Minutes of the Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1853-1856

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/14/2025, 5:24:52 AM

Added description

Description

Minutes of the Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1853‑1856

Overview

This collection consists of the official minutes of faculty meetings at the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, covering the years 1853 to 1856. The materials are presented as a series of scanned pages (mostly TIFF and JPEG images) and a digital record (JSON) that links the images to specific meetings, committees, and individuals. The documents are in English and are in the public domain.

Background

The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, was one of the first institutions to train women in medicine. The minutes were recorded by the faculty and reflect the administrative, academic, and ceremonial activities of the college during its early years. Key figures include Dean David J. Johnson (1853‑1856), President Charles D. Cleveland (1854), and professors such as Ellwood Harvey, Ann Preston, Edwin Russell, Mark G. Kerr, and Martha H. Mowry. The minutes also document the establishment of standing committees (Dispensary, Museum, Scholarship Agents) and the sale of scholarship certificates.

Contents

The collection contains 48 numbered meetings (No. 31 – No. 48) with dates ranging from April 6, 1854 to January 8, 1856. Each meeting record includes:
  • Attendance and roles of faculty members.
  • Resolutions on curriculum, lecture schedules, and departmental responsibilities.
  • Decisions on scholarships, fundraising, and donation agents.
  • Announcements of graduations, commencements, and faculty appointments.
  • Minutes of special events such as the third annual commencement (February 25, 1854) and the death of Dean Johnson (December 29, 1854).

The digital file also references related documents such as the “Third Annual Commencement” program, “Fifth” and “Sixth” annual announcements, and a “Certificate of Scholarship” brochure.

Scope

The archive covers the administrative history of the college’s faculty from 1853 to 1856, focusing on internal governance, academic programming, and financial matters. It includes only faculty minutes and related administrative documents; it does not contain student records, external correspondence, or broader institutional histories. The materials are relevant to scholars of women’s medical education, 19th‑century higher education, and Philadelphia’s medical community.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

**College & Core Entities**

@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {full_name: "Female Medical College of Pennsylvania", location: @philadelphia}

/* Faculty (selected key members) */

@david_j_johnson:person {full_name: "David J. Johnson, M.D.", role: "Dean (1853‑1856)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@charles_d_cleveland:person {full_name: "Charles D. Cleveland, M.D.", role: "President of the College (1854)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@ellwood_harvey:person {full_name: "Ellwood Harvey, M.D.", roles: ["Professor of Chemistry & Toxicology","Professor of Surgery","Professor of Obstetrics & Diseases of Women & Children"], affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@ann_preston:person {full_name: "Ann Preston, M.D.", role: "Professor of Physiology & Medical Institutes", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@edwin_russell:person {full_name: "Edwin Russell, M.D.", role: "Professor of Anatomy", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@mark_g_kerr:person {full_name: "Mark G. Kerr, M.D.", roles: ["Professor of Materia Medica & General Therapy","Professor of Chemistry (Valedictory)"], affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@martha_h_mowry:person {full_name: "Martha H. Mowry, M.D.", role: "Professor of Obstetrics & Diseases of Women and Children", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@almira_l_fowler:person {full_name: "Almira L. Fowler, M.D.", role: "Demonstrator of Anatomy and Chemistry (1854‑1855)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@dr_fussell:person {full_name: "Dr. Fussell", role: "Faculty member (various committees)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@kerry_g_thomas:person {full_name: "Kerry G. Thomas, M.D.", role: "Faculty member (Committee chair)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@clinton_gillingham:person {full_name: "Clinton Gillingham", role: "Lecturer on Chemistry (1855‑1856)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@rebecca_johnson:person {full_name: "Rebecca Johnson", role: "Widow of David J. Johnson", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@almina_l_fowler:person {full_name: "Almina L. Fowler, M.D.", role: "Demonstrator (resigned 1854)", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

