WLM | arts
The book focuses on western
Wyoming, namely Evanston, as
well as Utah communities, profiling
prominent midwives, nurses, female
physicians and healers of the late
19th and early 20th centuries. While
the stories vary (we’ll explore that in
a moment), the greater story behind
it is common to the topic of women’s
liberation in Wyoming. I personally
believe that the resourcefulness and
common sense of our Wyoming
people led to the great deal of female
‘firsts’ that Wyoming holds. When
your population is small, spread out
from each other and lacking some
of the resources more populated
areas had in abundance, why on
earth would you keep a woman from
providing a needed duty, especially
when she was well-suited to do
so? It is with a great deal of pride
that I am a female entrepreneur in
the Great State of Wyoming. I’ve
run into my share of gender based
profiling and hassles, but for the
most part I know that the work
I do is not only supported, it is
considered equal to men.
Denice’s fascinating book is full of
many stories of feminine caring,
healing and heroism, as well as old
fashioned recipes for home remedies
(many of which contain ingredients
Denice notes are unavailable, some
even illegal today!). There were two
excerpts I wanted to share from the
book – which is full of gems just as
wonderful as these …
One of the most unique women healers
was the wife of Arthur Hocker. Alice
Florence Reynolds Hocker was born
in Richmond, Kentucky in the 1850s.
She met Dr. Hocker in Missouri when
she was eighteen years old and they
married in 1872 in New York City where
he was serving his internship at Bellevue
Hospital.
In 1873, he crossed the Rockies en route
to California but stopped off in Evanston,
Wyoming to treat a sick girl. He was
prevailed upon by the residents to set up
his practice there. Alice followed him to
Evanston that same year with their new
baby, Robert.
Seven children were born to the Hockers
and she was kept busy caring for her
family and comforting patients who
arrived at her home.
Dr. Hocker was hired as Superintendent
of the Wyoming State Hospital for the
Insane and was soon caring for both
the physical and mental problems of his
patients.
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