Wisconsin Women Who Made a Difference
legislature was in session they held a reception every week to which a few members at a time were invited. In this way, Mrs. Fairchild overheard many a political discussion.
On one occasion she took initiative and made a decision to act in her husband's stead. Immediately following the Chicago Fire, the governor and all the state officers had gone to Chicago to see how they could help. In Madison the women were gathering together clothes and supplies to be sent to the fire victims in Chicago. Late at night word came in from Peshtigo in northern Wisconsin that a large part of the State was on fire, and there was a request for the governor to please send help.
Since the governor and other state officers were out of town, Mrs. Fairchild gave the orders to send the supplies that had been gathered for Chicago to Peshtigo instead. She correctly assumed aid would be coming to Chicago from all over the country, but there was no one else who would come to the aid of the Peshtigo, Wisconsin area. She ordered a special train to take the clothes and supplies north to the burned over area that needed help so desperately.
These are only a very few of the women who have helped to make the history of Wisconsin, the United States, and even the world a better place.
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