Nora Stanton Blatch Barney

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney - Civil Engineers, Timeline and Family

Violet FieldHome › AmericanNora Stanton Blatch BarneySeptember 30, 1883504 views

0 based on 0 rates
Nora Stanton Blatch Barney Biography Stories 

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's Personal Details

Nora Stanton was the first woman to become a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 30, 1883
Died onJanuary 18, 1971
NationalityAmerican
FamousCornell University, Women's Rights Activists, Architects, Civil Engineers
SpousesLee de Forest
ChildrensHarriet De Forest, Rhoda Jenkins
Universities
  • Cornell University
  • Cornell University
Notable Alumnis
  • Cornell University
Birth PlaceBasingstoke
GenderFemale
FatherWilliam Blatch
MotherHarriot Eaton Stanton Blatch
Sun SignLibra
Born inBasingstoke
Famous asCivil Engineer, Architect, Women’s Rights Activists
Died at Age87

// Famous Women's Rights Activists

Emily Greene Balch

Emily Greene Balch

Emily Greene Balch was an American economist, sociologist and pacifist who won the 1946 Nobel Peace Prize. This biography of Emily Greene Balch provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner truth was an African American abolitionist who was the first black woman to win a case against a white man. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony was an American feminist who played a major role in the women's suffrage movement. This biography of Susan B. Anthony provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's photo

Who is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney?

Nora Stanton Blatch was the first woman to become a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. In 1905, she became the first woman to graduate from Cornell University with a Civil Engineering degree. While receiving a formal education was still uncommon for American women in the early 20th century, she went further by embarking on an engineering career and worked for the American Bridge Company and for the New York City Board of Water Supply. As the daughter of women’s rights activist Harriot Stanton Blatch, Nora inherited her mother’s passion for the cause. Along with her hectic career, she was also deeply involved with the women's suffrage movement. She was once married to Lee De Forest, who invented the radio vacuum tube. Being his wife, she worked for his company until the couple separated and eventually divorced because her husband was intimidated by her independent spirit and professional ambition. She re-established her career after her separation and worked for the Radley Steel Construction Company and the New York Public Service Commission. She also began working as an architect while remaining active on the women’s rights movement as well, becoming the president of the Women’s Political Union in 1915.

// Famous Cornell University

Abraham Maslow

Abraham Maslow

Abraham Maslow was a humanistic psychologist best known for his theory of self-actualization. This biography of Abraham Maslow provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Huey Lewis

Huey Lewis

Best known for his album ‘Sports’, Huey Lewis is the lead singer, musician and lyricist for the band ‘Huey Lewis and the News’. Check out this biography to get detailed information on his life.

Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison

Mae Carol Jemison is a famous American astronaut who became the first African American astronaut to travel to space. To know more about her childhood, career, profile and timeline read on

Childhood & Early Life

Nora Stanton Blatch was born on September 30, 1883, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England to William Blatch and Harriot Stanton. Harriot was a prominent suffragist. Nora’s maternal grandmother Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a pioneering women's rights activist.

As the daughter of a well-known feminist, Nora received a good education and was encouraged by her parents in her intellectual pursuits. In 1897, she began studying Latin and mathematics at the Horace Mann School in New York.

Her family moved to the United States in 1902. Nora was interested in studying engineering, a field women seldom ventured into in the early 20th century. She went to Cornell University and graduated in 1905 with a degree in civil engineering. The same year, she was accepted as a junior member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), becoming the first woman to do so.

Career

Nora Stanton Blatch began her engineering career working for the New York City Board of Water Supply. She also worked for the American Bridge Company in 1905–06.

During this time she became acquainted with Lee De Forest, inventor of the radio vacuum tube, and entered into a romantic relationship with him. She then quit her job and took classes in mathematics at the Columbia University so that she could assist De Forest in his work.

She married De Forest in 1908 and began working for his company. On their honeymoon to Europe, the couple demonstrated De Forest’s radio equipment to potential buyers.

The marriage, however, did not last long as De Forest wanted her to set aside her professional aspirations and become a conventional housewife. This was not acceptable to the fiercely independent Nora Stanton and she left her husband. She was pregnant with their daughter at the time of their separation.

In 1909 she began working as an engineer for the Radley Steel Construction Company. She eventually divorced her husband and continued with her engineering career.

She found an appointment with the New York Public Service Commission as an assistant engineer. During this time she also explored job opportunities in the field of architecture and proceeded to work for the Public Works Administration in Connecticut and Rhode Island as an architect, engineering inspector and structural-steel designer.

Always an independent-minded woman, Nora Stanton was dedicated to the women’s rights movement in addition to managing her career. Following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, Nora campaigned heavily for the cause of women’s suffrage from 1909 to 1917. She became the president of the Women’s Political Union in 1915.

In 1916, she applied to the ASCE for an upgrade to associate membership since she had passed the age limit for junior status. Her request was denied solely on the basis of her gender. She proceeded to file a lawsuit against the ASCE which she eventually lost.

She remarried and moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where she worked as a real estate developer. She also remained involved with political and women’s rights activism till the very end, authoring pamphlets such as ‘Women as Human Beings’ (1946).

