Woman of the Century/Mary Catharine Hickman

MARY CATHARINE HICKMAN. HICKMAN, Mrs. Mary Catharine, journalist, born in Hanover, Columbiana county, Ohio, 7th November, 1838. Her father, David Arter, was of German descent and was remarkable for energy and force of character. Her mother was a woman of much natural refinement and great gentleness and kindness of disposition. She was the daughter of Henry Laffer, distinguished in his day as a general, judge and legislator. Mrs. Hickman was endowed with fine natural ability and maintained a high rank in all her classes as a school-girl, although delicate health interfered somewhat with her early studies. In 1857 she was graduated from the Cleveland Female Seminary, and a year later became the wife of Rev. S. M. Hickman, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For several years the cares of a growing family and participation in her husband's labors prevented Mrs. Hickman from exercising to any great extent her gift for literary work. During the last twelve years she has resumed the use of the pen, contributing frequently to the Cleveland "Leader" and other papers. Possessing strong moral convictions and wide sympathies, Mrs. Hickman has made a study of social and humanitarian problems, and has generally chosen to write on subjects connected with some phase of reform, in which she has become especially interested. She has been prominently connected with temperance and missionary societies since their first organization, and much of her work has been that of an outspoken champion of those two great movements. She is an active member of the Ohio Woman's Press Association. Although keeping in touch with all the great questions of the day, she has not allowed other interests to interfere with those nearest her own home. Of her six children, four are living, two sons and two daughters. For sixteen years past she has lived in or near Cleveland, Ohio.