Bethenia Owens-Adair

American physician and social reformer

Bethenia Owens-Adair

Bethenia Angelina Owens-Adair (February 7, 1840 – September 11, 1926) was an American physician and social reformer known for her pioneering work in medicine and her advocacy for women's rights and social reforms, including eugenics and temperance.

Early Life

Bethenia Owens-Adair was born in Van Buren County, Missouri, in 1840. Her family moved to the Oregon Territory in 1843, where they settled in Clatsop County. Growing up in the frontier environment, Owens-Adair faced numerous challenges but was determined to pursue an education.

Education and Medical Career

Owens-Adair's journey into medicine began later in life. After a difficult marriage and subsequent divorce, she decided to pursue higher education. She attended the University of Michigan and later the University of California Medical Department, where she earned her medical degree in 1880. She was one of the first women to practice medicine in the Pacific Northwest.

Dr. Owens-Adair in her later years

Owens-Adair established a successful medical practice in Portland and later in Astoria. She was known for her dedication to her patients and her advocacy for public health measures.

Social Reform and Advocacy

Bethenia Owens-Adair was a prominent advocate for social reforms. She was deeply involved in the women's suffrage movement and worked tirelessly to promote women's rights. Her efforts contributed to the eventual passage of women's suffrage in Oregon in 1912.

Owens-Adair was also a proponent of eugenics, a controversial movement that aimed to improve the genetic quality of the human population. She believed in the sterilization of individuals deemed "unfit" to reproduce, a stance that has been widely criticized in modern times.

Publications

Owens-Adair was a prolific writer and published several works on her experiences and beliefs. Her writings provide insight into her views on medicine, social issues, and her personal life.

Later Life and Legacy

In her later years, Owens-Adair continued to be active in social causes and remained a respected figure in her community. She passed away in 1926, leaving behind a complex legacy as a pioneer in medicine and a controversial figure in social reform.

Owens-Adair's work on human sterilization

Related Pages

• Women's suffrage in the United States
• Eugenics in the United States
• History of medicine in the United States