Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier

Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier, a "Woman of the Century"

Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier (1841 – August 6, 1915) was an American physician. At the age of nineteen, she began to teach, becoming an instructor in languages and literature in Hillsdale College. Returning to New York City in 1872, she married Abraham Witton Lozier Jr., son of Clemence Sophia Harned Lozier, who was the founder and dean of the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women. Here, she studied medicine, and after receiving the degree of M. D., became professor of physiology. She served for twelve years on the hospital staff, and retired from professional work in 1890, to devote herself to domestic, social and educational interests. She was a delegate to the International Homoeopathic Congress in Paris in 1889, and was president of Sorosis Club in 1891–94.^[1][2]

Early years and education[]

Jeanne "Jennie" de la Montagnie was born in New York in 1841,^[3] or ca. 1850,^[1] and was a lifelong resident of that city. Her father was William de la Montagnie. jr. Her ancestors were Dutch and French Huguenot, who settled there as early as 1633. She was born and reared in the old seventh ward of New York. She was thoroughly educated, and was a graduate of Rutgers Female Institute (later, Rutgers Female College), of which she was a trustee, and which, in 1891, conferred upon her the degree of Doctor of Science. Her education was liberal, including languages and science.^[4]

Career[]

Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier

After her graduation, she traveled in the West Indies. When she was nineteen years old, she began to teach, and several years, later became instructor in languages and literature in Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan. She was afterward chosen vice-principal of the woman's department of that college. Returning to New York in 1872. she married A. W. Lozier. the only son of Clemence S. Lozier, who had been her lifelong friend. The young college professor became the head of a family at once, as her husband was a widower with two children.^[4]

She became interested in medicine through her mother-in-law, Clemence S. Lozier, who was the founder and for twenty-five years the dean of the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women. The young wife studied in that college and was graduated with an M.D., after her first and only child was born, and was made professor of physiology in the institution. She also served on the hospital staff. After twelve years of service, she retired from the profession and devoted herself to domestic, social and educational interests.^[5]

Just before her retirement she was invited by Sorosis to address that club on "Physical Culture." She was soon made a member of Sorosis, and at once became prominent in its councils, proving to be a forceful speaker. In Sorosis, she served as chairman of the committee on science, as chairman of the committee on philanthropy and as corresponding secretary. She was elected president in 1891, and was reelected in 1892. In 1892, she was sent as a delegate to the biennial council of the Federation of Women's Clubs, held in Chicago, May 11–13, and she read a paper on the "Educational Influence of Women's Clubs."^[5]

Her activities were numerous. In 1889, she was sent by the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women as a delegate to the International Homeopathic Congress in Paris. She there presented a paper, in French, on the medical education of women in the United States, which was printed in full in the transactions of that congress. She was the president of two other clubs, The Emerson, a club of men and women belonging to R. Heber Newton's church, of which she was a member, and The Avon, a fortnightly drawing-room club. She was a member of the science committee of the Association for the Advancement of Women, and was also a member of the Patria Club. She read papers before various literary and reform associations in and near New York City.^[5]

Her family consisted of two sons and one daughter. Their summers were spent in their summer home on Great South Bay, Long Island, in a villa named "Windhurst." Her husband, Lozier, gave up his practice and became engaged in the real-estate and building business in New York. Their winter home, in 78th Street, was an ideal one in its appointments and associations.^[5]

Lozier was also a student of literature and art. She spoke for the liberal and thorough education of women, not only in art and music, but also in chemistry, social economics, psychology, pedagogy and physiology. Her influence as a club-woman was widely felt, and as president of Sorosis, she occupied a commanding position in the field of social, literary and general culture opened to women by the clubs.^[5] She died at her summer home in New Brighton, Staten Island, on August 6, 1915, aged 74 years.^[3]

References[]

Attribution[]

• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: White, J.T. (1906). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography (Public domain ed.). J.T. White.
• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Willard, Frances Elizabeth; Livermore, Mary Ashton Rice (1893). A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life (Public domain ed.). Moulton. p. 476.
• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Wood, W. (1915). Medical Record (Public domain ed.). W. Wood.

External links[]

• Media related to Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier at Wikimedia Commons
• Works related to Woman of the Century/Jennie de la Montagnie Lozier at Wikisource