Lydia Cromwell Hearne

Physician and civic leader

(Mrs. Julian G. Hearne)

-- from Shawkey, Morris, Purdy. West Virginia in history, life, literature and industry.Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1928. v, 5, p. 2

Mrs. Julian G. Hearne, of "Hearnlee," Wheeling, is a director of the West Virginia Historical Society, and in her career she has come into useful touch with many important interests of her community and state.

As Lydia Herts Cromwell, M. D., she practiced medicine for several years. She was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and after finishing high school entered the Hanhemann Medical College of Chicago, where she graduated with honors. Doctor Cromwell was assistant physician of the Pennoyer Sanitarium at Kenosha, Wisconsin, during 1896-97, and from 1898 to 1900 was head physician of Galen Hall at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Doctor Cromwell was married June 6, 1900, to Mr. Julian G. Hearne, of Wheeling. She has one son, Julian G. Hearne, Jr., now a student in the Harvard Law School. Mrs. Hearne has served on the Board of the Associated Charities and Anti-Tuberculosis League of Wheeling, the Salvation Army, and was a member of the Advisory Board during the planning and installation of the city water filtration system in Wheeling, During the World war she served as a member of the Ohio County War Chest, and as chairman of the War Work Council of the Y. W. C. A. She is now president and since 1906 has been a member of the board of the Children's Home of Woodsdale, is first vice prsident and chairman of the finance committee of the Wheeling Y. W. C. A., is a member of the Board of Directors and was president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs of West Virginia.

She has been an active leader among the Republican women of the state. She was elector-at-large on the Republican ticket in 1924 and was the first woman honored with the duty of carrying the electoral vote of her state to Washington. She is chairman of Republican Women of the First Congressional District. She was appointed by Governor Morgan to serve of the advisory board of the educational survey. Governor Gore appointed her a director of the West Virginia Historical Society. In November, 1922, she was elected Republican member of the Board of Education of the Triadelphia District for a four year term, being the first woman member of that board. Mrs. Hearne takes an active part in St. Matthew's Episcopal Church at Wheeling.

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