Ruth Barnett

Ruth Barnett was an abortion provider operating in Portland, Oregon from 1918 to 1968.

She was born in Hood River, Oregon in 1895. In 1910, she moved with her family to Portland, Oregon, where she became pregnant at the age of sixteen. She sought an abortion from Dr. George Watts, which convinced her that all women should have the opportunity to receive an abortion if they wanted one. When she was 23, Barnett decided to become an abortion provider, turning to Dr. Alys Bixby Griff for training. Eventually she partnered with Dr. Watts, who taught her how to perform complex procedures and helped her get a medical license as a chiropractor.

She was first arrested in 1940 after a complication arose with a client at a clinic in Reno, Nevada. After this incident, Barnett was in prison intermittently, continuing to perform abortions. She performed an estimated 40,000 abortions and claimed no maternal deaths. In 1966, a Portland jury found her guilty of an unrelated manslaughter, while an Oregon City jury found her guilty of abortion in 1967. Her appeal of both verdicts was rejected by the Supreme Court in 1967, and she went to prison in February 1968. After this conviction she decided to retire.

Barnett co-authored an autobiography, ''They Weep on My Doorstep''. Provided by Wikipedia