Representative women of New England/Ida S. V. Woodbury
IDA SUMNER VOSE WOODBURY was born in Dennysville, Me., December 14, 1854. She is the daughter of Peter Ehenezer and Lydia (Kilby) Vose, and is the ninth in descent from Robert Vose, who came from England to Dorchester (now Milton), Mass., in 1635. Her ancestral lines, some of which, it is said, have been traced to the time of Edward III. of England, include representatives of the families of Thacher, Sumner, Oxenbritlge, Prince, Hinckley, Adams, Howard, Hayden, and others, a roll of which one may well he proud. Miss Vose was graduated from the high school at the age of sixteen, and for four years was engaged as a teacher in the schools of her native town, at the same time pursuing an advanced course of study with a private instructor. She was a brilliant scholar and a successful teacher.
In 1876 she was married to Clinton Aaron Woodbury, who was at that time editor of the Somerset Reporter. For some years she assisted her husband in editing the literary department of the paper, making valuable contributions to its columns and also to the columns of other journals. She frequently delights her friends by her poems, written for anniversaries and other occasions. A specimen of these may be found in the published volume, "The Poets of Maine." Later Mr. Woodbury entered upon a business career in Portland, and resided there with his family for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury were prominent in educational, literary, and religious work in the city. In 1888 Mrs. Woodbury was elected president of the Maine Woman's Aid to the American Missionary Association. This office she held for twelve years, during which, under her efficient and enthusiastic leadership, the Woman's Aid made steady growth and awakened much interest throughout the State in its special work.
After the death of Mr. Woodbury, in 1894, it became necessary to make a change of residence, and Mrs. Woodbury removed to Boston. In 1895 she was made New England Field Assistant of the American Missionary Association, the society which is doing such a good work in our country among the mountain whites, the Negroes, the Chinese, and the Indians, in its eflforts to educate, uplift, and make good citizens of these neglected classes. A grander and more patriotic work than this it would be hard to imagine: it is well worthy the employment of the highest talents.
Since entering upon the duties of her present position, Mrs. Woodbury has. been engaged in speaking for the association in churches throughout the East and West, before young men's clubs, women's meetings and conferences, and delivering addresses at G. A. R. memorial services, and so forth. She speaks on an average six times a week, and travels from fifteen to twenty-five thousand miles a year. She is a pleasing speaker, calm, easy, and self-possessed in manner, and dignified in bearing. She has the rare gift of a voice feminine and fine in quality, but full, clear, and far-reaching, easily heard in all parts of a large audience room. Her thorough acquaintance with the work of the American Missionary Association and her personal knowledge of the good already accomplished by it give her full command of her subject, and make her an exceedingly effective speaker. Those of us who have heard her once gladly welcome her again. She is one of the few women who can take up the cause of the oppressed and so present it that no one who hears her can fail of being interested, and of seeing clearly how necessary it is to the life of the republic that justice should be done to the lowest and weakest within its borders.
A leading clergyman has said of Mrs. Woodbury, "She is easily one of the greatest feminine powers of the early twentieth century in the advocacy of American patriotic Christian philanthropy."
Mrs. Woodbury has had four children. The eldest, Carl Vose, was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1899, and is now a professor in Norwich University, Northfield, Vt. The second, Donald Clinton, died in childhood. The third, Malcolm Sumner, was graduated from Bowdoin in 1903, and is now a medical student in the same institution; and the fourth, Ruth Lincoln, is in the high school at Dennysville, Me. K. B. L.