Another way of identifying early women lawyers and doctors would be to use the indexing available at Ancestry.com for the U.S. census and city directories.
Using the U.S. census search, limit entries to persons living in Virginia (or born in Virginia), female, and keyword "physician" or "attorney" or "lawyer." Each census since 1850 shows the name of every free person, with gender and occupation. Censuses before 1850 identify women only if head of household, but some years identify those in professions. Disclaimer: the indexing is imperfect, may find matches if the woman is only in the house of a physician/lawyer. Finds persons whose name is "Lawyer." I was quickly able to find the following good examples:
1900 census, Cypress District, Nansemond County, Virginia: Maggie Spencer, b. Nov. 1849, NY, physician; wife of Eddie W. Spencer.
1860 census, Cardington, Morrow County, Ohio: Sarah Kester, 67, f, physician, born Virginia.
You can also do a keyword search in U.S. city directories (limit to state, gender, occupation keyword).
1870 directory, Richmond, Virginia: Jarnett, Jennifer, physician, 615 e Broad, h[ome] 200 e Clay.
1882 directory, Richmond, Virginia: Voss, Isabella, Mrs., female physician & accoucheur [obstetrician], 321 n 4th. [includes a classified ad from her]
Donald L. Wilson, Virginiana Librarian
The Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center
for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC)
Prince William Public Library System
Bull Run Regional Library
8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA 20109-2892
703-792-4540
www.pwcgov.org/library/RELIC
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Alyson Taylor-White
Sent: Friday, April 5, 2019 8:19 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Virginia Women lawyers and doctors
What source/sources would be suggested to research and create a list with biographical information on early women lawyers and doctors in Virginia?
Sent from my iPhone
Alyson L. Taylor-White
(804) 920-2783
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