Woman of the Week

Dr. Flora L. Aldrich, a physician and surgeon from Westford, New York, is this week's Woman of the Week.

• To learn about her by viewing her item, please click on her image.  

• To read her biographical sketch in A Woman of the Century, please click on the highlighted page numbers to the left of her image.

Dr. Flora L. Aldrich was born in Westford, New York, on October 6, 1859.  She married Dr. Alanson G. Aldrich in 1883 and pursued a medical career.  Flora graduated from Minnesota Medical College and studied in Vienna, Austria, and in Germany.  Eventually, she became a physician and surgeon in Anoka, Minnesota.  

On August 19, 1901, The Minneapolis Journal published a lengthy article about Flora's new book, Boudoir Companion.  The article, praised Flora's book, discussed her life and career, included a photograph, and noted:

"Her medical studies were  pursued in the best institutions of this country and Europe, and her knowledge of medicine is not only considered profound and accurate, but she is admired and respected by the medical profession everywhere."

According to The Minneapolis  Journal of January 4, 1905, Dr. Flora L. Aldrich had attended to a young man who eventually passed away after his teacher punished him.  The article also mentions that "Colonial Hall, the elegant new home of the Drs. Aldrich" in Amoka was the site for a reception of the Coterie Club. Their home was located "on the corner of Third avenue and Munroe street."

In addition to her medical work, Flora was  a public speaker, an author, a suffragist, a political elector, and a philanthropist. 

The October 19, 1911, edition of The Princeton Union noted: "Dr. Flora L. S. Aldrich of Anoka delivered an interesting talk to a group of Duluth club women in that city last Friday afternoon on 'Social Hygiene.'  Mrs. Aldrich is a skilled physician, a gifted writer and an interesting talker."  The next week, The Princeton Union reprinted Mary McFadden's article from The Duluth News-Tribune, which calls Flora a suffragist and mentions the publication of her book, The One Man.

A Democrat, Flora appeared on the ballot as a  Presidential Elector from Minnesota in 1920 for Democratic candidate James M. Cox.

Flora passed away on March 19, 1921.  In May of 1921, soon after her death, the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs honored Flora at their convention.