Alice Divine was born in Ellenville, NY on January 20th, 1868. She was the great-granddaughter of noted Quaker abolitionist Mehetabel (Hall) Divine, and the daughter of Dwight and Millicent J. (Hatch) Divine.

Alice was very active in the political community, serving on the Ulster County Republican Central Committee. She also served on the Ulster County Equal Suffrage Committee, a subcommittee of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association. Only in her mid-twenties in 1894, Alice helped collect the signatures and estate values of those in support of suffrage in Wawarsing, the town where she lived. Due to the hard work of Alice and her peers, Wawarsing was one of the top 3 towns in Ulster County for signatures collected in that year.

On June 6, 1900, Alice Divine graduated from Cornell University and received her degree as a Doctor of Medicine. She quickly became focused on the safety of others, especially children, and served on the New York State Board of Child Welfare. She was well known for her compassionate care and charitable efforts.  

Commemorative Biographical Record of Ulster County (1896)

The Commemorative Biographical Record of Ulster County, located in the Ulster County Clerk’s Archives, consists of over 1,000 pages and reads as a “who’s who” of Ulster County in the late 19th century. Though Alice is not featured in this record, her Great-Grandmother is included. Mehetabel (Hall) Divine (1789-1866) was a Quaker who spoke out against slavery and was hailed as an active voice of the subject. Originally from Connecticut, she is buried in Neversink, NY which is located in Sullivan County. 

Dwight Divine Civil War picture (Circa 1861-1865)

 This photograph shows Dwight Divine (1841-1933) in Union uniform, Alice Divine’s father. He earned the rank of Brevet Major while serving in the Civil War. He was a well-known civic leader in the town of Wawarsing via several ventures including owning the Ulster Knife Company.

Dwight Divine served in the 143rd New York Volunteer Infantry. Alice later joined the Daughters of the Union, an organization dedicated to “honoring and revering [each woman’s] Civil War ancestry, and promoting patriotism for the United States of America.” She was one of the primary organizers of the Major Dwight Divine Chapter of this organization.

Sources:

Commemorative Biographical Record of Ulster County, New York, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families. Chicago: J.H. Beers, 1896. Part of the Ulster County Clerk's Archival Collection.

“Maj Dwight Divine (1841-1933) - Find A Grave...” Find A Grave. Accessed January 29, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11715910/dwight-divine.

New York State Woman Suffrage Association Book (1895)

In 1894, at the age of 26, Alice Divine was very active in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, serving as an “equal suffrage canvasser” in Ellenville for the Ulster County Equal Suffrage Committee. This was 6 years before obtaining her medical degree from Cornell University in 1900.

Along with other local committee members, Alice helped to obtain signatures of support from 970 citizens of Wawarsing. The statistics shown here in the New York State Woman Suffrage Association Book of 1895 are the amount of taxable and personal property owned by women in the town as compared to all land owned in the town as a whole. The value of real and personal property owned by women in Wawarsing at the time was $83,472, which equates to almost 11% of the total assessed value of all property within the town.

Source: Report of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association. Rochester, NY: Charles Mann, 1895. Google Books.

Physician’s and Surgeon’s Affidavit (1900)

In proving her ability to practice in the medical field, Alice needed this Physician’s and Surgeon’s affidavit (located in the Ulster County Clerk’s Archives) to obtain a medical license. This record lists information such as her residence, date of birth, and license number, along with additional information concerning the license. An affidavit is defined as “a written declaration upon oath made before an authorized official.”

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Ulster County Medical Society Book (1865-1883)

The Ulster County Medical Society Book of 1865-1883 is beautifully illustrated with flowing engravings and calligraphic text throughout the book. This record is part of the Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection and includes a listing of fees for a variety of medical services, serving as a guide to local physicians like Dr. Alice Divine. 

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Due to an incident at the 1906 Ulster County Fair, Alice Divine became a national name. During an aerial trapeze act by Maggie Dailey, a female bystander named Mary S. Roper got her foot caught in a rope tied to an unanchored hot air balloon and was pulled into the air with the balloon. Accounts say she was raised anywhere from 500 to 1000 feet until she was finally released a few feet from the ground. She was rushed to Dr. Divine’s home in the aftermath with a broken hand, cuts, and bruises but ultimately made a full recovery. This story made headlines around the country, appearing in newspapers from New York to Colorado.

