When Reputation Meant Everything
(updated 2/25/25)
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| Full Transcript below |
It’s easy to romanticize the past, imagining a time when people were more honest, virtuous, and morally upright. But history tells a different story. The truth is, many of our ancestors were simply skilled at maintaining a façade. Social expectations were rigid, and people had little choice but to hide their true selves. Today, with the unfiltered nature of social media, we see just how much human nature hasn’t changed—only the way we present it.
In the 19th century, societal norms dictated strict moral codes, particularly for women. Sex outside of marriage was condemned, and an unwed pregnancy could ruin a woman’s reputation, leaving her ostracized and without support. Women like Kitty O’Brien, whose story appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer on November 10, 1893, faced not only public scorn but also personal devastation.
Kitty’s story is a sobering reminder of the harsh double standards women endured. After becoming pregnant, she was considered “ruined” in the eyes of society. But her tragedy didn’t end there—her child was taken from her, and what followed was a tale of deception, manipulation, and heartbreak.
Her case is worth a deeper look, but for this post, I want to focus on how 19th-century morality (or Victorian society) viewed women in Kitty’s position. How did she perceive her own actions? Did she feel regret, defiance, or simply resignation? And how do we, looking back, interpret her story today?
"The past may seem distant, but stories like Kitty O’Brien’s challenge us to consider how we view the lives and choices of those who came before us. While we may strive to understand them within the context of their time, it’s impossible not to filter their experiences through our own perspectives. Kitty’s story, like so many others, reminds us that history isn’t just about dates and events—it’s about real people navigating the expectations and limitations of their world."
Here is the full transcription of the newspaper article:
KITTY O'BRIEN
Asks the Police To Find Her Babe
Which the Records Show Was Buried in the Mt. Washington Cemetery.
Kitty O’Brien, the music teacher, called on Chief Deitsch yesterday, and told him that she thought her baby was alive, and was being used to blackmail some one.
Kitty, it will be remembered, figured in a sensation some months ago. She lived at No. 190 Mound street a year ago, and made a living by giving piano lessons. There she met Rena Gelwichs, who had a flat at No. 301 Central avenue. She visited the flat, and met several gentlemen there. One of them, she says, was Captain Powers, formerly one of the proprietors of the New Era Restaurant, on Vine street. She claims that he got her drunk and ruined her.
Last July she found that she was about to become a mother, so she called the Captain to account. The result was that she was sent to Mrs. Shaw’s house, at No. 1616 Eastern avenue. There her child was born. Kitty says that she never saw the child, and Mrs. Shaw told her that it was dead. Kitty now says that her brother wrote to her and told her that he had received a letter from some one saying that the child was not dead, but was being used by some one for black-mailing purposes. If the child was alive, she wanted it. Detective Crawford was detailed on the case, and he made an investigation. He found from the records in the Health Office that the child was still-born and had been buried by Undertaker Watkins, and was interred in the cemetery in Mt. Washington. The certificate was signed by Dr. Countryman.
Kitty says that she never received a cent of money from Captain Powers, and that her brother paid all her expenses. She claims that Rena Gelwichs, who is now in Dayton, received money from Sam Conn, of Winchester, Ky., to pay Kitty’s expenses, and that he paid it for the Captain. Rena paid it to Mrs. Shaw, and the result was that Mrs. Shaw received double pay for her services as nurse.
Chief Deitsch will investigate further.
Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer, November 10, 1893.
