Family
Florence was the daughter of William D. Kelley (1814–1890) of Philadelphia. He was the son of Hannah and David Kelley. He was a self-made man who become an abolitionist, a founder of the Republican party, a judge, and a longtime member of the United States House of Representatives. [copied]. She was majorly influenced by her father and said, "I owe everything that I have ever been able to learn to do" [1]. Throughout her early years he read books to her that involved child labor[1]. Even at age ten, her father educated her on his activities and she was able to read her father's volume, The Resources of California[1].
Caroline Bartram Bonsall, was the mother of Florence, but was not as much of a prominent figure. Her mother had relations to the famous Quaker botanist, John Bartram. Unfortunately, her parents died while at a young age; where she was then adopted by Isaac and Kay Pugh[1]. She spent a large proportion of her childhood at the Quaker home.
Florence's great-aunt, Sarah Pugh, lived as a Quaker and opponent of slavery. Pugh's decision to deny use of cotton and sugar because of the connection to slave labor made an impression on Florence from an early age. [copied] She was an advocate for women and told Florence about her life as an oppressed woman[1].
Florence Kelley was an early supporter of women's suffrage after her sisters died and worked for numerous political and social reforms, including the NAACP (which Florence helped found). In Zurich, she met various European socialists including Polish-Russian medical student Lazare Wischnewetzky, whom she married in 1884 and had three children with (the couple divorced in 1891). [copied] They divorced because of his physical abuse [2] and were overflowed with debt[1]. Unable to divorce her husband for "non-support", she then fled to Chicago and was able to receive full custody of her children[1]. She kept her maiden named, but preferred to still be called "Mrs. Kelley"[2].
Education
In her early years she was severely sick, highly susceptible to infections, and was therefore unable to go to school for one periods time[1]. On days she would be miss school she would be in her father's library, reading many books.
In 1882, Kelley attended Cornell University at age 16. At Cornell, she was a Phi Beta Kappa member [copied]. At Cornell, she wrote her thesis about disadvantageous children. The topic of her thesis was influenced by her father's teaching about unprivileged children[1].
Kelley also earned a law degree at Northwestern University of Law in 1894 [copied]. She was then able to start a school for working girls in Pennsylvania.
Publications
Kelley, Florence. Some Ethical Gains Through Legislation. WENTWORTH PRESS. (1869-1932).
Further Reading
Sklar, Kathryn. Notes of Sixty Years: The Autobiography of Florence Kelley, Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company. 1986.
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