Lena Pink Proud: Abortionist

Lena Pink Proud was born Lena Pink Wilson on 16 Jan 1889 in Napa, CA to James Henry Wilson (1851-1940) and Rachel Ellen Nettie Sullivan (1867-1960.

Lena had many years of giving illegal abortions according to records and newspaper articles, she was even still doing it after her arrest while awaiting trial.




Lena became inmate #8760 at Idaho State Prison on 4 Dec 1953
Crime: Procurement of Abortion.
Term: 5 years
Age: 65
Released on Parole: 1 Nov 1954 
Discharged from Parole: 31 Oct 1955

She had kept a book of all the women she gave abortions to and it was seized by the police. She had performed abortions in Idaho and Oregon.














Lena married Oscar Jefferson Pinkston (1881-1945) on 17 Aug 1905 in Idaho City, ID. He was a farmer.They had several children.

#1 Pearl laura Pinkston 1907-1987
#2 Beaulah Edith Pinkston 1908-1908
#3 Opal Mildred Pinkston 1910-2003

She married a second time to Jesse Lee Proud
they had a daughter.
Connie J Proud 1939-

Here's some newspaper clippings about her conviction.









She never did the full 5 year term. She died 21 Jul 1967 in Caldwell, ID.


Legal National abortions didn't come until Roe Vs Wade in 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled it was a women's fundamental right.

Here are some instruments Lena most likely may have had. Or she had made some.








Comments

  1. Typo on her year of birth? "Lena Pink Proud was born Lena Pink Wilson on 12 Jul 1899". Is it maybe 1889?

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. My dyslexia gets the better of me at time, thank you so much

    Gwen

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