The Maid and the Socialite: The Brave Women Behind Green Bay's Scandalous Minahan Trials

by Lynda Drews

In the shadows of progress, two women's stories were erased. Until now.

What if a respected surgeon could destroy your life with just one diagnosis?
In early 20th century Green Bay, Wisconsin, this terrifying reality was all too true for two women. Mary, an illiterate maid, and Mollie, a college-educated socialite, fell victim to the physical violence and mental abuse of celebrated surgeon Dr. John R. Minahan. To silence them, he claimed they had the shameful and dreaded disease of syphilis. This is the first full account ever written about Dr. Minahan, whose wealth built a college stadium, science hall, and six-story office building—all named for him—while history lost, or perhaps erased, Mary’s and Mollie’s heroic stories.

Until now.

Eerily mirroring contemporary debates around gender equality, misinformation, and wealth disparity, this tale remains alarmingly relevant. It is a story of power, abuse, and the tireless pursuit of justice. Delve into this haunting yet inspiring historical tale to uncover the forgotten stories of Mary and Mollie, two courageous women who dared to stand up against a powerful adversary.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, True Crime, Audiobook, Book Club, Biography Memoir

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2023

About the author

Lynda Drews, a Wisconsin native and dedicated runner, gave the commencement speech at her college Alma mater. One lesson she shared was “to journal your life.” That’s what Lynda did after she made the decision to retire from her global marketing career. Her first book: RUN AT DESTRUCTION (Lynda’s True Crime Memoir, published in 2009, about the mysterious death of her running partner) was the outcome. Ann Rule, the best-selling true crime author, endorsed RUN AT DESTRUCTION saying it was “Wonderfully written… a must for True Crime readers.” Publisher’s Weekly said: “the author and victim’s shared moments… are remarkable.” In 2013, the Investigation Discovery Channel produced a “Deadly Affairs” episode based on the book.

Lynda’s second book, CIRCLE OF INNOCENCE, is a Mystery/Suspense novel that takes place in Door County, Wisconsin. Best-selling author Brian Freeman says, “Every shocking twist [...] lands on the reader like waves on a Door County beach…” Midwest Book Review says “Circle of Innocence excels in psychological depth and detail.”

Lynda and her husband, Jim, spend nearly every weekend in Door County, Wisconsin, but they still call Green Bay “home.” It’s where they’ve lived since the mid-seventies while raising their two sons.

Reviews

[Lynda Drews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for Green Bay's last and current residents !

As a lifelong Green Bay resident my eyes were opened to the dark side of a very prominent Green Bay physician and his painfully abusive treatment to his maid and second wife.

[Lynne Hannmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Maid and the Socialite is a work crossing between fiction and nonfiction which details the despicable behavior and criminal history of Dr. John Minahan in 1890s and very early 1900s Green Bay, Wisconsin. John was clearly a narcissist and had other serious mental illnesses, but he was also a prominent citizen due to his position as a physician and surgeon. This was at time when the culture and societal norms did not recognize women as having individual agency or rights. His prominence in Green Bay covered up his delusions, paranoia and torturous behavior against those to whom he felt superior. This included his children. He had numerous supporters who were happy to be on his side because to do otherwise would have been seen as socially unfavorable.
He destroyed the lives of 2 women because he could get away with it. The first was Mary, a poor farmer’s daughter of immigrant parents, who served very briefly as a housemaid in his employ. The other was Mollie his second wife, an educated woman from a socially prominent family.
The story is an important one in that it informs on the history of societal sanctioned ill treatment and crime against females, unfortunately not a thing of the past. Parts of the book are well written, not only informative but interesting. However I did feel the author’s objective was to include every tidbit of her volumes of research. For me this produced much repetition and unevenness in style. At times reading became tedious and caused me to take several breaks. I persevered to the end and was happy to have done so however the writing style was a big issue and downgraded by evaluation to 3.5 stars.
Thank you to the author, the publisher Little Creek Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

[Morgan Fick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loveeeed this book. Such interesting history about Green Bay’s infamous Dr. J.R. Minahan. A must read if you are interested in the history of medical practices or just history of Green Bay in general!

