Kitty Kain Portrait

A portrait of Kitty Kain, one of UT’s original five coeds (1804) for whom wings of Sophronia Strong Hall were named, was given to UT in 1949 by the Bonny Kate Chapter of the DAR to hang in the Kitty Kain wing of Sophronia Strong Hall. Mrs. H. H. McCampbell Sr., regent of the Bonnie Kate Chapter, presented the portrait. The artist was Mary Grainger. Ellen McClung (Mrs. Thomas) Berry donated the ornate frame. Since a picture of Kitty Kain was not available, Virginia Ragsdale, sister of UT student Baxter Ragsdale, was used as the model for the portrait. At the Strong Hall Reunion during Homecoming 2008, she explained that she was in the 10th grade and added that the dove with which she posed was a live dove, so the sitting was onerous and messy.

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Title Kitty Kain Portrait
  • Author
  • Keywords Kitty Kain Portrait
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date December 21, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 10, 2018