Notable Pittsburgh Women

07/31/2026

A few years ago I heard a story about Queen Alequippa, it included an interview with 1 of her descendants

What I didn't hear was a quick thx to the amateur historian (me) who’d spent months tracking down Alequippa's present day relatives.

I’d gladly shared my research with the reporter, motivated by the joy of helping to give a local indigenous leader a rare bit of acknowledgment.

My information was the sturdy frame upon which the reporter built their story. This 'lack of attribution' topic has been popping up in my world.

The local historians I know, including ‘amateurs’, are commited to relaying the truth. Their passion drives them to do deep research in whatever bits of free time they have.

I believe that a simple, quick 'hat tip'/thanks isn't an outrageous request.

07/27/2026

“Speedy“ was created by Alka Selzer’s graphic designer, the drones in ’corporate’ called it Sparky.

Until yinzer ad maven, Bernice Gold Preisser, swooshed in & dubbed it: "Speedy"

”Speedy” stuck.

07/27/2026

Remember Speedy Alka Seltzer?
After a graphic designer created the image, people called it Sparky.
Then Pittsburgh ad maven Bernice Gold Preisser came up with the name that stuck: "Speedy".

07/27/2026

07/27/2026

Kids & their amusements were different a century+ ago… 💨

07/26/2026

Waaay back in 2015, while prepping for Pgh’s Bicentennial, I found out that:
Mayor Liddell was a relative of THE Alice, Alice Liddell the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland;
Mayor Lowrie was the great x 4 grandpa of the Gyllenhaals; Mayor Magnus Miller Murray was actress Julie Bowen's great x 4 grandpa.

07/25/2026

July 2015: Cousins were meeting cousins they never even knew existed via this project, like Rob Liddell in Seattle "meeting" his cousin Barbara in England via this page & my relentless nebbiness (Pittsburghers will know what that means)

(PS Along the way I found a colorful yinzer named Dudley Liddell & hope to find out whether he was related to our Mayor’s family…)

"Dear Barbara,
I am Robert Michael Liddell of Seattle, Washington. I am a great grandson of Robert Liddell, the Mayor. I am the grandson of his son, Albert Gallatin Liddell and of Florence Keally Liddell. I believe that my grandfather Albert was the brother of your great Aunt Blanche. I am the son of Charles Keally Liddell and Dorothea Manning Liddell.

I had the pleasure of meeting your dear father, Robert Lincoln Liddell, in 1984. I was a visiting medical student in Edinburgh and looked for Liddells in the Durham county phone directory. I was very pleased to see a Robert Liddell living in Houghton Le Spring. When I called him on the phone and said, “Hello, I am Robert Liddell of…” he quickly added, “…and your family is from Pittsburgh and you are a relative of Mayor Robert Liddell. I have been waiting for a call like this. How wonderful.” He invited me to his home for a pleasant conversation over tea, and he told me of his time in the service during the war and of a visit to Pittsburgh to see the family of his Aunt Blanche. Your father and I kept in touch via Christmas card greetings. In a subsequent year I returned to Houghton with my own father, and your father warmly welcomed us for a delightful afternoon of family conversation.

My late father (Charles Keally Liddell) collected a fair amount of information on his Liddell heritage, and I am slowly cataloging and digitizing it in order to share it with the growing family. The upcoming celebration in Pittsburgh in July 2016 encourages me to step up my efforts.

My father and I visited the Durham County record office to research our Liddells ancestors. I have a photocopy of the baptism of your great-grandfather, Anthony Liddell, which was recorded on June 19, 1839 in the Parish of Houghton le Spring in the County of Durham. My copy is off poor quality and is on a large format page, and I have not been able to digitize it yet.

Our shared great, great grandparents, Robert Liddell and Margaret Atkinson Liddell were parents of 7 children to include Anthony and Robert the Mayor. Robert is listed as a ‘malster and as a publican’ in the Durham County records. I believe he owned a pub named the Red Lion, but am not certain of the actual name of the establishment. His son Robert was born in 1837 in Houghton, emigrated from England in 1952 and was Mayor of Pittsburgh from 1878 to 1881.

I hope to see you in Pittsburgh next July!"