Carrie Chase Davis facts for kids
Carrie Chase Davis (born August 13, 1863 – died March 22, 1953) was an American doctor and a strong supporter of women's right to vote. After working as a teacher for several years, she earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 1897. She focused on Bacteriology, which is the study of tiny living things like bacteria. Dr. Davis was one of the most important women doctors in the Western Reserve area of Ohio. She was also a well-known leader in the movement for women's voting rights in the western United States. She served as the secretary for the Erie County Medical Society and for the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association.
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Early Life and Schooling
Carrie Chase Davis was born on August 13, 1863, on a farm near Castalia, Ohio. Her parents were Thomas Robert and Sarah Ann Davis. Her father, Thomas, was born in New York in 1824. He was a successful farmer and raised animals near Sandusky, Ohio. His home was a famous stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom in Canada. Thomas was a very educated man who studied at Oberlin College. He was also a Congregationalist and had a lot of influence in his community.
Sarah Ann Chase was born near Castalia in 1841. She married Thomas Robert Davis in 1859. They had two daughters. Carrie was the older daughter. Her sister, May Davis, was also a doctor. She was born in Castalia in 1866.
Moving for Education
In 1868, the Davis family moved from Ohio to Bloomington, Illinois. They wanted their daughters to have good schools. Carrie went to school in Normal, Illinois, for nine years. Her mother passed away in 1875. After that, her father took the girls to Unionville, Missouri, where they grew up.
Carrie graduated from the Normal School and Business Institute in Stanberry, Missouri, in 1884. She then attended the State Normal School in Emporia, Kansas, in 1885 and 1886.
A Career in Teaching and Medicine
Carrie and her sister both became successful teachers. In 1887, Carrie claimed land in Trego County, Kansas. She officially owned the property by 1893. During these six years, she taught in schools and teacher training programs in Trego, Brown, and Sheridan counties.
Becoming a Doctor
In 1893, Carrie moved to Washington, D.C.. She attended Howard University Medical College from 1893 to 1897. She earned her medical degree (M.D.) in 1897. She practiced medicine in Washington until December 1897. Then, she gained more experience as a resident doctor at Lying in Charity Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1898.
After finishing that program in 1899, she moved to Sandusky, Ohio. There, she started her own medical practice. For the next ten years, she became a very successful doctor. She also became widely known for supporting women's rights, especially their right to vote.
Leading in Her Community
Dr. Davis was an important member of the Erie County Medical Society. She served as its secretary. She was also active in the Ohio State and American Medical Associations. Her strong support for women's voting rights was clear. For many years, she was the recording secretary of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association.
She was also the president of the Civic Club of Sandusky. She served on the board of managers for the Rest Room. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a group for descendants of people who helped during the American Revolution. Carrie Davis was a member of the Congregational church.
She passed away in Tennessee on March 22, 1953. She left her body to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for medical study.
