Even without a completed education, Cochran had always had a knack for writing. It is because of this that she first gained notoriety in 1885 after writing an angry letter to the editor of the Pittsburgh Dispatch. In her letter, she spoke of the unfair representation of women in the newspaper's articles. The editor was so impressed with her writing abilities that he offered her a job as a columnist. Cochran accepted, and it was then that she took on the pen name ‘Nellie Bly’ (Norwood).
(Maranzani, biography.com)
“A free American girl can accommodate herself to circumstances without the aid of a man.”
~Nellie Bly
Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5th, 1864, in Cochran Mills, Pennsylvania. In 1870, when Cochran was 6 years old, her father passed away, without leaving a will. This meant that his family had no legal claims to his estate, leaving them without a source of income (Maranzani). Cochran’s mother was unable to maintain their land due to their financial state, moved the family out of Cochran Mills and later remarried. This marriage didn’t last long as Cochran’s mother divorced her husband due to abuse (Norwood). Later in life, Cochran attended Indiana’s Teacher College but never completed her education due to her family’s financial situation. No longer receiving an education, Cochran helped her mother run a boardinghouse to fill her time (Norwood).
"Cochran Mills, where Nellie Bly was born" (Brown)
Bly was a popular columnist, but she was most often asked to write pieces only addressing women and women’s rights. After being moved to the newspaper’s women’s column, Bly sought out a more meaningful career (Norwood).
In 1886 Nellie Bly relocated to New York in hopes of finding a better writing position. Upon her arrival, Bly found it incredibly difficult to get a job for the fact that most places weren’t looking to hire women (Norwood). It wasn’t until 1887 that Bly was offered a position working for the New York World.
