Woman of the Century/Laura Wood Catlin

LAURA WOOD CATLIN. CATLIN, Mrs. Laura Wood, philanthropist, born in Rouse's Point, Clinton county, N. Y. 25th June. 1841. She comes from a family closely connected with the early history of New York State. Her grandfather. Dr. James W. Wood, was taken prisoner while carrying dispatches, during the war of 1812, to Commodore McDonalds' fleet, then stationed at Plattsburgh. N. Y. He was kept in Quebec a prisoner of war for six months and then exchanged. Mrs. Catlin's father was the oldest son of Dr. lames W. Wood, and for many years held responsible town and county offices. Her mother, Mary B. Hammond, came from one of the old colonial families. Dying when Mrs. Catlin was child, she left her to the care of two maiden units. Mrs. Catlin's writings, both prose and poetry, have been published in various newspapers in Chicago, New York and Milwaukee. Much of her leisure time is given to charitable objects. The Laura Catlin Kindergarten. Sewing School and Free Dispensary in Milwaukee, Wis., are supported entirely by her. and she personally visits and relieves the poor families brought to her notice through those channels. In 1872 she became the wife of Charles Catlin, a son of Julius Catlin. of Hartford. Conn., and since that time has made her home in Milwaukee. Besides her talent for writing, Mrs. Catlin is a thorough musician. She has all her life been active in church work, as Sunday-school teacher and organist.