Zilfa Estcourt (born Zilpha Eugenie Phillips, May 3, 1883 – December 17, 1959) was an American newspaper columnist and editor. Described variously as "the dean of west coast woman writers"Greenman, Frances Cranmer (May 23, 1948). "California Letter: Time to Shed Moss, Rolling Stone Finds". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. p. p. 56. Retrieved December 1, 2021. and as being "to newspapers what Ethel Barrymore is to the stage,"Pierce, Pat (March 20, 1943). "Operations on the Hill". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. p. 8. Retrieved December 1, 2021. Estcourt was the women's editor at the Tacoma Tribune"Personals". Editor and Publisher. November 10, 1917. p. 22. Retrieved December 2, 2021."Change in Perkins Staff at Tacoma". The Washington Newspaper (October 1917), p. 20. Retrieved December 2, 2021. and San Francisco Chronicle."Whitworth Reunion". The Tacoma News Tribune. June 20, 1948. p. 35. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
Early life and career On May 3, 1883, Zilpha Eugenie Phillips was born in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, the oldest of four children born to Thomas Henry Phillips and Emma Eugenie Jesse."Wisconsin Births and Christenings, 1826-1926", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR1P-KVL : 30 January 2020), Zilpha Eugenie Phillips, 1883. Sometime between 1991 and 1900, the family relocated to Tacoma, Washington,"Donors to Young People's Fund". Christian Science Journal. August 1891. p. 220. Retrieved December 2, 2021."United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMPP-S3S : accessed 2 December 2021), Zilfa E Phillips in household of Thomas H Phillips, Precinct 1 Tacoma city Ward 1, Pierce, Washington, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 161, sheet 5B, family 91, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,748. and, in 1904, Pillips received a Bachelor of Art's degree from Whitworth College in Spokane."Graduates". Whitworth College Catalog. May 1911. Retrieved December 2, 2021. At that time, she was awarded a scholarship to the University of Chicago,"Chicago University Honors Tacoma Girl". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. May 11, 1904. p. . Retrieved December 2, 2021. where she earned her master's degree the following year."Whitworth Is Again Honored". The Tacoma Ledger. June 11, 1905. p. 4 . Retrieved December 2, 2021."Obituaries: Zilfa Estcourt". Oakland Tribune. December 19, 1959. p. 25. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
Death On December 17, 1959, Estcourt, whose health had been failing since her retirement in 1949, died in a San Francisco nursing home.
References
Further reading
"Tacoma Girl Who Gained Distinction". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. May 15, 1904. p. 6 "Women's Club News". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. May 11, 1913. p. 32 “Anniversary Sale Items Intensely Interesting to the Thrifty; Better Babies contest Ends Saturday at 4:30”. The Tacoma Times. October 16, 1914. p. 8 "Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs; Chairmen of Committees". Official Register and Directory of Women's Clubs in America. 1916. p. 210 "Tacoma Tribune in New Home". The Fourth Estate. December 21, 1918. p. 21 Phillips, Zilfa (May 8, 1919). "Tacoman Declares Poisoner Insane". The Tacoma News Tribune. p. 1 Estcourt, Zilfa (September 30, 1923). "Biennial Looms Large on Club Horizon". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 6 "Divorce Set Aside, Ithacan's Second Marriage Bigamous". The Ithaca Journal. January 22, 1925. p. 5 "Reno Now Scene of Estcourt Suit". The Tacoma News Tribune. January 27, 1926. p. 1 Estcourt, Zilfa (April 15, 1926). "As a Woman Thinketh". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 17 Estcourt, Zilfa (April 19, 1926). "As a Woman Thinketh". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 11 Estcourt, Zilfa (September 6, 1934). "Ikebana Told to Garden Club; Illustrated talk Given by S.F. Women". Nichi Bei Shinbun. p. 8 "Estcourt, Well Known Writer, Passes in N. Y.". September 10, 1937.The Chico Enterprise. p. 8 "Zilfa Estcourt Describes the Press, Its Importance". The Santa Rosa Press Democrat. p. 5 Estcourt, Zilfa (September 28, 1946). "Earth, Sun, Sea Colors in West Coast Clothes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 20 McClure, Kathryn (May 4, 1948). "Zilfa Estcourt Gives Talk on Women in Changing World". The Modesto Bee. p. 6 "Estcourt Funeral Tomorrow". The San Francisco Examiner. December 21, 1959. p. 35