Belle A. Mansfield was born in Des Moines County, Iowa, on August 23, 1846 and died in Aurora, Illinois, August 1, 1911. She married John M. Mansfield in 1868. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University, Belle Mansfield was professor of history at DePauw University (1886-1890), professor of aesthetics (1890-1894), preceptress of Woman's Hall (1886-1911), dean of the School of Art (1893-1911), and dean of the School of Music (1894-1911). She has the distinction of being the first woman admitted to the Bar in the United States (June 15, 1869) and being the only woman member of Delta Chi fraternity.