrence County was one of the last in the state to accept women's suffrage. Graves served in the NYS Assembly from 1924 - 1932.
Women have been serving in the New York State Assembly since 1919-- one year before passage of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing a woman�s right to vote-- but Graves was the first woman elected to the NYS Senate, serving from 1934 to 1948. Graves achieved a litany of other New York "firsts": she was the first woman to preside in the State Senate, the first woman to head a State Senate Standing Committee (Agriculture), the first woman to be elected from a northern county to the Legislature and the first woman to become VP of the St. Lawrence County Republican Committee.
As a State Legislator, Graves was a staunch advocate for dairymen�s interests and worked tirelessly for the introduction of women jurors. She also sponsored the junior operator license law and a provision to clear snow from state highways. She sought development of the St. Lawrence Seaway & Power Project, and secured passage of four bills regarding an international bridge between Canada and the United States. Initially shunned as an intruder in a man�s world, Graves eventually won the support and the respect of her colleagues.
"As an educator, farmer and politician, Rhoda Fox Graves served the North Country well," said Senator James Wright (R-C-I, Watertown). "She broke ground by becoming the first woman elected to both houses of the New York State Legislature. While serving the people of St. Lawrence County, Ms. Graves championed legislation that still has a positive impact on our region and state. Ms. Graves is a role model for men and women alike for her unwavering dedication to the people of this state."
Click here to view Senator Bruno's "Women of Distinction" online exhibit.
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