Gertrude Beeks Easley

Background

Easley, Gertrude Beeks was born on January 16, 1867 in Greenville, Tennessee, United States. Daughter of James Crisfield and Sarah Jane (Brackenridge) Beeks.

Education

Educated public schools, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Chicago.

Career

2 stepchildren. Assistant secretary Civic Federal of Chicago. President National Association Business Women, 1894-1901. Head of Sociological Department, McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, 1901-1903.

Director Welfare Department, The National Civic Federal, since 1903.

Investigator industrial enterprises, lecturer, writer and organizer. Director course in welfare work, New York University, 1913.

Sent by Secretary of War William H. Taft to Panama to suggest improvements in conditions of employees, 1907, having received personal directions from President Theodore Roosevelt. Organized workmen’s compensation, social insurance, pension, profit sharing, industrial training departments and minimum wage commission of National Civic Federation.

Elected honorary member Stationary Firemen’s Union, June 1, 1907.

Appointed by Samuel Gompers secretary Executive Committee of Committee on Labor of Council of National Defense, April 2, 1917. Initiated war risk insurance for soldiers and sailors and their dependents, housing for munition workers, and industrial training to increase war supplies, World War I. Study Extent of Old Age Dependency, 1926.

Organized department Patriotic Education, 1940, Department Youth Education, 1943.

Achievements

• Gertrude Beeks Easley has been listed as a noteworthy sociologist. by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member Women's National Republican.

Connections

Married Ralph M. Easley, September 3, 1917 (deceased).