Born: 1881 (Pleasanton, Kansas)
Died: 1968
Biography:
Helen Brewster Owens (April 2, 1881 – June 6, 1968) was an American suffragist and mathematician. She dedicated her life to advancing both the rights of women and the field of mathematics. With a passion for gender equality and an exceptional talent for mathematics, Brewster Owens made significant contributions to both areas, leaving a lasting impact on society.
Helen Brewster Owens was born on April 2, 1881, in Pleasanton, Kansas, to Clara and Robert Edward Brewster. Her mother, Clara Brewster, was a teacher and the president of the Lincoln County Women’s Suffrage Association. Growing up, Helen was deeply influenced by her mother’s involvement in the suffrage movement, and this sparked her interest in fighting for women’s rights from a young age.
As a young girl, Helen attended the 1893 County Fair with her mother, where she actively assisted in distributing flyers of Frances Willard, a prominent suffragist and leader of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. This experience further ignited her passion for the suffrage cause and solidified her commitment to fighting for gender equality.
Brewster Owens pursued her education at the University of Kansas, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics in 1900. One year later, she earned her master’s degree from the same institution. Her master’s thesis, titled Collineations of Space which Leave Invariant a Quadric Surface, built upon the groundbreaking work of Ruth G. Wood, a notable woman mathematician in her own right.
Continuing her academic pursuits, Helen Brewster Owens moved to the University of Chicago to further her graduate studies. However, before she could complete her PhD, she and her family relocated to Ithaca, New York. Nevertheless, she persevered and finally received her doctorate in mathematics in 1910 from Cornell University, with Virgil Snyder as her advisor.
After completing her education, Brewster Owens began teaching mathematics at the University Preparatory School in Ithaca from 1910 to 1912. In 1914, she joined Wells College in Aurora, New York, as an assistant professor of mathematics. She later served as a mathematics instructor at Cornell University from 1917 to 1920. Despite several interruptions to her career due to relocations for her husband’s job, she continued to make strides in her profession.
In 1936, Helen Brewster Owens embarked on a significant research project focused on the history of women in mathematics. This research aimed to shed light on the often overlooked contributions of women mathematicians throughout history. Her work in this field was instrumental in highlighting the achievements of women mathematicians and inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in mathematics.
Alongside her mathematical pursuits, Brewster Owens remained an active suffragist throughout her life. In 1910, she was elected to the board of the Resolutions Committee of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association. The following year, she returned to her home state of Kansas to continue the fight for suffrage. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National American Woman’s Suffrage Association, personally requested that Brewster Owens serve as her representative in Kansas. During her time there in 1912, Helen witnessed the state’s ratification of the suffrage amendment, with a majority of 16,000 votes, the largest majority of any state up until that point. She then returned to New York where she remained dedicated to the cause of suffrage.
In her personal life, Brewster Owens married Frederick William Owens, her college classmate, in 1904. They welcomed their first daughter, Helen, and later had two more daughters, Clara and Mary. Despite the demands of raising a family, Helen Brewster Owens continued to balance her commitments as a wife, mother, suffragist, and mathematician.
Helen Brewster Owens’s contributions to both mathematics and women’s suffrage continue to have a profound impact. Her dedication to gender equality and her outstanding achievements in mathematics have left an indelible mark on society. Today, she is remembered as a trailblazer and an inspiring figure in women’s history.