Sarah Kidder

Sarah Clark Kidder (var. Sara) (c.1839 - September 1933) was president of Northern California's Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad (NCNGRR) from 1901 to 1913. She was the first female railroad president in the world, taking on the position upon the death of her husband, John Flint Kidder, who is credited with building the railroad.

Civil engineer John Kidder married Miss Sarah A. Clark, of Ohio, in 1874. They moved to Grass Valley, California the following year.^[1] Their home was a mansion where Sarah hosted tea parties. She also did volunteer work for an orphan society.^[2]

Upon her husband's death in 1901, she ran the NCNGRR until 1913 when she sold her stock and moved to San Francisco. She died there in 1933, at the age 94.^[3]

Their adopted daughter, Beatrice, married Harvard University graduate Howard Ridgely Ward on September 20, 1905.^[4] They had at least one child, a daughter, Elizabeth.^[5]

Honors

In honor of Sarah, John, and Beatrice Kidder, the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus planted three trees in Grass Valley's Clamper Square.^[3]

References

1. "John F. Kidder's long struggle against death is at an end" (PDF). The San Francisco Call. April 11, 1901. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
2. Bommersbach, Jana (February 1, 2007). "Railroad's First Lady". truewestmagazine.com. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
3. Wyckoff, Bob. "A family's arboreal home on Clamper Square". Retrieved 2009-05-21.
4. "Married" (PDF). The New York Times. September 21, 1905. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
5. Social register, New York. 1 (Digitized August 24, 2007 ed.). Social Register Association. 1917. p. 717.

• "NCNG History". Nevada County Narrow Gauge Project. Retrieved April 13, 2006.
• Wyckoff, Bob (June 26, 2004). "Building a museum; The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad's new home". Retrieved April 13, 2006.