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THBFamily Archive of Chicago Power Couple, Ellen Martin Henrotin, Writer, Activist, and Staunch Suffragette and her Husband Char
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
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| $500 | $50 |
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| $100,000 | $10,000 |
About Auction
LiveJun 9, 2017 - Jun 10, 2017
Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
View Full Catalog (392)
- Lot Description
Lot of 140+ items related to Ellen Martin Henrotin, her husband Charles Henrotin, and their son Edward, among other family members and Chicago elites. The lot contains approx. 33 letters between Charles and his son Edward, some from Edward to his future wife, as well as 28 letters written by Ellen to her daughter-in-law or sons, ca 1901-1921. Other miscellaneous items include over 47 images, either cabinet cards or larger format photographs of family and friends. Photos of the Turkish Royal family from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair are also enclosed, with inscriptions on the reverse by Hakky Bey. Ellen Martin’s speeches (none concerning women’s rights), pamphlets from former organizations she headed, and a small collection of 16 silver gelatin photographs of the Park Ridge School for Girls and her edits on its mission statement are included in the lot, as well as several newspaper clippings related to the family and their relatives.
Ellen Martin Henrotin (1847-1922) was a well-read intellectual woman, educated in Europe. Soon after her return to the United States, she met and married the son of a Belgian immigrant and successful financier, Charles Henrotin on September 2, 1869. A force to be reckoned with, she tirelessly worked towards female independence and advocated for the women’s right to vote and right to financial independence. She was president of the Federation of the Women’s Club of the United States, president of the Women’s Trade Union, and treasurer and member of the original governing board for the Protective Agency for Women and Children. She also headed and helped finance the Industrial School for Girls (renamed the Park Ridge School for Girls) as well as other homes for women and children that promoted female independence and taught women and young girls viable skills that would help them earn a living. She worked alongside her husband as vice president and acting president of the World’s Congress of Auxiliaries for the World’s Columbian Fair in Chicago in 1893. For her work, she received the Order of Chefakat in 1893. Other honors included Officier de l'Academie by the French Republic in 1899 and medal of l'Ordre de Leopold in 1905 for her leadership at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition. She suggested that women possessed unrealized power and potential to become corporate directors and could learn to manage their own financial affairs. However, after the death of her husband, she was unable to continue financing most of her previous efforts and became less active.
Charles Henrotin (1843-1914) was once described as one of the ablest financiers in Chicago. At a young age, his family immigrated to the United States. He attended the University of Notre Dame and worked for several different companies until he began his own business in 1877. He also founded the Chicago Stock Exchange and served on the New York Stock Exchange as well. After his father’s death, he was appointed the Consul of Belgium and eventually of Turkey as well. His diplomacy abroad earned him many favors with the Belgian and Turkish government. He was knighted by the Belgian King in 1888 and received the order of the crown in 1906. His son Edward wrote to his intended Emily Blair, [it] is the only thing left for the King to give him. I am pleased he got it (Chicago, September 11, 1906). In addition to his leadership in global politics, he became director of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. However, success often precedes failure. A looming financial crisis in Chicago in 1910 began to threaten their fortune and resulted in the accruement of many debts. Charles wrote to his son Edward, who escaped the financial sector to become a sheep herder in New York, telling him he ought to be glad he was no longer in business and told his son that he could not afford to send him 50 dollars to help his burgeoning farm. The correspondence between Edward (Ted) and Charles mainly involved discussions of Ellen, the sheep business, and other family news until Charles’ sudden death from a heart attack in 1914. His death brought along a flood of letters of sympathy from Chicago elites and financiers. Included in the lot are some of those letters.
Bereaved, Ellen focused much of her energy on helping the Park Ridge School for Girls and wrote loving letters to her sons and daughter-in-law Emily. As finances continued to dwindle she spent increasing amounts of time with Edward in New York. After a long struggle with illness she finally took her last breath in 1922. An outpouring of love came from the Chicago community again. Many wrote letters to her boys, especially Edward and his wife, to show support, solidarity, and love for the bold woman who was an important part of "Old Chicago."
Also included in the lot is a group of Henrotin family papers dating from the 1940s concerning a wooden bed potentially built by a slave in Sapelo Island, GA, and silver gelatin photographs of the heirloom.
Most of the items are in good condition. The letters have typical folds and the majority include their original envelopes. Some of the photographs have some toning and minor surface damage.Condition
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