Nellie Semphroch, later Nellie Jacobs (born Nellie Houlihan) (1874-1937) was a woman who lived her whole life in Washington, DC. In that time, she rose from prostitute to coffee shop owner, to spy, to national hero. When she was a little girl, Nellie endured the Confederate bombardment of Washington during the Second Mexican War. She was nearly killed by Alfred von Schlieffen's horse as the German officer was returning to his embassy.