Carrie Burnham Kilgore:

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Carrie Burnham Kilgore

• The Pioneer of Pennsylvania

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The Early Years

• 1938 born in Craftsbury, VT
• Orphaned by the age of 12

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Life Before Law

• Began teaching school at age 15
• Attended seminary school
• At 20, after contracting and recovering from
  typhoid fever, moved to Wisconsin to live with an
  older sister
• In Wisconsin, taught in lower schools and high
  school
• Met Damon Young Kilgore

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Giving Medicine a Whirl

• Entered the Hygeio-Therapeutic College in New
  York City at the age of 25
• Enrolled at Dio Lewis Boston Normal Institute
  for Physical Education (probably in the summer)
• Received her MD in 1865
• Worked for a summer as an assistant physician

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Life in Philadelphia

• Beginnings of Legal Profession
• 1865 moved to Philadelphia and began reading
  law informally with Damon
• Burnham v. Luning
• 1871 Denied admission to Penn Law School
• 1873 and 1874 petitioned Bd. of Bar Examiners
  to be given bar exam (denied both times)

• Life Outside the Law
• Began to work actively for womens rights
  movement (motivated by Damon)
• 1874 -1875 represented Citizens Suffrage
  Association of Philadelphia in the conventions of
  the National Woman Suffrage Association
• 1876 - Married Damon after signing an
  ante-nuptial contract

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Fight for Legislation Granting Women Admission
to the Bar

• Between 1878 and 1881, petitioned the PA General
  Assembly three times, had bills introduced on her
  behalf, addressed a joint session of the House
  and Senate, and testified at a committee hearing
  (all with help from friend, State Senator Horatio
  Gates Jones)

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Law School and Admission to the Bar

• 1881 admitted to Penn Law School (10 years
  after first attempt)
• 1883 became first woman graduate of Penn and
  admitted to the Orphans Court of Philadelphia
  the day after graduation
• 1885 PA legislature passes Act granting
• women admission to the bar
• 1886 admitted to PA Supreme Court,
• and thereby all lower courts
• 1890 - became fourth woman admitted to US
• Supreme Court (wasnt Clara the fifth?)

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Damons passing

• Two years after Carrie was admitted to the bar,
  Damon passed away (1888)
• Left with two small children and encouraged to
  put them in a home so that she could continue her
  profession
• Yes, they shall be put in a home and I shall
  continue my profession but it will be a home
  of my making. They have lost their father.
  They shall not lose their mother while I live.

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Her Practice

• Kases Estate a widows right to contest the
  validity of her husbands will
• Hines v. Willey
• Co-counsel

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Her Later Life

• Womens Legislative League
• Argued on behalf of Mary Philbrooks application
  to the New Jersey bar (1895)
• Participation at Worlds
• Columbian Exposition (1893)
• Hot air balloon accident

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Why I chose Carrie

• Pennsylvania connection
• Interest in her many career choices

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Further Research

• More information on her law practice
• Papers from key cases
• Clients
• Co-counsel
• Appointment as Master of Chancery
• Philadelphia Orphans Court
• Medical degree