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Women Telegraph Operators in the Civil War

Elizabeth Cogley (1833-1922)
Telegrapher, Pennsylvania Railroad, 1856-1900

• Became operator for Atlantic & Ohio in Lewistown, PA in 1855
• Became Pennsylvania Railroad’s first female operator in 1856
• Moved to Harrisburg during Civil War
• Retired in 1900 after 44 years service with Pennsylvania RR
• Born in Lewistown, PA in 1833. Her father owned a book and stationery store and delivered newspapers
• Educated in “dame schools” and the Lewistown Academy
• As a child, remembered hearing the news read from the post office steps when the mail stage came in
• Learned telegraphy from Charles Spottswood, operator at Lewistown; delivered telegrams
• Became operator when Spottswood left in 1856
• Became a railroad operator when the Lewistown office was taken over by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1856; taught telegraphy to several Lewistown women
• Moved to Harrisburg in 1862 and sent important messages during the Civil War
• Never married; retired from the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1900 after a career of almost 45 years
• Her Voluntary Relief file index card is at the State Archives, Harrisburg
• Retired in 1900 with title of “Chief Messenger” and a monthly pension of $26.05
• Returned to Lewistown, and became active in church and civic affairs
• Died at age 88 in 1922

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Helen M. Plummer
Telegrapher, Greenville, PA 1850

• The early telegraph companies were continually in need of operators in small towns in Pennsylvania, and continually strapped for cash to pay operators
• Women could be hired for less money than men
• Helen M. Plummer became an operator for the Erie & Michigan Telegraph Company in Greenville, PA around 1850 – for a starting salary of $125 a year!

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Emma Hunter
Operator at West Chester, PA, 1851

• Became operator for Atlantic & Ohio Telegraph Company in West Chester in 1851
• Her initial salary was $50 per year
• First “electronic commuter” – worked out of her parlor in 1851
• One of many women considered to be the “first female operator”
• Born in Meadville, PA, in 1831.
• Her father died when she was young
• Her mother moved to West Chester and opened a stationery store and lending library
• Emma learned telegraphy from Uriah H. Painter in West Chester and began to operate in 1851
• She was considered to be an expert operator – “Emma of S” was her “sine”
• Her income helped to support her mother and brother
• Her telegraph office and her mother’s stationery store moved to the Pennsylvania Railroad depot in 1857
• Managing a telegraph office is a little-studied aspect of business management by women in the 19th century
• Telegrapher at West Chester during Civil War; sent many war-related messages
• Left the telegraph office in the late 1860s and worked for the Bank of Chester County
• Married Thomas T. Smith, tobacco merchant, in 1868; they had two children
• Died on December 21, 1904, in West Chester

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Abbie Struble Vaughan
B&O Operator, Pittsburgh, 1866

• Learned to read by sound in Pittsburgh, 1860s
• Married J. L Vaughan and moved to Texas, 1880s
• Operated in Mexico for the Mexican National Railroad, 1890s
• Taught telegraphy in Long Beach, CA, 1917
• Born in Port Perry, PA in 1845, of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. Her father was a steamboat pilot.
• Learned sound telegraphy in Pittsburgh around 1861, together with her sister Madge.
• Married J. L. Vaughan, telegraph lineman, in 1866.
• Worked for B&O Railroad in Pittsburgh, late 1860s – early 1870s. Instructed many other railroad operators
• Lived in Ohio and Missouri. Had 5 children, all of whom became telegraphers
• Moved to Merkel, Texas, in 1882 and became operator at the Texas & Pacific Depot. Entire familiy moved into the depot.
• Moved to Mexico in 1891 to become operator for the Mexican National and Mexican Central Railroads
• Left Mexico after 1911 Revolution and settled in Long Beach, CA
• Came out of retirement in 1917 at age 72 to teach telegraphy during World War I
• Died in Long Beach, CA in 1924

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Hettie Ogle
Manager, Johnstown, PA Western Union Office - 1889

• Hettie Ogle began working for Western Union in 1861
• Became manager of Johnstown W. U. office and telephone exchange
• Her daughter Minnie was chief operator
• Remained at her post during May 31, 1889 flood - drowned
• Civil War widow; operated at Bedford, PA before coming to Johnstown in 1869
• Became manager of Johnstown Western Union Office; her daughter Minnie became Chief Operator
• Opened telephone exchange in the 1880s
• Remained in her office during flood; both she and her daughter Minnie were killed in the flood
• Her son Earl survived and became postmaster in Johnstown

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