Remarkable Women of Milford
Women have played a pivotal role in the life of our city since its founding in 1639. The following memorable ladies of Milford have left an indelible mark on both our city and its society, making history and inspiring the next generation of women to help make Milford an even better place.
Martha Beard
Born in England, Martha was pregnant with her sixth child when she, husband James, and their five children braved the Atlantic for a better life in the New World. Sadly, James fell ill and died on the voyage. In deference to her situation, the Widow Beard was granted her husband’s house lot and then some. The first woman property owner in Milford, she managed six acres of land. Although she passed away in 1649 at the age of 43, and though her time in Milford was short, it was recorded in town records that her service to the town was exceptional. Martha Beard’s name is engraved on the Centennial Bridge downtown.
Abigail Merwin
Referred to as Milford’s Paul Revere, Abigail Merwin called Milford home from 1759–1786. On August 25, 1777, Mistress Merwin was hanging the wash when she noticed an unfamiliar sight: rowboats heading toward shore, loaded with British troops from the warship H.M.S. Swan which had docked in Milford Harbor. Without hesitation,,Merwin gathered up her 18-month-old daughter and raced downtown in a horse-drawn wagon, clanging a wooden spoon on a metal pot and spreading word of the impending invasion. Farmers herded their cattle near what is now Calf Pen Meadow School to avoid the raid. Her quick actions gave the Milford militia time to spring into action and repel the British soldiers.
Mary Hepburn Smith
The Italianate mansion built in the mid-1800s at 144 West River Street was home to Milford society doyenne Mary Hepburn Smith. After an 1899 fire did significant damage to the homes, commercial buildings, and mills along the Wepawaug River, she purchased the property, cleared the burned buildings, and created a park which was then donated to the town. The duck ponds have become a retreat for decades of residents, a place for citizens to stroll, fish, and have their photographs taken.
Dr. Helen Langner
A local pioneer in women’s rights, Dr. Langner marched in women’s suffrage rallies, received her teaching degree from Hunter College (Class of ’14), and became just the fourth woman to graduate with a medical degree from Yale (Class of ’22). She found her calling in the burgeoning field of child psychiatry and served Milford’s children for 76 years in practice. Well loved by the community, she ended her career at Milford Hospital in 1988 at the age of 96. She passed in 1997 at age 105
Caroline Platt
This Milford lady has the distinction of being the first female member to serve in the Connecticut State House Representatives, beginning in 1929. Always civic-minded prior to her stint in the state legislature, Platt worked with the Public Health Association, served as secretary of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and was a member of the Milford Historical Society and the Milford Garden Club.
Rona Geib Stoetzer
The 1936 Milford High School valedictorian, Stoetzer went on do great things…that no one knew about. During World War II she worked in anonymity helping to crack German codes. An affinity for languages and a mastery of puzzles enabled her to employ these unique skills in cryptography, which made a direct impact on the allied war effort. After the war ended, she worked with the Counter Intelligence Corps in Germany tracking gold bars that Germany had looted from other European nations. All of this was unbeknownst to her family for many, many years until Stoetzer eventually let them in on her closely guarded secret.
Annette Fosdick & Mildred Moe
Beginning their careers as department clerks during World War II, Fosdick and Moe became the first two policewomen in Milford in the years following the war. Fosdick was sworn in in 1946 and Moe in 1947. These trailblazers advanced in the ranks over the course of their careers, with Fosdick retiring after 20 years of service and Moe after 25 years.
Margaret Egan
The first female city clerk in Milford, Egan served her post for decades before retiring in 1987. In 1979 the Connecticut General Assembly and House of Representatives lauded Egan with a resolution recognizing her years of service. When the former Lenox Avenue School closed and was turned into a community center, it was named The Margaret Egan Center in her honor.
Muriel Grossfeld
A gymnast in her youth, Grossfeld competed in three summer Olympic Games (1956, 1960, and 1964) and won a team gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games. After her retirement from competition, Grossfeld became a national gymnastics coach and an international judge. The Muriel Grossfeld School of Gymnastics trained elite gymnasts from around the globe here in Milford. She was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1981.