Awards & Achievements

In 1905, Nora Stanton Blatch became the first woman to be accepted as a junior member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

She was posthumously advanced to ASCE Fellow status in 2015, an honor she was deprived of in her own lifetime.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1908, Nora Stanton married the prominent inventor Lee de Forest. The marriage however broke down quickly as her husband expected her to become a conventional housewife instead of pursuing her professional ambitions. The couple separated within a year of their marriage and divorced in 1911. One daughter was born from this marriage.

Her second marriage was to Morgan Barney, a marine architect, in 1919. This marriage resulted in the birth of her second daughter.

She remained active throughout her life and breathed her last on January 18, 1971.

// Famous Civil Engineers

E. Sreedharan

E. Sreedharan

E. Sreedharan is an Indian engineer known as the “Metro Man” for his pivotal role in building the Konkan Railway and Delhi metro. This biography of E. Sreedharan provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Gustave Eiffel

Gustave Eiffel

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French civil engineer and architect who built the famous Eiffel Tower. This biography profiles his childhood, life, career, achievements and timeline.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Isambard Kingdom Brunel was the English civil engineer who built the Great Western Railway. This biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney biography timelines

  • // 30th Sep 1883
    Nora Stanton Blatch was born on September 30, 1883, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England to William Blatch and Harriot Stanton. Harriot was a prominent suffragist. Nora’s maternal grandmother Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a pioneering women's rights activist.
  • // 1897
    As the daughter of a well-known feminist, Nora received a good education and was encouraged by her parents in her intellectual pursuits. In 1897, she began studying Latin and mathematics at the Horace Mann School in New York.
  • // 1902 To 1905
    Her family moved to the United States in 1902. Nora was interested in studying engineering, a field women seldom ventured into in the early 20th century. She went to Cornell University and graduated in 1905 with a degree in civil engineering. The same year, she was accepted as a junior member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), becoming the first woman to do so.
  • // 1905
    Nora Stanton Blatch began her engineering career working for the New York City Board of Water Supply. She also worked for the American Bridge Company in 1905–06.
  • // 1905
    In 1905, Nora Stanton Blatch became the first woman to be accepted as a junior member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
  • // 1908
    She married De Forest in 1908 and began working for his company. On their honeymoon to Europe, the couple demonstrated De Forest’s radio equipment to potential buyers.
  • // 1908 To 1911
    In 1908, Nora Stanton married the prominent inventor Lee de Forest. The marriage however broke down quickly as her husband expected her to become a conventional housewife instead of pursuing her professional ambitions. The couple separated within a year of their marriage and divorced in 1911. One daughter was born from this marriage.
  • // 1909
    In 1909 she began working as an engineer for the Radley Steel Construction Company. She eventually divorced her husband and continued with her engineering career.
  • // 1916
    In 1916, she applied to the ASCE for an upgrade to associate membership since she had passed the age limit for junior status. Her request was denied solely on the basis of her gender. She proceeded to file a lawsuit against the ASCE which she eventually lost.
  • // 1919
    Her second marriage was to Morgan Barney, a marine architect, in 1919. This marriage resulted in the birth of her second daughter.
  • // 1946
    She remarried and moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where she worked as a real estate developer. She also remained involved with political and women’s rights activism till the very end, authoring pamphlets such as ‘Women as Human Beings’ (1946).
  • // 18th Jan 1971
    She remained active throughout her life and breathed her last on January 18, 1971.
  • // 2015
    She was posthumously advanced to ASCE Fellow status in 2015, an honor she was deprived of in her own lifetime.

// Famous Architects

Vitruvius

Vitruvius

Vitruvius was a Roman architect, author, and military engineer during the 1st century BC. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about his life.

Rudolf Steiner

Rudolf Steiner

Rudolf Steiner introduced groundbreaking ideas in realms of spirituality, art, education and agriculture. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to his life.

Zaha Hadid

Zaha Hadid

The famous Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid is known for her designs of the ‘Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art’ and ‘Heydar Aliyev Center’. To know more about her childhood, profile, career and timeline read on.

Albert Speer

Albert Speer

Albert Speer was a German architect and served as a Minister for Nazi Germany during the Second World War. This biography profiles his childhood, personal life, career, relations with Hitler, subsequent capture and other facts.

Neri Oxman

Neri Oxman

Neri Oxman is an American-Israeli architect. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Gustave Eiffel

Gustave Eiffel

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French civil engineer and architect who built the famous Eiffel Tower. This biography profiles his childhood, life, career, achievements and timeline.

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's FAQ

  • What is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney birthday?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was born at 1883-09-30

  • When was Nora Stanton Blatch Barney died?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was died at 1971-01-18

  • Where was Nora Stanton Blatch Barney died?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was died in Greenwich

  • Which age was Nora Stanton Blatch Barney died?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was died at age 87

  • Where is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's birth place?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney was born in Basingstoke

  • What is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney nationalities?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's nationalities is American

  • Who is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney spouses?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's spouses is Lee de Forest

  • Who is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney childrens?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's childrens is Harriet De Forest, Rhoda Jenkins

  • What was Nora Stanton Blatch Barney universities?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney studied at Cornell University, Cornell University

  • What was Nora Stanton Blatch Barney notable alumnis?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's notable alumnis is Cornell University

  • Who is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's father?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's father is William Blatch

  • Who is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's mother?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's mother is Harriot Eaton Stanton Blatch

  • What is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney's sun sign?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney is Libra

  • How famous is Nora Stanton Blatch Barney?

    Nora Stanton Blatch Barney is famouse as Civil Engineer, Architect, Women’s Rights Activists