KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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As Women's History Month shines a light on trailblazing women, one name that stands out is Celia Ann Dayton. She was the first female doctor in Kansas and was from Johnson County.
It wasn’t easy to be a female doctor at the time. Jim Wilson works with the Spring Hill Historical Society to teach people about Dayton’s journey.
“For her to have the intestinal fortitude and the strength to carry on and be a beloved member of the community and a doctor and be an inspiration to others, it just thumps my heart,” said Wilson, a former Spring Hill resident.
To this day, Dayton's name can be seen everywhere in the small city. Wilson said her importance helped with the resurgence of the historical society, too.
“That helped us to form a new version of the Spring Hill Historical Society,” Wilson said. “We've told the story countless times, and so I think that the people of Spring Hill now consider it important to keep her name alive.”
When Dayton established herself as a doctor during the mid-1800s, it was rare for women to be seen in the medical field. She was also serving a community that had little access to medical care.
Dayton didn’t let anything get in her way, including the loss of her son during the Civil War and a divorce, which was highly uncommon in her time.
“To be able to be brave enough to come out here and support a Free State movement and be the first woman doctor actually in Kansas, and be beloved by so many members of the community, in spite of losing her son in the Civil War and going through a divorce, it was unheard of at the time,” Wilson said.
Wilson thinks it’s amazing to see such an early example of the success of a woman in STEM. Even today, Statista reports that women only make up 38% of doctors.
Wilson hopes Dayton's story will keep inspiring women.
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