Western Police Matron Assoc. Archive of Mrs. George Washington Hill 

Police matron of Davenport, Iowa, 1893-1920. Includes about 10 photographs, dozens of newspaper clippings, a few letters, three ribbons from National Police Matrons' Association meetings, a revolver and her "widow's weeds" - black hat, lace veil and scarf, plus a small hand mirror.

June 23, 1864 Sarah H. Hastings married George Washington Hill in Fairfield, Iowa. George was born in the East (Schuylkill Co., PA), but moved to Fairfield about 1852. A decade later, he was the second person to enlist in Co. E, 2nd Iowa Infantry, in which he served three years before returning to Fairfield to marry his sweetheart, Sadie. The couple had one son, Luther, before George died of a heart attack at the young age of 43, leaving a grieving widow with a young son. Sarah appears to have always dressed in black from that point on, and her hat, scarf, and veil included in this lot are evidence of that. She probably would also have been a great mother to more than just Luther had her husband lived a while longer, if the descriptions of her temperament later in life is any indication. She was compassionate and tried to see the best in everyone.

There are several Civil War era newspapers, one from April 27, 1865. There is also an envelope with two letters, one from the state Representative and one from the Bureau of Pensions, both notifying her that her claim as a widow of a Civil War veteran was approved, and would include back compensation since she had a dependent child. Some of the advertising in the April 27th paper is amusing. One ad in the Fairfield Whacker begins: Richmond has Fallen / Lee has Surrendered / Lincoln Assassinated / Booth Killed / Jeff. Davis captured. Now Comes Sickle with his mammoth stock of clothing. What a way to get attention. Now get out there and shop!

The combination of compassion and widowhood, plus her willingness to go above and beyond her duties, made Mrs. Hill the perfect candidate for Davenport, Iowa once they decided they were in need of a police matron. Up until then, any women arrested were handled, sometimes literally, by male law enforcement officials. And often their children locked up with them. Some of the news clippings explore the value (or not) of having a Police Matron at all. Included in the lot is a manuscript letter from the Mayor of Davenport dated 24 July 1893 appointing Mrs. Hill to the job.

It was these unfortunate souls - women and children - who would become the mission of Mrs. Hill. The lot contains dozens of newspaper clippings (almost none dated), a fair number about the death of friends or their golden anniversaries. But the majority concern the Police Matron, and her work with the "criminal element" of the community. The articles often mention that she trained women in sewing and other household skills, tried to find employment for them, provided clothing to the very poor, etc.

Mrs. Hill became active in national Police Matrons' associations. The lot includes ribbons from the first three annual conventions (1902, '03, '04), and several newspaper articles also mention her giving addresses at these meetings. One item in the lot is a Police Matron's report for Minneapolis, 1897 (Louise Paine), likely a connection made at these meetings. It contains some interesting statistics that give an indication of what these early female law enforcement personnel were contending with: In her report, she give number of women arrested as 402. As far as offenses go: "common prostitutes" – 104; Intoxication - 89; Vagrancy - 77; "found in house of illfame" – 43; "Keeping house of illfame" – 31; Adultery – 2; Fornication – 1; Lewd and indecent conduct – 9; "violating of bicycle ordinance" – 3; reckless driving – 2; Pettit larceny – 20; grand larceny - 18; "obtaining money under false pretense" – 1; and only 1 for "endangering life and health of children." Plus a few miscellaneous charges such as disorderly conduct and contempt of court, etc. Mrs. Hill seems to have agreed with Mrs. Paine that many of these charges were the result of circumstance. In addressing the issue of why some women "go bad," Mrs. Paine writes: Happily the majority are not of this class [genetic criminals], but can be touched by kindness and sympathy, and who do love virtue better than lewdness, are not immoral from choice, not from inherent badness, not from a predisposition to evil, but because they have been made so by poverty, by mistaken pride, but more often by undue confidence in wicked men.

Mrs. Hill decided about 1920, after 27 years of service, to resign and live with her son who was by then in Los Angeles. Her health was failing and her doctor recommended a change in climate, specifically suggesting California without even knowing her son lived there. A fortunate coincidence! A number of newspaper articles and typed documents relate to her retirement and enumerate her many accomplishments.

There are a few photographs which include: 10 x 11 in. and 4 x 5.5 in. portraits of Mrs. Hill around the turn of the century and a 3 x 4 in. oval portrait of her in her early S; 4 x 6 in. photo of her at her desk, probably just before her retirement, as she does not look healthy; 5.5 x 7.75 in. portrait of family, including her husband and son (marked on verso); postcard with photo from sister (probably sister or parent's house); 2.5 x 4.25 in. unmarked family photo; cabinet card of girl with dog (possibly the terrier that is mentioned several times that seems to have brought comfort of children in her care); and a strip of 3 poses of Luther.

Much of the lot is miscellany that accumulates in a person's life. Sarah's will is here, dated 1889. An envelope marked "George from Mother" contains a rusting tintype, probably of George as a young boy, along with a lock of hair – probably kept by Sarah as all she had left of him. The lot contains several letters. Two are from J. Palmer of Palmer School of Chiropractic, one recommending a chiropractor in Los Angeles, and the other dated 1924 that is personal "catching up." Although we have been unable to determine when Mrs. Hill died, she was still alive this date, and still living with Luther. The police department must have decided she was indeed a law enforcement officer. The lot includes a small 6.5 in. long five-shot revolver, with a 2-line Iver Johnson identification and patents on top of barrel, all patents dating from 1897 and 1898 (thus the gun postdates this).

An interesting accumulation of items from a pioneering female in law enforcement.

Variable as expected.