Elizabeth Barr Arthur

Elizabeth Barr Arthur (, Barr; after marriage, Arthur; pen name, Elizabeth N. Barr; 1884–1971) was an American poet, author, journalist, librarian, and suffragist. In 1913, she joined the police force in Topeka, Kansas, together with Eva Corning, the two of them becoming the first women in the U.S. to hold positions of regular patrolmen. She was the editor and publisher of the Club Member and Current Topics papers. She was a prolific author, writing editorial, historical and feature pieces, but she preferred to be remembered as a poet.

Career Arthur became a been a pioneer in reforms and welfare work for women and children. During a sojourn in Florida for two years, she traveled all over that state and Georgia as an organizer of the Temperance Educational Bureau. Early in 1913, Arthur became a member of the police force in Topeka with the title of patrolman-at-large. She and her colleague, Miss Eva Corning, were the first women in the U.S. to hold positions of regular patrolmen.

Personal life She married Chester Barnet Arthur (1885–1957).

Elizabeth Barr Arthur died at Roeland Park, Kansas, May 8, 1971.

Selected works Business Directory and History of Jackson County, 1907 (text) A souvenir history of Lincoln County, Kansas, 1908 (text)

Contributor Blackmar, Frank W. (ed.), Kansas; a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence (1912) (text) Connelley, William E. (ed.), History of Kansas (1917, 1918, and 1929) (text)

Poetry collections Washburn Ballads, 1906 The High Winds of Home, 1923