Eliza Ellen Leonard (November 16, 1866 – October 17, 1924) was an American physician, Presbyterian medical missionary, and college dean. Based in Peking, she was Dean of the North China Union Medical College for Women from 1915 until just before her death in 1924.

Early life

Eliza Ellen Leonard was born in

Kossuth County, Iowa Kossuth County () is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 14,828. The county seat is Algona, Iowa, Algona. History Kossuth County was founded on Januar ...

, and raised in

Fairfield, Iowa Fairfield is a city in, and the county seat of, Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. It has a population of 9,416 people, according to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The median family income is $46,138, with 10% of families belo ...

, the daughter of William Patterson Leonard and Catherine Ashton Barr Leonard. She graduated from

Parsons College Parsons College was a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college located in Fairfield, Iowa. The school was named for its wealthy benefactor, Lewis B. Parsons Sr., and was founded in 1875 with one ...

in 1888, and earned a medical degree at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

in 1895.

Career

Leonard taught school for a few years between college and medical school. In 1895, Leonard was commissioned as a medical missionary, and sent to the North China Mission, under the care of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. Board of Foreign Missions. She was sponsored by the Women's Synodical Mission Society in Seattle. She survived the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

violence in the city in 1900, though she was reported killed or "probably slain" in some American newspapers. Leonard helped build and lead the Douw Hospital for Women, and the Union Training School for Nurses. "Nurses' work used to be looked upon as menial service by educated young women," she wrote in 1912, "but that day is fast going by." She became dean of the North China Union Medical College for Women when it was founded, and moved with the school to

Jinan Jinan is the capital of the province of Shandong in East China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is one of the largest cities in Shandong in terms of population. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of ...

. She was vice-president of the Peking Missionary Association in 1922. Leonard took furloughs home to the United States in 1902, 1912 and in 1918, and lectured on her work to women's groups and church groups. Sometimes she wore "a full Manchu dress" with headdress and shoes, when addressing American audiences. In 1919, she attended the annual meeting of the

American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) is an American professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. This medical association was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was 271,660 ...

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

. Leonard resigned as the first Dean of Women in 1924 due to illness. She was the first Dean of what became

Cheeloo University Cheeloo University (, alternatively known as "Shantung Christian College") was a university in China, established by Hunter Corbett American Presbyterian, and other English Baptist, Anglican, and Canadian Presbyterian mission agencies in early ...

Personal life

Leonard died in Peking in 1924, aged 57 years, after several years with cancer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonard, Eliza Ellen 1866 births 1924 deaths People from Kossuth County, Iowa American women physicians American Presbyterian missionaries Presbyterian missionaries in China Christian medical missionaries Parsons College alumni University of Michigan Medical School alumni