Arbella Aurela Mansfield

MANSFIELD, BABB

Posted By: Leslie W. Saint (email)
Date: 12/2/2011 at 19:58:29

FIRST WOMAN WOMAN LAWYER DIES AT AURORA
MRS, BELLE MANSFIELD MEMBER OF IOWA BAR
WIDELY KNOWN EDUCATOR AND PRACTITIONER GRADUATED FROM IOWA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY IN 1866—HELD CHAIR AT ALMA MATER AND AT DU PAUW LATER.

By Associated Press.

Aurora, Ill., Aug. 2—Mrs. Belle A. Mansfield, aged 65, the first woman ever admitted to practice of law in the United States, died suddenly at the home of her brother, Judge W. I. Babb, of Aurora, last night Mrs. Mansfield was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1868, two years after she had graduated from Iowa Wesleyan university.

Mrs. Mansfield was widely known as an educator. At the time of her death She was dean of the college of art at De Pauw university at Greencastle, Indiana, while for two years who held the chair of political science at Iowa Wesleyan university. She was given the chair of political science at Iowa Wesleyan university soon after she had been admitted to the bar. A trip to Europe for the purpose of study followed her being admitted to the practice of law. Immediately upon her return she was called to the chair in the Iowa school. She was elected a member of the De Pauw university faculty. In 1885. She occupied the chair of history until 1894, when she was elected dean of the school of music and art.