Carrie (Dill) Hageman
Born July 1858 in Lebanon, Ohio, Carrie was educated at National Normal School of Lebanon, later known as Lebanon University. She married Morris L. Hageman May 26, 1886 in Warren County, Ohio. The couple had one child, Evelyn, in 1886. Immediately after arriving in Muncie in 1889, Carrie became active in her church and community.
Her church involvement included: being a member of the Presbyterian Church, organizing the first Christian Endeavor Society in Muncie. She was chairman of the committee that selected books for the missionary library at First Presbyterian Church. She was also very involved in the missionary society of her church and represented it many times at state conventions.
As one of the leading workers in the Women’s Dry league, Carrie became headline news during one of her speeches when she quoted an old stock phrase “We wouldn’t have blind tigers if we didn’t have blind officers.” After the speech, the police were informed she said, “the city officials were rotten to the core” so the next afternoon the police took her to police court. During the court, Carrie informed the department that she knew nothing personally about blind tigers, but had been told by a friend there were many in Muncie. When asked who the friend was, Carrie refused to tell them, because she had promised the person she would not tell anyone. Carrie also said that she had not referred to the Muncie police, but her statement was made in general terms.
The police alleged they had brought Carrie in for questioning, but her attorneys insisted the department was attempting to intimidate her. Even with the possible intimidation, Carrie did not stop speaking her mind.
She became an active member of the Muncie Franchise League at the time of its organization in 1912. She represented the local organization at several national conventions.
Carrie was one of the charter members of the YWCA’s board and chairman of the building committee at that time and maintained an active interest in this work until her death in 1923. The Muncie newspaper reported, “In the death of Mrs. Hageman, Muncie loses one of the most aggressive women, who prior to her last illness, took an active part in organization work, in suffrage, in church work and particularly she was active and distinguished in the war work…”
Quotes from newspapers.com: Muncie Evening Press, April 25, 1911; The Star Press, November 6, 1893.