The Walsenburg World Article on Alice Divine and Mrs. Roper (September 21st, 1906)

This small Colorado newspaper article on the incident is a near word for word reproduction of an article from the Chicago Tribune except for an artist’s rendition of Mrs. Roper being pulled off the ground. These newspapers also state that the ordeal was a harrowing sensation.

Sources:

“Woman Makes Thrilling But Unexpected Trip Through Air,” The Walsenburg World. September 21st, 1906. Newspapers.com

“Thrilling Trip In Balloon,” Chicago Tribune. August 30, 1906. Newspapers.com

Photograph of Ulster County Fair Balloon Incident (1906)

 This 1906 photographic postcard captures a dramatic moment at the Ulster County Fair. Mary S. Roper caught her foot in the anchor rope of the hot air balloon and was lifted into the air. Her injuries were later treated by Dr. Alice Divine. The original photo caption reads “…a woman caught in the rope 1906”.  The postcard image was provided by the Ellenville Public Library and Museum.

Source: Ellenville Public Library and Museum Collection.

The History of Ulster County, New York by A.T. Clearwater (1909)

In The History of Ulster County, New York, A.T. Clearwater praises Alice Divine for her achievements in the medical field. It mentions her being in the New York Academy of Medicine and having “a prominent position in both professional and social circles.” 

Source: Clearwater, Alphonso Trumpbour. The History of Ulster County, New York. Kingston, NY: W.J. Van Deusen, 1909. Part of the Ulster County Archives Reference Library.

1905 and 1915 Ulster County Censuses

At the turn of the 20th century in the 1905 Ulster County Census, Alice is shown living with her father, mother, and brother. Only years into her career as a doctor, she had already accomplished quite a bit for a woman of her time, focusing mainly on child welfare. She is still living with her parents ten years later as the 1915 Ulster County Census attests.

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Town of Wawarsing Map with Stars (1875)

Although Alice Divine lived in the Divine homestead until her death in 1950, she was a prolific landowner.  Of the 13 properties purchased by Dr. Divine, 12 are located in Ellenville. The corresponding map, from the 1875 Ulster County Beers Atlas, shows the approximate location of 10 of the 12 Ellenville properties, including the Divine homestead marked with a blue star.

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Wawarsing Election Map (1918)

This Wawarsing Election map from 1918 shows all eleven voting districts of the town around the end of World War I. Dr. Divine had properties throughout Districts 2, 3, and 4. The document stands out for its vibrant colors.

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Board of Child Welfare (1917)

In 1917, Alice Divine is listed as being on the Board of Child Welfare in the Documents of the Senate of the State of New York. The Board of Child Welfare was established in 1915 to help widowed mothers with children under sixteen years old. The primary goal of the Board was to allow children to be cared for at home with their mothers instead of being institutionalized.

Source: Documents of the Senate of the State of New York One Hundred and Fortieth Session. Volume 17, no. 36, part 3. Google Books.

Newspaper reference of Alice Divine and Dr. George Chandler (July 2nd, 1932)

In this Daily Freeman article from 1932, Alice is described as doing surgical work with Dr. George Fletcher Chandler (1872-1964) at the Veterans Memorial Hospital, which is now Ellenville Regional Hospital. He was the first person to head and organize the New York State Police back in 1917. He recruited the first troops and coined the term “New York State Trooper.” He later retired to start his medical practice.

Source: Kingston Daily Freeman. July 2nd, 1932. Newspapers.com 

“Just for Fun” portrait of George Chandler (1909)

This caricature of George Chandler comes from a book titled “Just for Fun,” which was published in 1909 and is held in the Ulster County Clerk’s Archives. In the book, we see Dr. Chandler caring for a patient with his military uniform behind him. This was a souvenir style book including caricatures of various prominent people of Ulster County and each person paid $25 (About $720 in 2020 currency) to be included in the book.

Source: Ulster County Clerk’s Archival Collection.

Obituary of Alice Divine (June 1950)

Dr. Alice Divine passed away on June 28th, 1950 at the age of 82 and is buried in Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville, NY. With this Historical Profile, we honor her expertise in both the medical and societal fields.

Brief Obituary of Alice Divine (December 1950)

In a later edition on December 20th, 1950, the Kingston Daily Freeman mentions Alice as a “woman pioneer.”

Source: Kingston Daily Freeman. June 29, 1950 and December 30th, 1950. Newspapers.com