[Nicholle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this book enough! It is so well written and so much work went in to it. Mary and Mollie were incredibly brave women. Mollie was an unbelievable force when it came to her children and protecting them at all costs. I'm not sure I could have ever been as brave as she was. It is also sad that in 130 years, though women have come such a long way, what Mary went through is not all that different than what women go through in similar situations in 2023. We still have a long way to go. Please read this book!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: graphic on-page rape, forced abortion, medical abuse, time period-typical sexism and misogyny, spousal abuse, accidental death, suicide.

I picked up this depiction of true events that occurred in my hometown almost exactly 100 years before I was born on the recommendation of my grandma. Interesting and informative, but an incredibly emotionally heavy and potentially triggering book. Every chapter increased my wish to throw things at J. R. Minahan.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The maids name was Mary she came from a very respectable family and even though she was one of the only siblings who was illiterate she was still looked up to buy all of them. She became the maid for Mr. and Mrs. Menahan she was a kind lady and he was a celebrated surgeon he did surgeries that no one else in Green Bay or the surrounding areas were doing at that time when Mrs. Menahan would leave to go to different parts of the state she acted reluctant to leave Mary home alone with her husband but after the first time she left for a week Mary seemed content it’s so the doctors good wife thought nothing of it when Melry said she was to take new employment and would be leaving her home but the doctor insisted Mary stay this would be the weekend that Dr. Menahan raped Mary. She had the Lord by others about the doctor but couldn’t bring herself to believe such an affluent man would do such a dagger dating things that she only been raped by the doctor that would’ve been bad enough then she was forced to have an abortion and told she had syphilis which at the time people would automatically think she was a woman of loose morals not even stop to think it was against her will. Years later Dr. Menahan would marry again tamale a smart intelligent girl from a dairy loved and respected family she married the doctor thinking he was handsome charismatic and also nice soon after the wedding he told her she had syphilis and it must’ve come from previous lovers even though Molly knew she had never been with any other when her first two pregnancies were miscarriages the doctor told her it was because of her syphilis that caused the babies not to go to full-term and when they did finally have healthy children they would be vulnerable to their inseam daddies need to treat those with syphilis and he thought they to add syphilis. This is one crazy crazy man in this book is all about the women who stood up to him despite his name his families reputation and the own standing in Green Bay. Anyone who loves historical True Crime will definitely not be able to put this one down Mary was a strong girl and despite being illiterate and in the servant class sister adopted her self and would not let anyone walk over her she proved to be intelligent turn on the Notes to her she would have many of these qualities in common with Molly Monaghan the doctors second wife and another one of his victims this was such a good book and one I highly recommend I receive this book from NetGalley and The book whisperer but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

really interesting & really really dry at the same time

[Jeanne Kamperschroer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! I grew up in Green Bay just 1 block south of Minahan Street, never knowing where the name came from and what a tyrant J. R. Minahan was! I will say that reading this book about Molly and Mary, and seeing the treatment they endured by the hands of J.R. Minahan made me so angry! Both women were so strong and stood up to this tyrant! I also was saddened to learn of the demise of both of his sons. I also enjoyed learning about the development and growth of Green Bay. What a great read1

[Nat Erlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rest in piss J.R Minahan. I hope that wherever you are, you're suffering 🫶

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Last year, I read Know My Name by Chanel Miller and was obviously disgusted at the lengthy trial and short sentencing Turner received for his assault against Miller. Although there are over 100 years separating the Brock Turner case from the Minahan Trials, the treatment women receive in sexual assault cases has hardly changed at all.

The following arguments were used against both Chanel and Mary in court:

- history of sexual activity
- history of alcohol
- what they were wearing
- assumed consent

In both cases, the lives and potential of the assaulters were valued far higher than either women's trauma.

