"Nettie" Tobin was a early believer in the Baha'i Faith in Chicago, Illinois. In 1908 she was working as a seamstress for Corinne True and feeling sad that it wasn't possible for her to donate more than just a token amount towards the purchase of property for the first Baha'i House of Worship, to be built in Wilmette, Illinois.
One day, at her sewing machine, she decided that even if just one stone was brought to the site, that it would be a beginning. And so she went off in search of a building stone, received one from the reject pile of a local construction site, and in series of adventures over two days managed with the help of friends and strangers to get the very heavy stone to the Wilmette property.
In 1912, when Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Baha'i Faith and son of the founder, visited Chicago to dedicate the property in Wilmette, he called for "Nettie's stone" and laid it in the ground with his own hands.
The stone is display at the House of Worship today, as is the story of Nettie and her simple contribution that is remembered more than 100 years later.
You can read more about Nettie here: http://centenary.bahai.us/photo/nettie-tobin-and-cornerstone-bahai-house-worship-wilmette
Obituary from the Chicago Tribune:
"Mrs. Tobin, 80, Bahai Leader for Years, Dies
Mrs. Esther Tobin, 80, who donated the cornerstone for the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, died yesterday in her home, 2921 N. Halsted Street, after an illness of four years. She is survived by her two sons, John and Harold, both employed in the press room of The Tribune.
She was one of the first members of the Baha'i faith, which was introduced in Chicago in 1893. When Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the faith, came here from Persia in 1912 to dedicate the ground for the new temple, Mrs. Tobin providedthe ceremonial stone.
Baha'i funeral services will be held in the home tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, and a second service will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m"
One day, at her sewing machine, she decided that even if just one stone was brought to the site, that it would be a beginning. And so she went off in search of a building stone, received one from the reject pile of a local construction site, and in series of adventures over two days managed with the help of friends and strangers to get the very heavy stone to the Wilmette property.
In 1912, when Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Baha'i Faith and son of the founder, visited Chicago to dedicate the property in Wilmette, he called for "Nettie's stone" and laid it in the ground with his own hands.
The stone is display at the House of Worship today, as is the story of Nettie and her simple contribution that is remembered more than 100 years later.
You can read more about Nettie here: http://centenary.bahai.us/photo/nettie-tobin-and-cornerstone-bahai-house-worship-wilmette
Obituary from the Chicago Tribune:
"Mrs. Tobin, 80, Bahai Leader for Years, Dies
Mrs. Esther Tobin, 80, who donated the cornerstone for the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, died yesterday in her home, 2921 N. Halsted Street, after an illness of four years. She is survived by her two sons, John and Harold, both employed in the press room of The Tribune.
She was one of the first members of the Baha'i faith, which was introduced in Chicago in 1893. When Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the faith, came here from Persia in 1912 to dedicate the ground for the new temple, Mrs. Tobin providedthe ceremonial stone.
Baha'i funeral services will be held in the home tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, and a second service will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m"
"Nettie" Tobin was a early believer in the Baha'i Faith in Chicago, Illinois. In 1908 she was working as a seamstress for Corinne True and feeling sad that it wasn't possible for her to donate more than just a token amount towards the purchase of property for the first Baha'i House of Worship, to be built in Wilmette, Illinois.
One day, at her sewing machine, she decided that even if just one stone was brought to the site, that it would be a beginning. And so she went off in search of a building stone, received one from the reject pile of a local construction site, and in series of adventures over two days managed with the help of friends and strangers to get the very heavy stone to the Wilmette property.
In 1912, when Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Baha'i Faith and son of the founder, visited Chicago to dedicate the property in Wilmette, he called for "Nettie's stone" and laid it in the ground with his own hands.
The stone is display at the House of Worship today, as is the story of Nettie and her simple contribution that is remembered more than 100 years later.
You can read more about Nettie here: http://centenary.bahai.us/photo/nettie-tobin-and-cornerstone-bahai-house-worship-wilmette
Obituary from the Chicago Tribune:
"Mrs. Tobin, 80, Bahai Leader for Years, Dies
Mrs. Esther Tobin, 80, who donated the cornerstone for the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, died yesterday in her home, 2921 N. Halsted Street, after an illness of four years. She is survived by her two sons, John and Harold, both employed in the press room of The Tribune.
She was one of the first members of the Baha'i faith, which was introduced in Chicago in 1893. When Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the faith, came here from Persia in 1912 to dedicate the ground for the new temple, Mrs. Tobin providedthe ceremonial stone.
Baha'i funeral services will be held in the home tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, and a second service will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m"
One day, at her sewing machine, she decided that even if just one stone was brought to the site, that it would be a beginning. And so she went off in search of a building stone, received one from the reject pile of a local construction site, and in series of adventures over two days managed with the help of friends and strangers to get the very heavy stone to the Wilmette property.
In 1912, when Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Baha'i Faith and son of the founder, visited Chicago to dedicate the property in Wilmette, he called for "Nettie's stone" and laid it in the ground with his own hands.
The stone is display at the House of Worship today, as is the story of Nettie and her simple contribution that is remembered more than 100 years later.
You can read more about Nettie here: http://centenary.bahai.us/photo/nettie-tobin-and-cornerstone-bahai-house-worship-wilmette
Obituary from the Chicago Tribune:
"Mrs. Tobin, 80, Bahai Leader for Years, Dies
Mrs. Esther Tobin, 80, who donated the cornerstone for the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, died yesterday in her home, 2921 N. Halsted Street, after an illness of four years. She is survived by her two sons, John and Harold, both employed in the press room of The Tribune.
She was one of the first members of the Baha'i faith, which was introduced in Chicago in 1893. When Abdul Baha, son of the founder of the faith, came here from Persia in 1912 to dedicate the ground for the new temple, Mrs. Tobin providedthe ceremonial stone.
Baha'i funeral services will be held in the home tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, and a second service will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m"
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Esther A. Tobin
1863-1944
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