Frances Juliette Hosford was born in New Hartford, New York on 3 October 1853, the daughter of Henry Brown and Mary Eliza (Plant) Hosford. The Hosfords had six other children, including Mary Eliza (Ph.B. ‘99) and Helen Plant (Conservatory of Music, ‘85). Francis graduated from Lake Erie Seminary in 1872. Hosford taught at Lake Erie Seminary (1874-75), at Cleveland High School (1875-1880), and served as principal and teacher of Latin at Elyria High School (1880-1885). She then earned the bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oberlin in 1891 and 1896, respectively. She became a tutor, instructor, and finally associate professor of Latin, first in the Oberlin Academy and then in the College. She simultaneously served as a member of the Women’s Board of Managers (1892-1912) and as Dean of The Academy Women and Assistant Dean of College Women (1911-1920). As a historian, she researched early Oberlin history for articles that appeared in the Oberlin Alumni Magazine and for her book, Father Shipherd’s Magna Carta, a Century of Coeducation in Oberlin College (1937). Oberlin twice honored Hosford by conferring on her the degree of honorary doctor of letters (1931) and by awarding her the Distinguished Service Medal of the Alumni Association, the first occasion of its bestowal on a woman.
Frances Hosford enjoyed working in her home and garden, and was active in church and community. She wrote a book on the history of First Church of Oberlin titled A Living Stone (1933). Hosford was very interested in women’s advancement in education and her writings and teaching were dedicated to this cause. She never married, nor had any children, however, many of Hosford’s nieces and nephews are noted as Oberlin graduates. She died in Oberlin on 14 May 1937 of myocardial degeneration.
SOURCES CONSULTED
Guide to the Women’s History Sources in the Oberlin College Archives (1990).
Frances Juliette Hosford’ s student file, Alumni Records (RG 28), Box 396.
Author: William BigglestoneINVENTORY
Box 1
Frances J. Hosford Papers (folders and sample contents)
“A” - Amistad incident, Oberlin College Women’s Club, 1929-66
“B” - Clipping: John Brown, Correspondence: includes Antoinette
Brown Blackwell, 1926-34 [n.d]
“C” - Notes on colleges, Memorandum for the Centennial
Committee, Notes: President’s Address, Betsey Mix
Cowles, 1928-30, [n.d]
“D” - “The Cost of a Degree,” n.d.
“E-F” -Finney, C.J. and Sarah; letters from James Fairchild and
W.G. Frost, 1835-1935
Elmira College, 1926-32
Fitch, Emma Monroe, The Wellington Rescue Incident in 1858,
1928-n.d.
“G-L” - “Address on King’s Day” - Commencement 1927, Notes for
Dissertation, Sarah M. Sturterant, W.B. Gerrish, , Helen
Keep, Hosford, Sigma Gamma Literary Society, 1923-34
[n.d]
“M-O” - Gerrish, W.B., Louise Kellogg, Margaret Maltby, Julia
Finney Monroe, Emma Willard, Alumni Association of
Oberlin College (1928); Harteson, Louis D.: “Marriage
Statistics for Oberlin Alumnae” and “Vocational Stability of
the Oberlin Alumni,” early women at Oberlin, 1877-1962
[n.d]
“P-Z” -- Pope: Finney, E.A. Paddock, Henry Hallock Hosford,
Warsaw, N.Y., ceremonies, 1928-34 [n.d]
Snell, Florence M., 1931-38
Steele, E.S. and Eloise; Reminiscences, 1927-33
Wesleyan College, 1839-1932
Photographs
Hosford Family Photographs **Restricted Access**