Ellen Spencer Mussey
Encyclopedia
Ellen Spencer Mussey was born on May 13, 1850 in Geneva, Ohio
, United States
. Mussey was a lawyer
, educator, and pioneer in the field of women's rights to legal education. She was the daughter of Platt Rogers Spencer
, a reformer and promoter of the Spencerian Method, the widely used form of handwriting
.
Between the age of 12 and the time of her father's death, when she was age 14, she had been an assistant at his penmanship school. Thereafter she took up residence with relatives and attended Rice's Young Ladies' Seminary in Poughkeepsie, New York
, Lake Erie College
in Painesville, Ohio
, and Rockford College
in Rockford, Illinois
.
In 1871 she married Reuben D. Mussey
, a former Union
army general
and a successful lawyer. Having been denied admission at the law schools of National University and Columbian College (now the George Washington University
), Mussey tutored herself in the field of law and underwent legal training in her husband's law office and began to practice law.
Mussey obtained special consideration and was allowed to qualify for the bar by oral examination, which she passed in March, 1893. In 1896 she was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court
.
She was approached in 1895 by Delia Sheldon Jackson, an aspiring attorney, to apprentice her as a student of law. Realizing both the scope of the task and the significance of the opportunity, Mussey sought out the assistance of a colleague and friend, Emma Gillett
. The two opened the first session of the Woman's Law Class on February 1, 1896. The class had an enrollment of three: Jackson and two other women, Nanette Paul and Helen Malcolm.
Within a few years, the program had expanded and several prominent Washington, DC attorneys were brought in for assistance. Although Mussey and Gillett had not initially aspired to establish an independent law school, when Columbian College refused their request to taken on the women they had educated for their final year of education—on grounds that "women did not have the mentality for law" -- decided to establish a co-educational law school specifically open to women.
Thus, in April 1898, the Washington College of Law
(now merged with American University
) was incorporated in Washington, DC as the first law school in the world founded by women.
With Emma Gillett, Mussey founded the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia on May 19, 1917, and was elected its first President. The WBA was one of the first organizations for women lawyers in United States. In 1919, Mussey also helped to found the National Association of Women Lawyers.
Mussey died on April 21, 1936, in Washington, D.C.
Geneva, Ohio
Geneva is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The area which would become Geneva was originally settled in 1805, and was incorporated as a city in 1958. It is named after Geneva, New York. The city's population was 6,595 at the 2000 census....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Mussey was a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, educator, and pioneer in the field of women's rights to legal education. She was the daughter of Platt Rogers Spencer
Platt Rogers Spencer
Platt Rogers Spencer was born in East Fishkill, New York, on November 7, 1800, and died in Geneva, Ohio, on May 16, 1864. Spencer is credited as being the originator of Spencerian penmanship, a popular system of cursive handwriting....
, a reformer and promoter of the Spencerian Method, the widely used form of handwriting
Penmanship
Penmanship is the technique of writing with the hand using a writing instrument. The various generic and formal historical styles of writing are called hands, whilst an individual personal style of penmanship is referred to as handwriting....
.
Between the age of 12 and the time of her father's death, when she was age 14, she had been an assistant at his penmanship school. Thereafter she took up residence with relatives and attended Rice's Young Ladies' Seminary in Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, Lake Erie College
Lake Erie College
Lake Erie College is a private liberal arts college that is located in Painesville, Ohio, approximately east of Cleveland. As of the 2010-2011 academic year, the enrollment was approximately 1200 undergraduates and graduate students....
in Painesville, Ohio
Painesville, Ohio
As of the 2010 Census, there were 19,563 people. As of the census of 2000, there were 17,503 people, 6,525 households, and 4,032 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,928.6 people per square mile . There were 6,933 housing units at an average density of 1,160.0 per square mile...
, and Rockford College
Rockford College
Rockford College is a private American liberal arts college in Rockford, Illinois. It was founded in 1847 as Rockford Female Seminary and changed its name in 1892. The college is known as the alma mater of Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, who was a member of the class of...
in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
.
In 1871 she married Reuben D. Mussey
Reuben D. Mussey, Jr.
Reuben D. Mussey, Jr. was a Union Army General during the American Civil War and a distinguished lawyer. He was the husband of Ellen Spencer Mussey who was also his law partner and became the head of the practice upon his death.-Biography:Mussey was the son of the medical doctor Reuben D. Mussey...
, a former Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
army general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and a successful lawyer. Having been denied admission at the law schools of National University and Columbian College (now the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
), Mussey tutored herself in the field of law and underwent legal training in her husband's law office and began to practice law.
Mussey obtained special consideration and was allowed to qualify for the bar by oral examination, which she passed in March, 1893. In 1896 she was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
She was approached in 1895 by Delia Sheldon Jackson, an aspiring attorney, to apprentice her as a student of law. Realizing both the scope of the task and the significance of the opportunity, Mussey sought out the assistance of a colleague and friend, Emma Gillett
Emma Gillett
Emma Gillett was an American lawyer and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the advancement of legal studies for women....
. The two opened the first session of the Woman's Law Class on February 1, 1896. The class had an enrollment of three: Jackson and two other women, Nanette Paul and Helen Malcolm.
Within a few years, the program had expanded and several prominent Washington, DC attorneys were brought in for assistance. Although Mussey and Gillett had not initially aspired to establish an independent law school, when Columbian College refused their request to taken on the women they had educated for their final year of education—on grounds that "women did not have the mentality for law" -- decided to establish a co-educational law school specifically open to women.
Thus, in April 1898, the Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
(now merged with American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
) was incorporated in Washington, DC as the first law school in the world founded by women.
With Emma Gillett, Mussey founded the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia on May 19, 1917, and was elected its first President. The WBA was one of the first organizations for women lawyers in United States. In 1919, Mussey also helped to found the National Association of Women Lawyers.
Mussey died on April 21, 1936, in Washington, D.C.