Drews did an exceptional job researching the details of both Mary's and Mollie's court cases against Minahan. I felt deeply for both women, and I shared in their wins and losses throughout the book. I'm just gutted that the end of this story did not have a happy one. With every page, I anticipated the fall of Dr. J.R. Minahan's reputation. Then, of course, I was rudely reminded that reality is a bitch and powerful men have always be favored by history.

I think this book is worth the read even if you are not a Wisconsin native, as it hits on topics still incredibly relevant in today's world.

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The line that made me cry the most:

"J.R. had not relinquished his son's custody, even in death."

[Terri Gulyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling to read about the lack of rights women had during this time frame and the white privilege men had. The book was interesting because I live in the Green Bay Area and there were many familiar places identified. It's interesting that all of the places bearing the Minahan name (buildings, college stadiums, etc) have all either had the Minahan name removed or the building was demolished. I've heard the author speak and she acknowledges the support the family gave in her research for the book. If you enjoy this topic, please consider reading The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore, one of my all time favorite books.

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Maid and the Socialite is a historical true crime story from Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is a gripping tale at the turn of the 20th century. Mary, an illiterate maid, and Mollie, an educated socialite are at the mercy of Dr. John R. Minahan, a prestigious physician and wealthy businessman. Both young women accuse him of physical violence and mental abuse. He claims they are infected with syphilis, a dreaded and shameful disease. At the time there is no blood test to prove it. Lynda Drews brings this history to life as both women fight legally for compensation from Dr. Minahan. It is an eye-opening read and a fascinating true crime story.

[Mara]

3.5 stars
Libby audiobook

Really torn on whether to round up or round down, but I'm going to round up due to the important topic and spotlight on little known local history.

This non-fiction is about J.R. Minihan and the lives of (at least) two women that he brutalized- Mary, a maid in his household, whom he is accused of raping multiple times and then his aborting the child of his rape and then his second wife, Mollie, who was mentally and emotionally abused at a minimum.

I really appreciated all the effort of research put into this book and then bringing this story to light. Dr. J.R. Minahan had power, money and prestige and appears to have been a skilled surgeon, but he had a very dark and evil "other side". One woman was believed more than the other and much of the book's contents is taken from court records.

That said, the book needed some heavy editing. There was much conjecture to the point it crossed over to fiction at points, odd details included to remind us all of the time period (seems like they were pulled straight from a society news column from the day). The pacing was off. An epilogue would have served better than chapters that continued after what should have been the natural conclusion. The writing, as well as the audio narration was off-putting to the point I almost put it down.

That all said, I'm glad I read the book and the parallels of women being believed/not believed still ring true today. Especially recommend if you are familiar with the Green Bay region.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up after several friends recommended it. I fully expected it to be a “local author” book, not as polished as one released by a major publishing house might be. Wow, was I ever surprised. After only a few pages,I was completely hooked, and stayed up well into the night reading. What an amazing story. The fact that it took place in Green Bay, where I live, and mentioned many landmarks I’m intimately familiar with made it even more fascinating, but I don’t think its appeal should be limited to Wisconsin residents.

Dr. John R. Minahan was a well known physician and surgeon in Green Bay at the end of the 19th Century. Many buildings, streets and even the St. Norbert football stadium were named for him. What many people (including me) did not know was that he had a very dark side. Both a maid and his second wife were subject to his physical and emotional abuse, but both ended up fighting back, rare for women of the time. I don’t want to give any more away because spoilers, but suffice it to say the intrigue never stops. Minihan’s powerful family and high level business associates essentially stacked the deck against the women - infuriating but part of the times they lived in.

The material was meticulously researched and there are many quotes from the people involved, largely garnered from legal testimony. This made the story vivid and human.

