Politics & Government

“Jo” Beynon was Allegany County’s first Tourism Director and served in this capacity from 1973 to 1988. She later became President of the Allegany County Historical Society and for many years wrote a history newspaper column entitled, “This n’ That” for the Cumberland Times-News until 2003.

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CUMBERLAND —Josephine Lee (Darrah) Beynon, 86, of Cumberland, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011, at the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center.

Margaret Barkman, 1924 -

Margaret graduated from Terra Alta, West Virginia High school in 1941, and the Catherman's Business School in Cumberland, Maryland in 1943.

Margaret Barkman is believed to be the first woman Congressional District Assistant in the 6th Congressional District of Maryland. She opened the District Office on January 1, 1971 when Congressman Goodloe Byron took office. Upon Congressman Byron's sudden death in 1978, she continued in this capacity under Congresswoman Beverly Byron. Margaret Barkman retired in 1989.

Since 1931 three women have been elected to the Maryland House of Delegates from Allegany County. They were:

Lulu W. Boucher, Republican, from Barton(1931-1946),

Elizabeth B. Doub, Republican, from Cumberland, (1939-1942), and

Betty Workman (1924-2018) served as a Delegate representing District 1B for three terms from 1987 to 1999. She was also a mathematics teacher at Allegany High School for twenty years.

In 1921 the Cumberland Mayor and City Council voted to have a woman, Anna McCleave, fill the position of Cumberland Police and Fire Commissioner. This was to fill a vacancy created by the death of the elected councilman and would be the first time since the 1835 establishment of a Cumberland City Council that a woman would serve in this position.

Four women have served as Allegany County Commissioner. These include Lucile Roeder (1966-1970), Linda Golden (1947-2011) (appointed 1977, elected 1982-1986), Adrienne Ottaviani (1990-1994), and Barbara Roque (2002-2006).

Photographs clockwise from top left - Lucile Roeder, Linda Golden, Barbara Roque, and Adrienne Ottaviani.

Local woman recounts life in WWII Polish resistance

Jodlowski wanted story kept private until after her death

GRANTSVILLE — The harrowing story of the late Alina Jodlowski, who survived a prisoner of war camp in Poland, hasn’t been shared publicly until now.

Alina, who died in August, was adamant that her story wasn’t heard until after her death. She and her late husband Stefan, who died in 2003, were members of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa).