Born: March 25, 1878 (Chicago)
Biography:
Frances Glessner Lee, born on March 25, 1878, in Chicago, was an influential American forensic scientist who made significant contributions to the development of forensic science in the United States. She is best known for creating the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, a collection of 20 true crime scene dioramas meticulously recreated in dollhouse scale.
Growing up in a wealthy family, Frances was educated at home alongside her brother, who later attended Harvard. At a young age, Frances fell ill with tonsillitis and underwent a successful surgery, which sparked her interest in medicine and nursing. During their summer vacations in the White Mountains, Frances had the opportunity to shadow local doctors during home visits, further fueling her passion for medical knowledge.
Frances inherited a substantial fortune from her father, an industrialist who became wealthy from International Harvester. With her newfound financial resources, she finally had the means to pursue her fascination with detective work and the examination of clues.
Frances’s interest in forensic investigation was inspired by George Burgess Magrath, one of her brother’s classmates at Harvard Medical School. Magrath, who later became a professor in pathology at Harvard and a chief medical examiner in Boston, shared Frances’s passion for death investigation. Together, they advocated for the replacement of coroners with medical professionals.
In 1931, Frances made a groundbreaking contribution by endowing the Harvard Department of Legal Medicine, the first of its kind in the country. Her generous gifts also established the George Burgess Magrath Library, a chair in legal medicine, and the Harvard Seminars in Homicide Investigation. Additionally, she endowed the Harvard Associates in Police Science, a national organization dedicated to the advancement of forensic science, which now has a division named in her honor, the Frances Glessner Lee Homicide School.
However, Frances’s most notable achievement is the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. In 1945, she donated this collection of intricately crafted crime scene dioramas to Harvard for use in her seminars. These dioramas, made with exceptional attention to detail, became invaluable tools for training homicide investigators. To this day, 18 of the Nutshell Studies are still used for teaching purposes by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Moreover, the dioramas have transcended their initial forensic purpose and are now recognized as works of art.
Frances Glessner Lee made history as the first female police captain in the United States and earned the title of mother of forensic science. Her tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to advancing the field of forensics have had a lasting impact on the scientific community. She revolutionized the investigation process, paving the way for generations of forensic scientists to come.