Clara Rankin Coblentz (, Rankin; August 19, 1863 – March 6, 1933) was an American temperance reformer and clubwoman. Coblentz held leadership positions in a number of organizations including president of the Non-Partisan National Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary Society (Clarion), and the Home and Foreign Missionary Society (Clarion).

Early life and education

Clara Amelia Rankin was born at Madison Furnace,

Clarion County, Pennsylvania Clarion County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,241. Its county seat is Clarion. The county was formed on March 11, 1839, from parts of Venango and Armstrong counties. Clarion Cou ...

, August 19, 1863. Her parents were Calvin Alexander and Emma (Burnside) Rankin. There were six younger siblings: Kate, Lillie, Mary, Margaret, Alda, and William. She was educated in Clarion High School, and graduated from Carrier Seminary (later Clarion State Normal School) in 1880. Her family removed in 1869 to

Clarion, Pennsylvania Clarion is a borough in and the county seat of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north-northeast of Pittsburgh and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Clarion was settled in 1839 and incorporated in 1841. In the past, the s ...

, where she assisted her father in his store until her marriage.

Career

On January 19, 1886, at Clarion, she married George Weber Coblentz (1857–1923) of

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, an ...

. They had two children: Charles Rankin and Howard Burnside. In 1903, the family removed to Ann Arbor, Michigan, but returned to Clarion in the following year. In 1915, they moved to

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...

. Coblentz was involved in the religious work of the

Presbyterian church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their na ...

, and from early adulthood, took an active interest in social problems, particularly those dealing with the liquor traffic. She joined the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international Temperance movement, temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social ref ...

(WCTU) in 1878, and was a charter member of the Clarion County Union, which was organized in 1883. Her first active work was done as local and county superintendent of scientific temperance instruction, helping to secure the passage of a law requiring such instruction in the public schools of the State. After holding various offices in her local Union, she became president of it in 1890. The same year, she joined the Non-Partisan WCTU, becoming successively treasurer (1902) and president (1903) of the national organization. She was a leader of the unions which became auxiliary to the Women’s Christian Temperance Alliance in 1890, and was elected State president of the Alliance in 1915. Coblentz delivered frequent addresses on temperance. Coblentz was a member of the Chautauqua Woman's, Clarion Woman's, and Chautauqua Press clubs. She held a number of leadership roles. These included first vice-president,

Chautauqua, New York Chautauqua ( ) is a town and lake resort community in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 4,017 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Chautauqua Lake. It is the home of the Chautauqua Institution and the birthplac ...

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promot ...

Circle; trustee, class of 1907,

Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...

Literary and Scientific Circle; recording secretary, State Federation of Pennsylvania Women; and recording secretary, Woman's Club of Chautauqua, New York. While in the role of chair of the Juvenile Court Committee of the State Federation of Women's Club, 1909–11, she prepared a leaflet on juvenile laws of Pennsylvania for the use of clubwomen which was favorably received. Coblentz taught parliamentary law in her hometown, and

Sunday school A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. S ...

. She worked as a newspaper correspondent and gave addresses on temperance and religious subjects. Though she favored limited suffrage, she thought women were not ready for it.

Death

Clara Rankin Coblentz was sick for about year before she died at her home in Clarion on March 6, 1933.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coblentz, Clara Rankin 1863 births 1933 deaths People from Clarion County, Pennsylvania American temperance activists Woman's Christian Temperance Union people Daughters of the American Revolution people Clubwomen