This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Kroe532 Surnames: Stainbrook, Ayling, Leyson Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.illinois.unknown/12488.1.1.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Sounds as if I've hit on a good person to help me search. I did call a lady who was recommended to me as a representative of the Ousamequin Club of Bridgewater. She took down all my information about Cora B. Ayling, but never replied with a letter. She had never heard of Cora Ayling or Cora B. Cartland. >From the American Biographical Archive 1833: 82-85 - Microfiche, I have found the following: "Cora Belle Ayling was born December 16, 1870, in the village of Paw Paw, Ill., her parents uniting the blood of the old Scotch Presbyterians with that of the English. Her father, Alfred Stainbrook, in early life settled at his old home as a breeder of high-grade horses. A man of striking personality, he represesnted the best type of the pioneer, and to his little daughter Cora, who became his constant companion, he was the ideal of all that was best in manhood. In those long days they spent in the saddle, riding over the great sweep of prairie, his strong character impressed on the child its absolute fearlessness, its sincerity, its hatred of______________and hypocrisy. To this day she is want to exclaim, "I have yet to meet my father's equal. In 1880 the Stainbrooks moved to Cleveland, Ohio, the father becoming interested in a manufcturing concern. Cora attended the public schools, showing remarkable ability in mathematics, and studied to prepare herself for teaching! . Her plans were abruptly changed by the sudden death of her father while trying to save the lives of some of his men after an explosion of chemicals. The girl of seventeen found herself the responsible head of the family, with an invalid mother and two young sisters dependent on her for support. She bravely confronted the problem of bread-winning, and succeeded in maintaining the home, giving her sisters a business education as a basis for their own independence. For a time Cora held the position of bookkeeper, but her energies required a more active life, and for several years she travelled through the Middle States, representing a Chicago firm, a cereal food house. Her salary, seventy-five dollars a month for the first two months, was then increased to three thousand dollars a year and expenses. In 1894 she married Arthur Putnam Ayling, a native of Boston, then a glass manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wis. She was elected treasurer of the company, the Northern Glass Wor! ks, and had practical charge of the office and sales department. In 1 908, her health failing, the Aylings moved to a delightful country house in Bridgewater, Mass., where the rest and outdoor life proved restorative. Later, when her husband's business interests took him to the remote Southwest, Mrs. Ayling resumed the business management of a new Boston publication, the BROWN BOOK, which in less than two years achieved a most remarkable success. She is also the president of the Automatic Addressing Machine Company, and has interests in various other enterprises. Personally Mrs. Ayling is a woman of rather slight physique, far too slight for the stress the mind would impose upon it; but her indomitable will carries her through tasks that might well deter many men. Her rather quizzical gray eyes have an almost clairvoyant power in reading those with whom she comes in contact. Her mind rapidly grasps the salient points of any proposition, ignoring unimportant details, and her deductions are seldom in error. She places her objective points ! clearly and attains them by very direct methods, possessing strong executive ability. She systematizes the work of her assistants, and aspires intense loyalty in those about her. Mrs. Ayling is a member of the New England Women's Press Club, and was a charter member of the Ousamequin Club of Bridgewater." HOWE, J.W. Sketches of representative women of New England. 1904. The Altoona Mirror Newspaper, Altoona, Pennsylvania, published the following on May 14, 1906: "Mrs. Cora B. Ayling A Women Whose Executive Abilities Bring Her $10,000 a Year Mrs. Cora B. Ayling of Brookline has the distinction of being the only woman whose name is given in the Directory of Directors. Not only is Mrs. Ayling a successful business woman and director in several corporations in Boston, but as secretary and treasurer of the companies she draws one of the largest salaries paid to any woman east of New York city, her year's work netting her $10,000. Mrs. Ayling, who is secretary-treasurer and director of the Agno Auto Mailing Machine company, secretary-treasurer and director of the George Livingston Richards company and secretary-treasurer of the Richards Publishing Company, three companies whose assets aggregate $4,300,000, is thirty-five years old. She started business immediately upon her graduation from a high school in Chicago, where she was born, and her first work was a traveling saleswoman for a flour mill in that city. She started on a month's probation in the capacity and proving a success, remained with the firm seven years.! When the Richards Publishing Company was formed in 1900 Mrs. Ayling came east to take charge of the advertising end of the business, and from that position she worked her way to her present office and to her positions in the other companies, which were formed later. Mrs. Ayling attributes her success to hard work and keeping constantly at it. She says that she had to go to work when she left school and that her business education has been obtained directly through practical contact with business world. During the past year President Richards of the company has been in Europe for about eight months, and during that time Mrs. Ayling has had complete charge of the work in all three firms. Enterprising and giving most of her time to business, Mrs. Ayling has still time for many out of door enjoyments. She is a member of the Commonwealth Country Club and plays golf and drives and this year has taken up automobiling. She is a firm believer in out of door excercise and attributes! her good health and business ability to this relaxation and manifold business cares." ---Boston Herald. Since I grew up in Massachusetts, not far from Bridgewater, I have done extensive research in Massachusetts. If you wish to send me your e-mail address, I can send you further notes of where I have searched. thanks, carol Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.