Katherine "Kitty" Barry Blackwell was an Irish immigrant to the United States and the adopted daughter of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. She served as Elizabeth Blackwell's companion and secretary.
Barry's diary and correspondence have provided scholars with greater insight into the life of Elizabeth Blackwell.
Biography
Kitty Barry Blackwell was born Katherine Barry in Ireland in approximately 1847. She was orphaned, and in 1854, at the age of seven, she was adopted by Elizabeth Blackwell in New York City. Barry was partially deaf, which reportedly affected her confidence.
Barry lived with Blackwell until Blackwell's death in 1910. In 1921, Barry began living with Alice Stone Blackwell.