Woman of the Century/Jane Meade Welch

WELCH, Miss Jane Meade, journalist and historical lecturer, was born in Buffalo, N. Y. She comes of New England stock. She received a good education and had the ambition to pursue a college course. In her sophomore year she was taken seriously ill, and her college course was abandoned perforce. She was an invalid for two years. After recovering her health, she entered journalism. She began with a year of service as a general writer on the Buffalo "Express." She next joined the staff of the Buffalo "Courier" as JANE MEADE WELCH.

society editor and occasional writer of editorial articles. She added to her duties the preparation and conduct of a woman's work column. She served on the "Courier" for ten years, and was the first woman in Buffalo to make a profession of journalism. She kept up her studies in history, and finally prepared a series of lectures on historical subjects, which she first delivered to friends in her own home. She next presented her lectures in the Chautauqua Assembly, and her success was instant. She was at once engaged for the next year to deliver a series of lectures on American history in the university extension course. In February, 1891, she gave a series of six lectures in the Berkeley Lyceum Theater in New York City, and success crowned her venture. The most prominent society and literary people of the metropolis patronized her lectures. She repeated the series in Mrs. Reed's school in New York City, and in Ogontz Seminary.