/* Graduates (Third Annual Commencement, 1854) */

@elizabeth_h_bates:person {full_name: "Elizabeth H. Bates", residence: "Morris, Otsego Co., N.Y.", thesis: "Best Means of preserving Health"}
@lucinda_r_brown:person {full_name: "Lucinda R. Brown", residence: "Galveston, Texas", thesis: "Digestion"}
@minna_elliger:person {full_name: "Minna Elliger", residence: "Allentown, Lehigh Co., Pa.", thesis: "History of Chemistry"}
@elizabeth_g_shattuck:person {full_name: "Elizabeth G. Shattuck", residence: "Philadelphia, Pa.", thesis: "Iodine"}

/* Places */

@musical_fund_hall:place {city: @philadelphia, type: "lecture hall"}
@museum:place {location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, type: "college museum"}
@dispensary:place {location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, type: "college dispensary"}

/* Documents & Events */

@third_annual_commencement:document {title: "Third Annual Commencement", date: @date_1854_02_25, location: @musical_fund_hall}
@fifth_annual_announcement:document {title: "Fifth Annual Announcement", copies_ordered: 10000, date: @date_1854_04_06}
@sixth_annual_announcement:document {title: "Sixth Annual Announcement", copies_ordered: 10000, date: @date_1855_02_08}
@certificate_of_scholarship:document {title: "Certificate of Scholarship", price: 100, benefit: "tickets to two or more courses of lectures", sale_deadline: @date_1855_08_01, redemption_deadline: @date_1860_01_01}

/* Meetings (Minutes) – each numbered meeting is an event */

@meeting_31_1854:event {date: @date_1854_04_06, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 31)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_32_1854:event {date: @date_1854_09_06, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 32)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_33_1854:event {date: @date_1854_09_20, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 33)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_34_1854:event {date: @date_1854_10_26, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 34)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_35_1854:event {date: @date_1854_11_03, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 35)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_36_1854:event {date: @date_1854_12_18, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 36)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_37_1854:event {date: @date_1854_12_21, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 37)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_38_1854:event {date: @date_1854_12_29, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 38)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_39_1855:event {date: @date_1855_01_02, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 39)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_40_1855:event {date: @date_1855_01_05, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 40)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_41_1855:event {date: @date_1855_01_08, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 41)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_42_1855:event {date: @date_1855_01_09, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 42)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_43_1855:event {date: @date_1855_02_05, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 43)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_44_1855:event {date: @date_1855_02_08, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 44)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_45_1855:event {date: @date_1855_02_12, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 45)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_46_1856:event {date: @date_1856_01_05, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 46)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}
@meeting_47_1856:event {date: @date_1856_01_08, description: "Faculty meeting (No. 47)", location: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

/* Committees (selected) */

@committee_dispensary:organization {members: [@dr_fussell, @kerry_g_thomas, @ellwood_harvey]}
@committee_museum:organization {members: [@dr_fussell, @kerry_g_thomas, @ann_preston]}
@committee_beneficiary_applications:organization {members: [@ellwood_harvey, @david_j_johnson, @dr_fussell]}
@committee_scholarship_agents:organization {members: [@dr_fussell, @ellwood_harvey, @david_j_johnson]}

/* Relationships – Files documenting the above entities */

@file_pinax -> documents -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {description: "Metadata record (1853‑1856) for the college", created: @date_1853, language: "en"}

@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> documents -> @third_annual_commencement:document {source: "OCR text from image", date: @date_1854_02_25}
@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> mentions -> [@elizabeth_h_bates, @lucinda_r_brown, @minna_elliger, @elizabeth_g_shattuck]

@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> mentions -> @charles_d_cleveland:person {role: "President of the College (conferred degrees)"}
@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> mentions -> @rev_dickinson:person {role: "Opened commencement with prayer"}
@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> mentions -> @rev_barzilain:person {role: "Delivered benediction"}

@file_a092_001_062_jpg -> lists -> @faculty:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson, @ellwood_harvey, @ann_preston, @edwin_russell, @mark_g_kerr, @martha_h_mowry]}

@file_a092_001_063_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_31_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_04_06}
@file_a092_001_063_jpg -> mentions -> @almira_l_fowler:person {role: "Demonstrator (resigned)"}
@file_a092_001_063_jpg -> mentions -> @fifth_annual_announcement:document

@file_a092_001_064_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_33_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_09_20}
@file_a092_001_064_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_dispensary
@file_a092_001_064_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_museum
@file_a092_001_064_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_beneficiary_applications

