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Her name might not be in Who\u2019s Who Among African Americans<\/em>, or have household recognition like Madam C.J. Walker<\/a>, but Ida Hagan broke barriers not only for her race, but her gender. From a young age, Hagan bore the burden of being the only Black person in the room. Perhaps this garnered the tenacity required of her in 1904, when her appointment as deputy postmaster of the post office in Ferdinand, Indiana drew intense local resistance and national attention. This would only be the first stop on her professional journey, and she would go on to become a pharmacist and labor union organizer.<\/p>\n Born May 24, 1888, Ida Priscilla Hagan grew up in the Pinkston Settlement, a free Black settlement west of Ferdinand. It was founded in the mid-1800s by her great-grandfather, Emanuel Pinkston Sr. In 1897, the Huntingburgh Argus<\/em> wrote that \u201cThere are 5694 white children in the district schools of Dubois County and our little colored girl whose name is Ida Hagan. Ida is eight years of age and is a pet pupil in District No. 4 in Ferdinand Township.\u201d She graduated with honors from the Gehlhausen School in Ferdinand Township in 1902, with the Huntingburgh Independent<\/em> claiming that she was \u201cthe first colored pupil in Dubois county [sic] to graduate from the district schools in this county.\u201d Hagan was also reportedly the first Black resident in the county to attend a public high school, Huntingburg High School.<\/p>\n Her life would change when she met Swiss-born Ferdinand physician, Dr. Alois Wollenmann<\/a>. After his wife, Fidelia, died during childbirth, he hired Hagan to help care for his two sons and assist in his drug store, the Adler Apothak. The store also served as the town\u2019s post office, of which Dr. Wollenmann was postmaster. Hagan remained with the Wollenmann family during the week, and on the weekend she would return to the Pinkston Settlement. In 1904, at age 16, he appointed Hagan deputy postmaster.<\/p>\n While her age might have been controversial enough, there was one particular detail about Hagan which might have been more important: she was a Black woman. According to historian Justin Clark<\/a>, Dr. Wollenmann made the bold and courageous decision to appoint Hagan at a time when racial terror lynchings were regular occurrences<\/a> and Jim Crow<\/a> was bifurcating the country. The doctor stuck by his decision, saying that it was \u201chis own business\u201d whom he appointed as his assistant and she would \u201cremain as assistant as long as he is postmaster in Ferdinand.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n It was unclear to residents and newspaper editors around the state why Dr. Wollenmann appointed a Black girl, despite receiving job applications from white girls. Threats were made to burn the doctor in effigy and boycott his office, but the doctor did not seem alarmed and showed no inclination to yield to the \u201cunwarranted prejudices\u201d of critics. The English News<\/em> on August 19, 1904 noted of the appointment \u201cThe patrons of the office are much incensed at the appointment of a colored person for assistant, and especially since the lady was not even a resident of the town.\u201d<\/p>\n The Logansport Daily Reporter<\/em> noted of Hagan:<\/p>\n In an interview she said that people were glad to see her working in their houses and she cannot see why they object to her working as a deputy in the post office. She said that if she had known her appointment would have the storm that it has, she would not have accepted, but that now she will hold on to it, and the doctor will keep her, she does not propose to be driven out if she can help it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Nevertheless, Hagan withstood the pressure and excelled at her job, endearing herself to the community with her efficiency, kindness (especially for the infirm and elderly), and ability to speak the Low German spoken by many of the locals.<\/p>\n While working at the store, and under Dr. Wollenmann\u2019s tutelage, Hagan took a home study course in pharmacy offered by Winona Technical Institute, the precursor to Butler University. She received her Indiana pharmacy license in 1909. She was just 20 years old, an accomplishment for anyone that young, let alone a Black woman. According to John Clark (Assistant Professor at the College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida), Keenan Sala (Indiana State Archivist), and Dr. Gregory Bond (Assistant Director of the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy), Hagan became the first known licensed female Black pharmacist in the state and likely the youngest in the nation.<\/p>\n Hagan could certainly be described as a trailblazer in the field of pharmacy, joining Harriet Marble, Julia Pearl Hughes, and Anna Louise James as some of the first Black women in pharmaceuticals. These young women were privileged and attended schools like Howard University, Meharry Pharmaceutical College, Brooklyn College, among other notable universities. Hagan, however, took home study courses while working at the drug store and post office, and caring for Dr. Wollenmann\u2019s children.<\/p>\n On October 17, 1903, tragedy struck when Dr. Wollenmann fell ill with tuberculosis. In an attempt to heal, he temporarily left his sons in Hagan\u2019s care and returned to his native Switzerland to recuperate and visit with his sister. In his absence, he reappointed Hagan deputy postmaster to manage duties. However, just weeks after his return to Ferdinand, he passed away at the age of 48. Upon his untimely death, Hagan became acting postmaster, one of the first Black women in Indiana to hold this position. The Indianapolis Recorder<\/em> noted on July 27. 1912 \u201cIda\u2019s honesty and integrity has won the respect and confidence of the community in which she lives and the position tendered her is a tribute paid not only to Miss Hagan, but to the race.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.history.in.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/pinkston-settlement.png\")
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