Within the saved, torn pages of an old newspaper the voice of a tough woman has hibernated, waiting to be heard again; and what better time to revisit a strong woman’s story than during Women’s History Month?
The two-part article tells readers about a Browington family in 1908-’09 temporarily separated by the husband’s, Ellis A. Robinson’s, call to serve in the Vermont General Assembly. While Ellis was away, his wife Bessie Delight Gray O’Hara cared for their two daughters, maintained their home, helped Ellis’s brother Sollie run the family farm, and took over her husband’s town clerk duties.
The article was written by our registrar, Darlene Young, for The Chronicle more than two decades ago and is titled “The Robinsons – letters between legislator and wife” and “More correspondence between a legislator and his wife.” The story is told through the letters Ellis and Bessie sent to each other throughout their time apart. The letters are from the Robinson Family Papers in the Old Stone House Museum archives.
In a preface to the letters, Darlene aptly described,
“Ellis A. Robinson was a reluctant Vermont legislator… letters makes it clear he would have preferred to be at home with his family and tending his farm.”
Then after a while,
“…Ellis comes to enjoy the camaraderie of his fellow legislators and even begins to relish his power as a lawmaker.”
When further describing Bessie, Darlene wrote,
“…Bessie goes through her own transformation… shares her worries, asks advice, and vents her growing frustration. Nevertheless, she maintains a real interest in Ellis’s activities in Montpelier… Bessie regains her equilibrium and comes to a realization of her own strength.”
In one letter, toward the end of Ellis’s term, Bessie wrote, “…I am well and tough.”
It is interesting to meditate on the woman’s perspective in this situation. How did Bessie’s willingness to take on additional responsibilities help Ellis’s State House experience? What would it be like to raise children, maintain a home, co-run a farm, and take up public duties all at once with your partner away? How does this situation compare to women’s roles today, the situations of women you know?
We invite you to explore Bessie’s perspective in these letters. Below you will find PDFs of the newspaper text, formatted for easy reading.
Part 1: The Robinsons – letters between legislator and wife