Am I a Good Feminist?

Example of a Detective Shield in FL

photo credit Bing file image

Today, September 12, 1910, the world's first female police officer, Alice Stebbins Wells, was  appointed by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).   A few weeks ago, my niece received her gold detective's shield.  So, what's the point?  Neither woman was, or will be, paid the same as her male counterparts. This drew me into some research about feminism and the past.  The following are a few of the facts I found and some personal reflections. 

One definition of a Feminist is a person advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men.

In doing some recent research, I discovered some information about Dr. James Teas and Nancy Teas.  The research states that on June 5, 1911, Dr. James Teas, Sr. married a second time to Mrs. Nancy Coldwell Harris (born May 4, 1870).  Nancy was the widow of J. C. Harris who died on December 22, 1906.  J.C. and Nancy were the parents of two children:  J. C. Harris, Jr. and Katharine Harris who married Davis Porch.  James and Nannie Teas lost their house in a spectacular fire in 1920 due to the faulty installation of the first furnace to be installed in a home in Waverly, TN.  Nancy was well ahead of her time and believed in equality and progress.  

Her husband, James Teas, Sr. died on July 23, 1932 and Nancy Teas died in 1971.   Nancy Vernon Coldwell Harris Teas was 101 when she died.  It was fascinating to read through genealogies and observe the facts released about the males and how little information is given about the women. There is a lot of information about the men in genealogies, but not much about the strong feminist women.

One fact that the information doesn’t state is that these were my great-grand parents.  I never knew Dr. Teas of course, but Mamma Nancy was the first feminist I knew.  She was a college graduate and taught at Martin College in TN.  Remember this was the early 1900’s and not many women were educated at the college level, much less teaching at that level.

Nancy Harris Teas with her class at Martin College.

Nancy’s daughter, Katharine Harris, was a graduate of Mary Baldwin College.  Katharine was my grandmother and the second feminist I knew.  They were both strong women in a very understated southern way.  My grandmother majored in music and had a wonderful alto voice.  She was also a suffragette.  Katharine married and had three children with my grandfather, Davis Scott Porch Sr. 

Davis was away most of the time either fighting in the war, or trying to find work during the depression.  While he was gone, my grandmother, Katharine ran the house, tried to work toward the women’s right to vote, raised two daughters, and one son.  The oldest daughter was my mother.  She didn’t give birth to me, but she raised me.  My father and my mother adopted twin daughters.  Mother worked hard and she was, in her own way a feminist also.  She worked all day, came home fixed a meal and often had to return to work.  She kept up much of the foundation of the family and was the stronger parent because my father was so ill with emphysema.

The women in our family were the strong silent type. They were "Southern Ladies," but they were strong.  They didn’t gripe or complain that their lives were too difficult.  They didn’t drink or turn to drugs to “ease their stress or pain,” and they didn’t give in to the tiredness and fear they must have felt during the wars and the Great Depression.. 

Four Generations.  Nancy Teas, Katharine Porch, Nancy Floyd,

Marian Floyd (on the left} and Michele Floyd McNerney

(on the right).

My great-grandmother fostered my love for reading.  She would read works by William Shakespeare, wonderful poetry and stories to my sister and to me.  My grandmother shared with me a love of music.  Her voice was that of an angel and she played the piano beautifully.  I think I can often still here her play “Glow-worm” or some well-known hymn.  She loved Elvis too.  She was one of the first delegates to the Democratic Convention in Tennessee after the women got the right to vote. 

I often wonder where I fit into that legacy?  What have I done?  What will my legacy be?  Time will tell but I hope those strong brave women were proud of me.