Mary Deming (Shipman) Penrose (1868 - 1957)

Born 27 Jul 1868 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Died 15 Dec 1957 at age 89 in Seattle, King, Washington, United States

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Biography

Facts

NAME
Mary Deming Shipman ^[1]
Mary ^[2]

SEX
Female

BIRTH
JUL 1868; Connecticut, United States ^[2]
27 JUL 1868; Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States ^{[1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}
AUG 1868; Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States ^[10]

DEATH
15 DEC 1957; Seattle, King, Washington Territory, United States ^[9]

EDUCATION
Hartford Female Seminary ^[11]
Miss Porter's school, Farmington, Connecticut ^[11]
C - 5 ^[12]

OCCUPATION
National president of Y.W.C.A. ^[11]

RESIDENCE
1870; Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States ^[1]
1880; Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States ^[6]
1900; 7 College Ave., Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, United States ^[2]
1910; 41 College Ave., Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, United States ^[7]
1920; 7 College Ave., Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, United States ^[8]
1930; 515 Boyer, Whitman, Walla Walla, Washington, United States ^[5]
1946; 7 College Ave., Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, United States ^[13]

FAMILY
Husband
Stephen Beasley Linnard Penrose
Wife
Mary Deming Shipman
Marriage
ABT 1896 ^[2]
17 JUN 1896 ^{[5] [7] [11]}

Research Notes

The 1900 census states that both of her children were living in 1900.

She is listed as a survivor in her son's (Nathaniel) obituary (1956).

From the "Walla Walla Bulletin," Walla Walla, Washington, March 24, 1957,

Signal Honor . . . A grant of $500 to the American Association of University Women fellowship fund and called the Mary Shipman Penrose Grant, in honor of the wife of the late Dr. Stephen B. L. Penrose who for 40 years was president of Whitman College, has been announce by Mrs. Joel Branham, Walla Walla Branch president.

From the "Walla Walla Bulletin," Walla Walla, Washington, Dec. 16, 1957,

Passes At 89; Services Here

Mrs Mary Shipman Penrose, known affectionately by many generations of Whitman College students as "Mother Penrose," died in a Seattle hospital Sunday at age 89.

The death of the woman who played a prominent role in Walla Walla's educational, civic and cultural life for many years came 10 years after the passing of her famed educator husband, Dr. Stephen B. L. Penrose, president of Whitman for 40 years. She had been in failing health for several years.

Her long life span brought both prominence and tragedy to the wife and mother who was named Walla Walla's 'first citizen' in 1937."

Among the distinctions which came to her was the national presidency of the Young Women's Christian Assn. for six years.

The tragedies, in addition to the death of Dr. Penrose, were the deaths of their three sons in recent years. They were Stephen B. L. Penrose, Jr., who gained worldwide recognition as an educator and was president of the American University in Beirut, Nat Penrose and Clement Penrose.

The funeral will be Thursday afternoon in the Congregational Church at Walla Walla with the Rev. Kenneth Claypool officiating. The Rev. Mr. Claypool, now of the Magnolia Congregational church in Seattle, was pastor of the church here 10 years.

The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, any remembrances might be in the form of contributions to Whitman College or to any desired charity.

Mary Shipman, only daughter of Nathaniel and Mary Shipman was born in Hartford, Conn., July 27, 1868.

Her father, Judge Shipman, was appointed in 1873 by President Grant to the Federal District court and in 1892 by President Harrison to the Federal Circuit Court form which he resigned in 1903.

As a young girl, when she was not attending the dames' school and high school in Hartford, she played with he three brothers. She later attended the Hartford Female seminary established by Catherine Beecher, sister of Henry Ward Beecher and for two years she was a student at Miss Sarah Porter's school in Farmington, Conn.

On the other side of town from the Shipman home, were the residences of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain). The Clemens and Shipman families were good friends and often held family parties together.

...

On June 17, 1896 she was married to Stephen B. L. Penrose. When Mrs. Penrose arrived in Walla Walla, Dr. Penrose had only been president of Whitman College two years. Previously he was pastor of the Congregational Church in Dayton for four years.

As a bride, Mrs. Penrose found the college campus mostly fields grown with tall grass and the campus at that time was all located on the south side of Boyer Avenue. ...

Mrs. Penrose entertained small groups of the students at her home; aided in directing plays and took part in other school activities.

She helped organize the Walla Walla Art Club, first of its kind in the state. Later Mrs. Penrose took an active interest in the Green Park Parent-Teachers Association where her six children, three boys and three girls were growing up.

She took an active interest in the college Y. W. C. A. In 1913 she was elected to the national presidency for the first time.

As the college grew, she still sought to know all the students and succeeded in doing this for more than 30 years.

During World War I, Mrs. Penrose served in the national war work council of the Y. W., traveling over the Northwest in the interest of a campaign to raise funds.

In 1914 Mrs. Penrose received an honorary master of arts degree from Whitman College and in 1940 she was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. She was an honorary member of the Altrusa club and the Walla Walla Business and Professional Women's club, AD chapter of P.E.O., member of the First Congregational church and past regent of Narcissa Prentiss chapter of D.A.R.

Mrs. Penrose leaves three daughters, Mrs. Henry B. Owen and Mrs. Paul Copeland of Seattle and Mrs. Brownley Kagley of New Brunswick, N. J.; ten grand children and four great-grand children

Mary Deming Shipman Penrose, 1868-- is written about in

Woman's Who's Who of America. A biographical dictionary of contemporary women of the United States and Canada, 1914-1915. Edited by John William Leonard. New York: American Commonwealth Co., 1914. (WomWWA)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Source: Title: "1870 Census" , Page: Connecticut, Hartford ward 4, Hartford Co., Roll M593_101, p. 597 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Source: Title: "1900 Census" , Page: Washington, Walla Walla ward 3, Walla Walla Co., Roll T623_1752, p. 2A , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
3. ↑ Source: Title: "Abridged Compendium" , Author: Frederic Virkus , Publication: Name: Name: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, Baltimore MD, 1968.;;
4. ↑ Source: Title: "New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series", Vol IV , Page: p. 1603
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Source: Title: "1930 Census" , Page: Washington, Walla Walla, Whitman Co., Roll T626_2523, p. 1A , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Source: Title: "1880 Census" , Page: Connecticut, Hartford, Hartford Co. , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Source: Title: "1910 Census" , Page: Washington, Walla Walla, ward 3, Walla Walla Co., Roll T624-1673, part 1, p. 182B , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Source: Title: "1920 Census" , Page: Washington, Walla Walla, Walla Walla Co., Roll T625_1943, p. 1B , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Source: Title: obituary , Page: of Mrs. Mary Shipman Penrose, "Walla Walla Bulletin," Walla Walla, Washington, Dec. 16, 1957
10. ↑ Source: Title: www.familysearch.org , Page: IGI Film# 2034745
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} Source: Title: "Walla Walla Union Bulletin," Walla Walla, Washington , Page: June 20, 1946, p. 3 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
12. ↑ Source: Title: "1940 Census" , Page: Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04367; Page: 61A; Enumeration District: 36-19 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com
13. ↑ Source: Title: "Walla Walla Union Bulletin," Walla Walla, Washington , Page: March 21, 1946, p. 1 , Repository name: www.ancestry.com