Libbie Beach Brown (, Beach; after first marriage, Hoel, after second marriage, Brown; March 11, 1858 – August 28, 1924) was an American philanthropist. She was well known and influential in temperance affairs and other reform movements, and always affiliated with progressive elements.

Early life and education

Libbie Belle Beach was born in

Livingston County, Illinois Livingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 35,815. Its county seat is Pontiac. Livingston County comprises the Pontiac, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is ...

, March 11, 1858. Family members were educators. Her parents, Freedus Poe Beach (1827-1912) and Nancy (née, Lewis) (1828-1903), were known as leaders in

reform movement Reformism is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social system, social or also a political system closer to the community's ideal. A reform movement is distinguished from more Radicalism (politics), radical social movements such as re ...

s. Libbie had several siblings including Mary, Marcia, Carrie, Lavaun, and Clifford. Brown was educated in a seminary.

Career

Brown entered the teacher's profession, performing this work for five years before her marriage, in

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in 1883, to Ernest B. Hoel. In one year, she was a wife, a mother, and a childless widow. She took up the teacher's vocation again, until 1890, when she accepted the position of superintendent of the Home for the Friendless, in

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. She was sent by the

Governor of Nebraska The governor of Nebraska is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Constitution of Nebraska. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, with elections held two years after presidential ...

as a delegate to the

National Conference of Charities and Correction National Conference of Charities and Correction (NCCC) was an American organization focused on social welfare. It was established in 1874 as the Conference of Boards of Public Charities. During the period of 1875 through 1879, it held the name Confe ...

held in

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in May 1891, and went as a delegate to the same convention held in

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in June 1892. The press of the State praised her as a business manager. She served as the Home's superintendent for six years. On October 3, 1895, at Trinity Methodist Episcopalian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, she married Rev. Harrison D. Brown (1846-1940). For many years, he served the Methodist churches in Nebraska. After the nuptials, the couple removed to

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where Rev. Brown accepted the position of superintendent for

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

and

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

of the children's home finding society. Rev. and Mrs. Brown removed to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, Washington in 1896 and founded the organization that became the largest nonprofit child welfare agency in the state of Washington: the Children's Home Society of Washington. It served institutions such as the Lebanon Home for Girls where in one year, girls from 17 nations received assistance. Some of them had children and they, too, were cared for. She also served as president of Seattle's City Federation of the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...

(W.C.T.U.).

Personal life

She was a musician, and for years made music a large part of her life-work. As a singer, she excelled. On August 9, 1924, a Seattle newspaper reported that Brown was seriously ill. Libbie Beach Brown died at her home in Seattle, August 28, 1924. Burial was at

Lake View Cemetery Lake View Cemetery is a Private property, privately owned, Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Rural cemetery, garden cemetery located in the cities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Cleveland Heights, and East Cleveland, Ohio, East Cleveland ...

Notes

References

External links

*
Report, Free-Home For The Friendless, May 1892, submitted by Superintendent Libbie B. Hoel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Libbie Beach 1858 births 1924 deaths Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century People from Livingston County, Illinois Philanthropists from Illinois Temperance activists from Washington (state) Activists from Seattle Woman's Christian Temperance Union people Burials at Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)