March is Women’s History Month, and thanks to the research of Lee Dougall, we have stories of noteworthy 20th Century Marion, Massachusetts women. Thank you for your work, Lee and hats off to these dynamo women who contributed to the Town of Marion.
WWII Air Raid Wardens
In 1941, members of the Women’s Civil Defense League trained at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod.
Pictured above are: Mrs. Otto C. (Marion) Braitmayer (Organizer), Mrs. William (Elizabeth) Coulson, Mrs. Charles R. (Pearl) Washburn, Mrs. Doris Vincent, Mrs. William (Dorothy) Leggett, Mrs. Louis (Jennie) Garty, Mrs. Arnold (Anne) Paine, Mrs. James R (Elizabeth) Fraser, Mrs. James R. (Bessie) Dougall, Mrs. William (Barbara) Macy, Mrs. A. L. Forbes, Mrs. Clyde Borkees (perhaps Claudia Borque). The training included identification of and protection from gasses used in World War II.
1965 Registrars of Voters
Lena (Washburn) Turner (1894-1977), Lina (Erickson) Parker (1911-1986), and Bessie S. (Corse) Dougall (1908-1990), pictured in 1965, were long term Marion Registrars of Voters. Lena served from 1943-1966, Lina for 36 years (1937-1973) and Bessie from 1941-1942 and 1951-1968 (19 years total). Each one was “Chairman” at one time or another. They collectively visited each Marion home in person to gather census data and to deliver the Annual Town Report. As Registrars, they registered eligible voters and checked them in at the polls.
Bessie was also a Substitute US Postal Clerk in Marion for nearly five years.
There is more to come, thanks to Lee’s personal knowledge and history. She’s conducted telephone interviews and poured through publicly available resources such as Marion Town Reports, family photos, and the Sippican Historical Society archives.
Do you have a Marion 20th Century woman’s story to share? Bring your photos and ephemera to our first Digitization Day on March 10, or send us an email at info at Sippicanhistoricalsociety dot org.