Women's rights pioneer Lisle Lester's ashes return home after 138 years
Lisle Lester, a journalist, publisher, actress and women’s-rights advocate from Fond du Lac, died penniless in New York in 1888 at age 50. Her cremated remains remained unclaimed for 138 years. After efforts by local women and the Fond du Lac Soroptimists, her remains have now returned home for burial.
For 138 years, Lisle Lester's remains lay unclaimed in a New York mortuary. Born Sophia Walker in 1837 and moving to Fond du Lac at six, Lester built a career as a journalist, publisher, actress, and advocate for women's rights. She founded The Badger State Monthly in 1859, becoming the first magazine published in Wisconsin and training women for jobs as typesetters.
Despite facing discrimination in publishing, including criticism from Mark Twain, Lester persevered in her work. She also performed in theatre across the United States and internationally, even visiting countries like Japan and China. In her later years, she dedicated herself to causes she believed in, including women's rights. Despite earning substantial wealth, Lester died penniless in 1888 at age 50, cremated but unclaimed.
In 2024, the Fond du Lac Soroptimist Education Committee learned about Lester's story and began efforts to return her remains to Wisconsin. After overcoming financial and bureaucratic challenges, her ashes arrived in Fond du Lac on September 4, 2026, and will be buried on October 17 at Calvary Cemetery.
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