@file_a092_001_065_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_34_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_10_26}
@file_a092_001_065_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_scholarship_agents

@file_a092_001_066_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_35_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_11_03}
@file_a092_001_066_jpg -> mentions -> @certificate_of_scholarship:document {price: 100, sale_deadline: @date_1855_08_01, redemption_deadline: @date_1860_01_01}

@file_a092_001_067_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_36_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_12_18}
@file_a092_001_067_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_scholarship_agents

@file_a092_001_068_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_37_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_12_21}
@file_a092_001_068_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_scholarship_agents

@file_a092_001_069_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_38_1854:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1854_12_29}
@file_a092_001_069_jpg -> mentions -> @david_j_johnson:person {status: "deceased"}

@file_a092_001_070_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_39_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_02}
@file_a092_001_070_jpg -> mentions -> @rebecca_johnson:person {role: "Widow of David J. Johnson"}

@file_a092_001_071_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_40_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_05}
@file_a092_001_071_jpg -> mentions -> @clinton_gillingham:person {role: "Lecturer on Chemistry (appointed)"}
@file_a092_001_071_jpg -> mentions -> @rebecca_johnson:person {provides chemical apparatus}

@file_a092_001_072_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_41_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_08}
@file_a092_001_072_jpg -> mentions -> @ellwood_harvey:person {role: "Elected Dean (Jan 26 1855)"}
@file_a092_001_072_jpg -> mentions -> @kerry_g_thomas:person {role: "Treasurer (Jan 26 1855)"}

@file_a092_001_073_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_42_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_09}
@file_a092_001_073_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_scholarship_agents

@file_a092_001_074_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_43_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_08}
@file_a092_001_074_jpg -> mentions -> @committee_scholarship_agents

@file_a092_001_075_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_44_1855:event {source: "OCR text", date: @date_1855_01_08}
@file_a092_001_075_jpg -> mentions -> @certificate_of_scholarship:document {sale_deadline: @date_1855_08_01, redemption_deadline: @date_1860_01_01}

/* Additional Named Persons (agents for scholarship collection) */

@fernsha_b_merritt:person {full_name: "Fernsha B. Merritt", residence: "Somerset, N.Y.", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}
@jane_l_reald_lincoln_me:person {full_name: "Jane L. Reald Lincoln", residence: "??", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}
@h_m_tracy_cutter:person {full_name: "H. M. Tracy Cutter", residence: "Dwight, Ill.", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}
@susan_harris:person {full_name: "Susan Harris", residence: "Providence, R.I.", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}
@lydia_p_jacobs:person {full_name: "Lydia P. Jacobs", residence: "Philadelphia, Pa.", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}
@maria_minnis:person {full_name: "Maria Minnis, M.D.", residence: "South Asylum, Pa.", role: "Agent for scholarship collection"}

@file_a092_001_078_jpg -> mentions -> [@fernsha_b_merritt, @jane_l_reald_lincoln_me, @h_m_tracy_cutter, @susan_harris, @lydia_p_jacobs, @maria_minnis] {role: "Agents for soliciting donations; commission 10 %"}

/* Resolutions & Policies (captured as relationships) */

@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> adopted -> @certificate_of_scholarship:document {price: 100, sale_deadline: @date_1855_08_01, redemption_deadline: @date_1860_01_01}
@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> resolved -> {policy: "No lectures on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day"} {when: @date_1854_11_03}
@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> resolved -> {policy: "Agents appointed for solicitation of donations"} {when: @date_1854_11_03}

/* Example of a committee action */

@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @fernsha_b_merritt:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}
@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @jane_l_reald_lincoln_me:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}
@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @h_m_tracy_cutter:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}
@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @susan_harris:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}
@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @lydia_p_jacobs:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}
@committee_scholarship_agents -> appointed -> @maria_minnis:person {role: "Collector", commission: "10 %"}

/* End of extracted knowledge graph */

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 11/14/2025, 5:24:52 AM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 11/14/2025, 5:20:48 AM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 11/14/2025, 5:16:16 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 11/14/2025, 5:12:27 AM · View this version
    "Alphabetical chunk 4/11 (40 files)"

Additional Components (40)

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Parent

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