Diane Crump
One of the first female professional jockeys in the U.S., Crump was the first woman to ride in a pari-mutual horse race at Hialeah Park in February 1969. The uproar was so great she had to be escorted to the track by police. In 1970 she was the first woman jockey in the Kentucky Derby. She continued riding for nearly two decades despite a serious accident in 1989 in which she broke her ankle,her ribs, and her legs in six places. In all, she rode 228 races in her career. Crump now runs an equine sales business in Virginia.
Judy Hessberger
Milford’s first female firefighter came from a firefighting family. Her uncle and her husband were both firemen. In the 1970s, the self-proclaimed tomboy decided to volunteer at the Fort Trumbull Volunteer Fire Company. She went through the same training as the men. With her physical strength, quick thinking, and determination, she made the grade and joined the Fort Trumbull house. She fought some major fires in town, at the Post Mall, and Meadowside School.
Catherine “Kay” Pollard
Polland was the Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 13 from 1973-1975, although the Boy Scouts of America (B.S.A.) refused to recognize her as such. In 1974 and 1976 she petitioned for official recognition but was refused. In a case that received international attention, Pollard took the B.S.A. to court in 1980. Although she lost, in 1984 the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities ruled her to be eligible as a Scoutmaster. The ruling was overturned in 1986. Finally, in 1988, the Boys Scouts removed their gender requirements.
Phyllis Holt
Founded in 1979 by Phyllis Holt, the Network of Executive Women marks its 40th anniversary this year. Holt’s idea was an organization that would help women in business learn from one another by sharing experiences and knowledge. The Network has continued to grow since its inception and hosts networking events to help new business owners and established business women discuss opportunities, resources, and create new contacts.
Alberta Jagoe
The first female mayor of Milford, Jagoe was elected in 1981 and held the position until 1989. During her tenure, Jagoe oversaw many municipal projects including the restoration of the Parsons Complex from the former Milford High School to its transformation as city offices, field space, and community auditorium. Jagoe’s administration also oversaw the creation of the Margaret Egan Center, the modernization of the Milford railroad station, and a long-overdue beautification of the Milford Green.
Rutheva Baldwin Brockett
As a descendant of the Baldwin family, history was always of interest to Rutheva and her knowledge of local families their histories was well known. In 1988 she became Milford’s first official City Historian, eventually serving for 10 years. She created “A Walking Tour of Milford” which is still followed to this day, and co-authored the extension of the History of Milford, 1639-1998 to help commemorate the city’s 350th Anniversary.
Gayle Slossberg
An advocate for our community and our state, Slossberg served as a state senator from 2004-2018. Authoring hundreds of bills over her tenure in office, she was a great supporter of veterans and served at the first Senate Chairwoman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Slossberg created the Connecticut Wartime Veteran’s Service Medal that has been awarded to thousands of veterans. She also enhanced lead poisoning laws, ensured breast self-examinations were taught in schools, and made possible the placement of lifesaving AEDs (defibrillators) in public spaces.
Heidi Alice Voight
The first and only Miss Connecticut from Milford, Heidi competed in the Miss America pageant in 2006. After her reign she followed her passion for storytelling and entered the journalism profession. As a reporter, photographer, and producer Voight covered local stories, blizzards, hurricanes, and even tornados. She is currently a morning anchor on NBC Connecticut, and hosts weekly segments highlighting human interest stories and local non-profit organizations throughout the state.
Erin Pac
Chosen from her kindergarten class to carry the Olympic torch it must have been a sign to the young Miss Pac. As a world class bobsledder, her career running from 2002-2010 was certainly successful. In 2010 she made the U.S. Olympic Team and competed in Vancouver in the two-woman bobsled event. Pac and her brake-woman Elana Meyers posted a total time of 3:33.40 over four heats to win the Bronze Medal, a mere 1:12 away from the Gold.
