Female Medical College of Pennsylvania Faculty Meeting Minutes, 1853

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 4:28:04 PM

Added description

Description

Faculty Meetings of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1853

Overview

This collection comprises the minutes of faculty meetings held by the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania during the calendar year 1853. The documents are bound in a single minute book (213 pages) and are presented as a series of scanned images (JPEG and TIFF) of the original pages. The material is in English and is part of the Drexel College of Medicine Legacy Center Archives.

Background

The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, founded in 1850, was the world’s first institution regularly organized to educate women in medicine. The faculty minutes record the deliberations of the college’s governing body, chaired by Dean David J. Johnson, and include the participation of prominent women and men in the field, such as Ellwood Harvey, William M. Cornell, Edwin Fussell, and Ann Preston. The collection reflects the college’s early administrative and academic practices, including the appointment of chairs, the organization of committees, and the conferral of honorary degrees.

Contents

The collection documents meetings numbered 13 through 27, covering dates from January 26 to January 2, 1854. Key subjects include:
  • Faculty appointments and resignations: elections of chairs in Obstetrics, Therapeutics, Anatomy, Surgery, and Physiology; appointments of demonstrators and lecturers; and resignations of several professors.
  • Curricular developments: changes to course titles, lecture schedules, and the introduction of a medical dispensary.
  • Administrative actions: formation of audit, advertising, dispensary, and beneficiaries committees; contracts with the janitor; and financial resolutions.
  • Honorary degrees: conferral of M.D. degrees to Harriet H. Hunt, Martha Abowry, and Martha H. Moory.
  • Other matters: commencement planning, admission of students, and correspondence with external physicians.

The images capture the handwritten minutes, committee reports, and official notices, providing a detailed view of the college’s governance.

Scope

The collection covers the period 1853 (with a brief extension into early 1854) and is geographically centered on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, though it references other locations such as Boston, New York, and Providence. It is limited to faculty deliberations and does not include student records, lecture notes, or external correspondence beyond what is cited in the minutes. The material is valuable for scholars of women’s medical education, institutional history, and 19th‑century professional governance.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {founded: @date_1850_06_25, location: @philadelphia}

@david_j_johnson:person {full_name: "David J. Johnson", role: "Dean", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@ellwood_harvey:person {full_name: "Ellwood Harvey", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, birth: @date_1820, death: @date_1889}

@william_m_cornell:person {full_name: "William M. Cornell", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@edwin_fussell:person {full_name: "Edwin Fussell", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@ann_preston:person {full_name: "Ann Preston", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@joseph_s_longshore:person {full_name: "Joseph S. Longshore", role: "Professor of Obstetrics", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@abraham_livezey:person {full_name: "Abraham Livezey", role: "Professor of Practice", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@seth_pancoast:person {full_name: "Seth Pancoast", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@henry_p_birenbaum:person {full_name: "Henry P. Birenbaum", role: "Janitor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@hilbern_darlington:person {full_name: "Hilbern Darlington", role: "Professor of Surgery", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@almina_fowler:person {full_name: "Almina Fowler", role: "Demonstrator of Anatomy", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@augusta_montgomery:person {full_name: "Augusta R. Montgomery", role: "Anatomy demonstrator", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@harriet_hunt:person {full_name: "Harriet H. Hunt", role: "Honorary degree candidate", location: @boston}

@martha_abowry:person {full_name: "Martha Abowry", role: "Honorary degree recipient", location: @providence}

@martha_h_moory:person {full_name: "Martha H. Moory", role: "Honorary degree recipient", location: @providence}

@edwin_russell:person {full_name: "Edwin Russell", role: "Professor of Anatomy", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@mark_g_kerr:person {full_name: "Mark G. Kerr", role: "Professor of Materia Medica", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@williams_peirce:person {full_name: "Wm. S. Peirce", role: "Secretary", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_hawey:person {full_name: "Dr. Hawey", role: "Faculty", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_carlington:person {full_name: "Dr. Carlington", role: "Faculty", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_ponceast:person {full_name: "Dr. Ponceast", role: "Faculty", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_sivey:person {full_name: "Dr. Sivey", role: "Faculty", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_kerr:person {full_name: "Dr. Kerr", role: "Faculty", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_william_elder:person {full_name: "Dr. William Elder", role: "Lecturer", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@dr_russell:person {full_name: "Dr. Russell", role: "Chair", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}

@meeting_1853_no13:event {when: @date_1853_01_26, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; ballot for Mrs. Hannah W. Ellis; commencement planning; audit committee appointed"}

@meeting_1853_no14:event {when: @date_1853_02_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; appointments to Chairs of Obstetrics, Therapeutics, Anatomy"}

@meeting_1853_no15:event {when: @date_1853_02_07, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; rescind appointment of Dr. Cornell to Therapeutics"}

@meeting_1853_no16:event {when: @date_1853_02_15, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; withdraw recommendation of Dr. Pancoast for Chair of Anatomy"}

@meeting_1853_no17:event {when: @date_1853_02_25, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; recommend Dr. Edwin Russell for Chair of Anatomy"}

@meeting_1853_no18:event {when: @date_1853_03_11, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; rename Chair of Physiology and Medical Jurisprudence; appoint Ann Preston to new Chair; appoint Almira Fowler as Demonstrator of Anatomy"}

@meeting_1853_no19:event {when: @date_1853_03_25, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; appoint Hilbern Darlington as Professor of Surgery; Ann Preston as Professor of Physiology and Medical Institutes"}

@meeting_1853_no20:event {when: @date_1853_05_06, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Janitor contract with Henry P. Birenbaum; notice to Mrs. Logan"}

@meeting_1853_no21:event {when: @date_1853_05_06, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Ellwood Harvey elected to Principles and Practice of Medicine; Mark G. Kerr to Materia Medica; honorary M.D. for Martha Abowry"}

@meeting_1853_no22:event {when: @date_1853_05_12, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Edwin Russell elected Professor of Anatomy; Ellwood Harvey resigns and elected to Principles and Practice; Mark G. Kerr to Materia Medica; honorary M.D. for Martha H. Moory"}

@meeting_1853_no23:event {when: @date_1853_05_27, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Dr. William Elder to lecture on Medical Jurisprudence; fee schedule adopted"}

@meeting_1853_no24:event {when: @date_1853_10_01, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Committee reports on Fourth Annual Announcement, advertising, Beneficiaries, Dissecting Room, Dispensary"}

@meeting_1853_no25:event {when: @date_1853_10_17, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; Hilbern Darlington resigns as Professor of Surgery; correspondence with Dr. R.G. Thomas"}

@meeting_1853_no26:event {when: @date_1853_10_28, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; recommendation of H.G. Thomas for Chair of Surgery"}

@meeting_1854_no27:event {when: @date_1854_01_02, where: @philadelphia, description: "Faculty meeting; resolution that Demonstrator of Anatomy shall be female"}

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no13:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no14:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no15:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no16:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no17:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no18:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no19:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no20:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no21:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no22:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no23:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no24:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no25:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1853_no26:event

@david_j_johnson -> chaired -> @meeting_1854_no27:event

@david_j_johnson -> appointed -> @audit_committee_1853:organization {members: [@ellwood_harvey, @seth_pancoast, @joseph_s_longshore]}

@ellwood_harvey -> appointed -> @committee_advertising_1853:organization {members: [@ellwood_harvey]}

@ellwood_harvey -> appointed -> @committee_dispensary_1853:organization {members: [@ellwood_harvey]}

@ellwood_harvey -> appointed -> @committee_beneficiaries_1853:organization {members: [@ellwood_harvey]}

@ellwood_harvey -> appointed -> @committee_announcement_1853:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson]}

@david_j_johnson -> appointed -> @committee_announcement_1853:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson]}

@david_j_johnson -> appointed -> @committee_beneficiaries_1853:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson]}

@david_j_johnson -> appointed -> @committee_dispensary_1853:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson]}

@david_j_johnson -> appointed -> @committee_advertising_1853:organization {members: [@david_j_johnson]}

@ellwood_harvey -> elected -> @chair_obstetrics_and_diseases_of_women_and_children:position {holder: @ellwood_harvey, start: @date_1853_02_07}

@william_m_cornell -> elected -> @chair_general_therapeutics_and_materia_medica:position {holder: @william_m_cornell, start: @date_1853_02_07}

@seth_pancoast -> elected -> @chair_anatomy:position {holder: @seth_pancoast, start: @date_1853_02_07}

@hilbern_darlington -> elected -> @chair_surgery:position {holder: @hilbern_darlington, start: @date_1853_03_25}

@ann_preston -> elected -> @chair_physiology_and_medical_institutes:position {holder: @ann_preston, start: @date_1853_03_11}

@almina_fowler -> appointed -> @demonstrator_anatomy:position {holder: @almina_fowler, start: @date_1853_03_11}

@augusta_montgomery -> employed -> @dissection_subject:object {rate_per_week: 6, start: @date_1853_02_25}

@harriet_hunt -> recommended -> @corporators:organization {purpose: "Honorary degree of M.D.", recipient: @harriet_hunt, date: @date_1853_01_26}

@martha_abowry -> awarded -> @honorary_md:document {recipient: @martha_abowry, date: @date_1853_05_06}

@martha_h_moory -> awarded -> @honorary_md:document {recipient: @martha_h_moory, date: @date_1853_05_12}

@edwin_russell -> elected -> @chair_anatomy:position {holder: @edwin_russell, start: @date_1853_05_12}

@ellwood_harvey -> elected -> @chair_principles_and_practice_of_medicine:position {holder: @ellwood_harvey, start: @date_1853_05_06}

@mark_g_kerr -> elected -> @chair_materia_medica_and_general_therapeutics:position {holder: @mark_g_kerr, start: @date_1853_05_06}

@dr_william_elder -> appointed -> @lecture_medical_jurisprudence:event {date: @date_1853_05_27}

@file_a092_001_044_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_044.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no13:event}

@file_a092_001_045_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_045.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no14:event}

@file_a092_001_046_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_046.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no15:event}

@file_a092_001_047_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_047.jpg", contains: [@meeting_1853_no16:event, @meeting_1853_no17:event]}

@file_a092_001_048_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_048.jpg", contains: [@meeting_1853_no18:event, @meeting_1853_no19:event]}

@file_a092_001_049_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_049.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no20:event}

@file_a092_001_050_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_050.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no21:event}

@file_a092_001_051_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_051.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no22:event}

@file_a092_001_052_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_052.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no23:event}

@file_a092_001_053_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_053.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no24:event}

@file_a092_001_054_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_054.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no25:event}

@file_a092_001_055_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_055.jpg", contains: @meeting_1853_no26:event}

@file_a092_001_056_jpg:file {filename: "a092_001_056.jpg", contains: @meeting_1854_no27:event}

@file_pinax:document {title: "Female Medical College of Pennsylvania Faculty Meeting Minutes, 1853", creator: [@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, @david_j_johnson, @ellwood_harvey, @william_m_cornell, @edwin_fussell, @ann_preston], institution: "Drexel Legacy Collections", created: @date_1853, language: "en", subjects: ["Medical education","Women in medicine","Women physicians","Medical colleges","Faculty meetings","Curriculum changes","Medical jurisprudence","Anatomy","Obstetrics","Medical therapeutics"]}

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 4:28:04 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 4:18:09 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 4:07:09 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 4:04:23 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Faculty_Meetings_1853"

Additional Components (26)

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Parent

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