I highly recommend this book.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! It was super cool to read a book set in my hometown, and to hear so many familiar names and places (lots of references to Howe School, where I used to teach!). However, it was disturbing to hear about the actions and coverups of this well-respected family! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone familiar with Green Bay.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facinating story of a respected man's evil and cotrol and the women who stood up to him in a time when women had no rights.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting and so much history. The story needs to be told.

[Kelly Englebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a local, this was a good read! Was interesting to learn more about some Green Bay history!

[Colleen Sauvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a wisconsin resident, this was a fascinating read.

[Pamela Sewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Net Galley eARC. In the early 1900s Dr. J. R. Minahan was a prominent surgeon and civic leader in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But behind his public persona was a dark and dominating narcassist. When Mary, his illiterate maid accused him of sexual assault which resulted in a pregnancy scandal erupts. During the trial Mary claimed that subsequently he performed a forced, botched abortion damaging her health and making her unable to work. He countered by claiming Mary suffered from syphillis a shameful disease with which he seemed to be obsessed. Almost a decade later his wife Mollie , a college educated socialite from a wealthy family testified during divorce proceedings that he accused her of this from their honeymoon and forcefully treated their two healthy sons with the damaging drugs of the time. Kudos to the author for investing the time and effort to bring the stories of these two brave women who dared to challenge their abuser in open court during a period of time when women had little voice or power. Following a pattern still seen in domestic violence to this day Minahan isolates the two women from friends and family and uses finances and shame to control them. Drews does an excellent job breathing life into these two very different women yet establishes the common threads. An excellent, well written true crime narrative.

[Maggie Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

nar·cis·sist /ˈnärsəsəst/
noun
a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.

gas·light /ˈɡasˌlīt/
verb
gerund or present participle: gaslighting
manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.

Do not read this book if either are triggers. What an awful man from beginning to end. The ripple affects of his manipulation spread through the generations and surely would have continued had they not all died.

[Rachel]

A harrowing story, a true crime nonfiction story, of two women who were physically and mentally abused by a prominent surgeon in Green Bay. As a GB native, this story was so fascinating and horrifying to read and had me flipping through the pages quickly. The author used the testimonies of both women to help write the book and it is pretty powerful to hear what they went through in their own words.

[Julie Brusewitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding read esp if you are from the area. I loved the references to streets and buildings that still exist today. Horrifying to learn the negative impact this textbook Narcissist had on so many people.

[Missy]

A fascinating look into the lives of two women at the turn of the 20th century in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In the time before women could vote, these two women fought the powerful surgeon who was hell-bent on ruining their lives and reputations.
The author pulled the stories from court documents from the time. The real-life acts and behavior of Dr. J.R. Minahan are just as twisted as any villainous man in popular BookTok novels.

I really enjoyed the local Gilded Age setting and history. But I think the strength of the women are still relevant for anyone.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating may be a bit biased because I have lived in Green Bay all my life so I found these events very interesting. While reading this book I was able to picture the areas because I had actually been there. Learning the history behind our hospitals and some of the older businesses in the downtown area was fascinating. There is an event scheduled to take people on a walking tour, lead by this author, of this area the end of August. I am so excited to do this.

[Bryanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok how interestingggggggg

[Olivia Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super sad. Super powerful. Super true. And super Wisconsin!!!! I wish I had a time machine or could bring these people back to life to hear their perspectives.

[Maria Wedig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this book. Absolutely crazy to read about the history of the Green Bay Area and how men in power abuse that power. My mouth was wide open the whole time.

Thanks Kendra Grant for the rec

*please read content warnings*

[Amanda Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone from the Green Bay Area where the Minahan name dons many buildings and parks, this was a really interesting true story for me. Living through the eyes of two women who were abused and then oppressed in the early 1900’s was pretty eye opening. Overall interesting story about real life events.

[Lkhenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read, especially enjoyed the fact that it was so local for me

[Lisbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like a thriller. I'm sad to think of this happening in my hometown, yet I'm so glad I read the book. The author has a wonderful writing style. I would like to read more of what she has written.