Woman of the Century/Sophia Braeunlich

BRAEUNLICH, Mrs. Sophia, business manager, born in Bethpage, L. I., and July, 1860. Her maiden name was Toepken. Her parents were Germans, both from old and aristocratic families. When she was twelve years old, she was sent to Europe, where she received a first-class education. She remained there until her sixteenth year, when she returned to her native country and made Brooklyn her home. Shortly afterwards she was married, and after a brief time she was left dependent upon her own resources. She then entered Packard's business college in New York, taking a full course there, and after graduating from the college, in 1879, she obtained a situation as private secretary to Richard P. Rothwell, the editor of the "Engineering and Mining Journal" and president of the Scientific Publishing Company. She has risen step by step from the bottom, to the top rung of the business ladder in that office. Mrs. Braeunfich displayed such intelligence and energy that ere long Mr. Rothwell availed himself of her services as ix>th secretary and assistant exchange editor. She mastered the technical details pertaining to the paper, attended the meetings of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, and frequently went down into mines on such occasions, thus gaining practical knowledge of various details that increased her usefulness in the office. When the secretary and treasurer of the publishing company resigned his position, Mrs. Braeunlich was elected to fill the vacancy. She displayed such remarkable executive ability, combined with energy and ambition, that at the first opportunity she was promoted to the office of business manager of the entire establishment She has full charge of the general business and financial departments, and in addition to the multiplicity of mental labor entailed by her position, she assisted in the government work connected with the collection of gold and SOPHIA BRAEUNLICH. silver statistics for the Eleventh Census. The room in which Mrs. Braeunlich spends most of her time, and which she has occupied for over twelve years, is the same one which Henry Ward Beecher used; at the time of his editorial work on the "Christian Union." It is brightened with Mowers, birds and pictures, and its neatness presents an agreeable contrast to the majority of journalistic business offices. She is described by one of the "Journal's" starr as "a modest, warm-hearted, accomplished and irreproachable woman, of strong character, with an instinctive clearness of vision that seems to be confined to women, and with the sound judgment of a man," and it is added that "she possesses the absolute esteem and goodwill of all the gentlemen in the office, and is always a courteous lady, though a strict disciplinarian. The office, as well as the work, is the better for her influence." Mrs. Braeunlich has for years worked very hard, giving up almost all social and other pleasures, and devoting all her thoughts and time to business.