My grandmother was the daughter of immigrants, a poor family who struggled for everything. She didn't complete high school, but began working until she married in 1927. She had two children and didn't begin working outside the home until about 1948. She was forty-three years old and took a part time job, with the intention of working for six months to pay off some medical bills. The job was a part-time job in the Peoria County Treasurer's office. After six months had passed Mabelle was just ready to quit when one of the deputies-the bookkeeper-left and she was asked to take on that job. She had not completed high school, but had taken a class in bookkeeping, so the job was hers.
When the County Treasurer left, Mabelle was made the Chief Deputy of the Treasurer's Office.
By 1958, Mabelle was urged to run for the Peoria County Treasurer's Office. She filed to run and "The first thing I knew I won the nomination, and from then on I was in the race.".
Mabelle won the race and became the first woman elected to a county office in twenty years. The picture above is of her sitting on the lion outside of the old Peoria County Courthouse.
An interesting quote in the Peoria Journal Star after her election was the following:
"Mrs. Murphy believes political campaigning is harder for a woman than a man because many people are prejudiced against women in public office. She said during the primary, a number of people told her they had never voted in their life for a woman , and many indicated they weren't about to change that habit."
I have always felt so proud of my grandmother and what she accomplished. She was a true role model for women.
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