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The Blue Book of Iowa Women A History of Contemporary Women

Compiled by Winona Evans Reeves, 1914.

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Miss Lottie E. Granger

Miss Lottie E. Granger, teacher, school officer and literary contributor, was born near Granville, Ohio.  Her father, Sylvester Spellman Granger, was of English-Connecticut descent, dating back to Battle Abbey, 1087.  Her mother, Elizabeth Walruth's ancestors, were German, and settled in the middle of the 18th century in northwestern New York.  Sylvester Granger inherited great riches, and a large estate, but was unfortunate in losing it.  Miss Granger was educated in the public schools of Ohio and at Shepardson, the Woman's College of Denison University of Granville, A. B., 1880;  A. M., 1895.  She studied two years at the Des Moines College, then affiliated with Chicago University.  She took a two years course at the Bible Teachers' Training School, New York.  In 1886 she was elected superintendent of the schools of Page county, which position she held for three terms, refusing to be a candidate for a fourth term.  In 1888 she was unanimously elected president of the Iowa State Teachers' Association, the second woman in Iowa to be given that honor.  She served on the board of managers of the Iowa State Teachers' Reading Circle from the date of its organization.  For six years she edited a magazine, "The Page County Teacher."  She was president of the W. C. T. U. of the eighth congressional district, and was offered the presidency of the State W. C. T. U. upon the resignation of J. Ellen Foster, but because of other duties, could not accept it.  For eleven years she was a teacher of English in the high schools of Des Moines.  For several years she was Associate Principal and Dean of Stanley Hall, Minneapolis, in connection with which duties she also taught English and English Literature.  Of far reaching importance has been Miss Granger's work as a volunteer teacher of the English Bible.  She has had large classes in the First Baptist church of Des Moines, of which she is a member, and in the Y. W. C. A.  She is chairman of the library committee of the Y. W. C. A., and editor of "Inklings," the local association paper.  She is the author of short stories, poems, and has written editorials for various publications.  In collaboration with Mrs. Edwin Henshaw, she prepared for the publishers, the manuscript of "The Passing of the Word," left in the first draft at the death of its author Helen Henshaw.  During her work as County Superintendent she formed a rarely beautiful friendship with Mrs. Henshaw, then of Clarinda, now of Des Moines.  "A Woman of the Century," says:  "The name of Miss Granger and Mrs. Henshaw are almost synonomous in Page county."  For twenty-seven years this bond of friendship has held true, earnest of continuing true to the end.  Miss Granger's permanent home has been with Mrs. Henshaw all these years.  Miss Granger is a member of the Woman's Club, the Robert Browning Club, Votes for Women League, Political Equality Club, all of Des Moines, and is active in every cause of welfare for which she can find time.  She is a good club member, leader of program and committee member, and when she takes the floor is an impressive, forceful speaker.  She has traveled much in this country, but has reserved the pleasure of foreign travel for days yet to come.  She has given the fruitage of active years to the uplifting of many young people in Iowa, and still has so much reserve force that it is easy to believe that her best has not yet been given.

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