Early Female Physicians in Defiance County - Dr. Adelia Rohn

Around the turn of the century, and even earlier, Defiance was blessed with at least five dedicated female physicians: Dr. Kate Hoover, Dr. Nettie Belau, Dr. Adelia Rohn, Dr. Ella White, and Dr. Bell Slocum.

* Dr. Adelia Rohn (Delia, Dr. D. A. Rohn) 

Dr. Rohn was truly a product of Defiance, Ohio, growing up in Richland Township with her parents, Samuel and Charity Rohn.  As early as the 1850 census, Adelia, at 3, lived with her parents (spelled Rhon) on the census) and her siblings: Margaret, 11 - Delena, 5 - Orisa, 1 - Samuel, 0.  Living with them were also Mary Porter, 18, and William Rohn, 79.

By 1870, at the age of 23, she was still with her parents on their farm.  But in the 1880 census, she boarded with the Joseph Ralston family on Nichols Street in Defiance.  It is thought that her first office was at Wayne and Court Streets in 1879.  In the 1880 census, she described her occupation as "Doctress."  Someone else may have reported to the enumerator as Delia's age is given as 28.  In 1881, the newspapers reported that Dr. Rohn went to New York to do post graduate work; she returned in June of that year.

Quite a scandal brewed in Delia Rohn's life in 1889 and 1890.  The Defiance Democrat reported on August 1, 1889:

 And so, it did go to court - a jury trial.  This was Dr. Rohn's reputation on the line and she was going to defend herself.  Dr. Rohn was, until this disruption, a valued member of the community, serving in numerous organizations and on many committees.  She could not afford to have herself besmirched by gossip.

Finally on May 8, 1890 - nine months after the first reporting - the jury was selected and the matter took much of a week to be decided.

Defiance Democrat, May 8, 1890

On May 15, 1890, the Defiance Democrat reported the verdict.  For Dr. Rohn, it was a matter of preserving her reputation and the trust of her patients.

 From the 1900 census until 1930, Dr. Rohn resided at 415 Third Street, renting a home by herself.  She continued to serve as a physician while into her seventies.  By 1930, she had moved in with her nephew, Rollin Woodward, 70, and his wife, Ida, and his sister, Gertrude. (Dr. Rohn's ages were not always correct in the censuses.)

Dr. Delia A. Rohn died in Richland Township, the place of her birth, on August 17, 1930 at the age of 84.  Her obituary appeared in the Crescent News on August 18, 1930: 

 Her tombstone could not be located.