Guide to the Scrapbooks of Judge Sara M. Soffel, c1930-1951

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Scrapbooks of Judge Sara M. Soffel
Creator
Soffel, Judge Sara M. (18 -1976)
Collection Number
MSS#188
Extent
2 cubic feet (8 shelf volumes)
Date
1930-1951
Abstract
Judge Sara M. Soffel was the first female County Court Judge appointed in the State of Pennsylvania by Governor John S. Fisher in 1930. Soffel was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Pittsburgh. There are primarily newspaper clippings and articles; programs; correspondence; photographs; invitations; and a set of Judge Soffel's fingerprints in this collection.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by Maurenn Doloughty on May 24, 1995. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Summer, 2001.
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

Biographical Sketch of Judge Sara Mathilda Soffel (?-1976)

Judge Sara M. Soffel was the first female County Court Judge appointed in the State of Pennsylvania by Governor John S. Fisher in 1930. Soffel was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She was the daughter of Jacob Soffel, an alderman and crier in the old Common Pleas Court in Pittsburgh. Mr. Soffel was also a veteran of the Civil War. Her older sister, Miss Catherine Soffel, raised Judge Soffel after their mother died when Sara was young. Catherine Soffel was principal of the American Avenue Public School. The middle child, Miss Phoebe Soffel managed their father's real estate and insurance business in Mount Washington.

Judge Soffel graduated from Central High School. Soffel later graduated with highest honors in 1908 from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. After graduation, she taught Latin at both Central and Schenley High Schools in Pittsburgh for a period of eight years (Crafton High School teaching Botany, and English??). While teaching, Soffel entered law school. She was the one of the first women to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1916. She was admitted to the Allegheny County Bar on October 6, 1916. From 1916 until 1930, Soffel practiced law. In 1922, Soffel became Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh serving until 1926 under Mayor William A. Magee. In 1928, Soffel was appointed Director of Bureau of Women and Children in the State Department of Labor and Industry. She left that post when she was appointed to the position of County Court Judge for Allegheny County. In 1931, Soffel was elected to the same post for a ten-year term. In November 1941, Soffel was elected to the Common Pleas Court. She remained in that post until she retired from the bench in January 1962. She then returned to practicing law at Buchanan, Ingersoll, Rodewald, Kyle & Buerger. She retired from that firm in 1968. Judge Sara M. Soffel died on October 5, 1976.

Judge Sara M. Soffel was a woman of firsts. She was one of the first female lawyers in the State of Pennsylvania. She then went on to become the first female judge in both the County Court and the Court of Common Pleas. Of what is known, Soffel never married. Despite her actions, one could say Soffel was not what we would now characterize as a feminist. From the articles that appear in these scrapbooks, Soffel seemed to be a "model" female citizen. She was active in many organizations: the Women's City Club; Twentieth Century Club; Pittsburgh Wellesley Club; American Association of University Women; and the Business and Professional Women's Club. Also, she granted divorces to men who complained of their wives refusing to make them breakfast and not being able to keep their homes in order. Soffel thought "women of the day" could not cook, could not take care of children, and had no idea how much work was needed to keep a marriage together. This suggests that she expects these things from women. The articles contained here show Soffel presiding over divorce, child custody, and juvenile court cases further perpetuating the myth that women can better decide in these emotional matters.

Scope and Content Notes

There are eight scrapbooks in this accession. Some loose items are out of order, while others have been pasted out of order. There are primarily newspaper clippings and articles; programs; correspondence; photographs; invitations; and a set of Judge Soffel's fingerprints in this collection.

The first two scrapbooks (c1930) deal with information on Judge Soffel's personal life from local newspapers. She was an active member in various social clubs and worked for charities as well. She was often asked to speak at various functions and judge contests.

The third scrapbook (c1940-1942) deals with the 1941 election information for Judge Soffel's bid for the Court of Common Pleas. There is information on her running mates: their biographies; political thoughts; and final campaign results.

The fourth scrapbook deals with cases Judge Soffel heard from 1943-1950. Primarily, these cases deal with divorce and custody battles. They also provide an insight into what values were in the 1940s. Also, Judge Soffel decided a case involving workers' right to strike at the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation in Homestead, Pennsylvania.

The fifth scrapbook is concentrated on the 1949 trial of an 18 year-old suspected of murder Judge Soffel presided over. Dolores Waldo of the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh was accused and acquitted of the murder of her great aunt.

The remaining three scrapbooks deal with the City of Pittsburgh's "Free Work" scandal in 1950-1951. Judge Soffel presided over a grand jury investigation involving nearly every major city officials, and various city departments. She retired from the bench in 1962.

It is not known who compiled these books. It is believed that Judge Soffel did not compile these herself due to a few third person references in one of the books. However, a close friend probably collected these materials, for they were written positively.

Arrangement

The Judge Sara M. Soffel Scrapbooks are wrapped in acid-free paper and are arranged in a reasonably chronological order beginning in 1930 and ending in 1951.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These materials came in one accession in 1987.

Acc# 1987.17x

Preferred Citation

Scrapbooks of Judge Sara M. Soffel, 1930-1951, MSS# 188, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Maureen Doloughty on May 24, 1995.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on July 26, 2001.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.

Subjects

    Personal Names

    • Soffel, Judge Sara M. (18 -1976)
    • Waldo, Dolores

    Other Subjects

    • Women's Clubs -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Election Information -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh '41
    • Right to Strike -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Divorce cases -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
    • Free Work Scandal -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List