Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
Collection Overview
The Women’s Suffrage in Vermont Collection documents Vermonters’ efforts to obtain voting rights for women. With contributions from the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, the Leahy Library at the Vermont Historical Society, and...
Show moreThe Women’s Suffrage in Vermont Collection documents Vermonters’ efforts to obtain voting rights for women. With contributions from the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, the Leahy Library at the Vermont Historical Society, and Silver Special Collections at the University of Vermont, the collection focuses on the period from 1870 to 1920.
The Women’s Suffrage in Vermont Collection include VESA annual meeting reports and correspondence, legislation, promotional materials such as broadsides and leaflets, and photographs.
HISTORY
In 1870, the Vermont Council of Censors proposed an amendment to the state constitution calling for full suffrage for women. A group of men formed the Vermont Woman Suffrage Association to support the amendment, which failed by a vote of 231 to 1 at the constitutional convention. Ten years later, taxpaying women did obtain the right to vote and hold office in school districts. The Vermont Woman Suffrage Association (VWSA) reorganized in 1884 and focused on achieving woman suffrage in municipal elections by introducing voting rights legislation, advocating in newspapers, and holding meetings and rallies with local and national speakers. The VWSA, which became the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association (VESA) in 1907, worked closely with the American Woman Suffrage Association, later the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Anti-suffragists formed the Vermont Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage in 1912, and by 1917, when the Vermont legislature passed a law that allowed taxpaying women to vote in local elections, the organization claimed over 5,000 members.
VESA continued to push for full suffrage, and came close in 1919 when the legislature passed a bill allowing women to vote in presidential elections. Governor Clement refused to sign the bill, and the House of Representatives upheld his veto. After Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919, VESA members campaigned vigorously to have the legislature consider state ratification, but Governor Clement refused to call a special session and the amendment was ratified in 1920 without Vermont’s support. With the right to vote obtained, VESA dissolved and the new Vermont League of Women Voters took on the task of educating Vermont women about civic responsibilities.
FURTHER READING
Clifford, Deborah P. The Drive for Women's Municipal Suffrage in Vermont 1883-1917. Vermont History 47, no. 3 (1979): 173-190.
Clifford, Deborah P. An Invastion of Strong-Minded Women: The Newspapers and the Woman Suffrage Campaign in Vermont in 1870. Vermont History 43, no. 1 (1975): 1-19.
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Pages
- Title
- Annette W. Parmelee to Henry C. Tinkham
- Date Created
- 1919-12-10
- Description
-
Parmelee asks Dr. Tinkham at the University of Vermont if women are given equal advantages with men at the College of Medicine, and why, if it is true that as of 1818 women were granted admission to the Vermont Medical Society, that women are unaware of this and seek their medical education out...
Show moreParmelee asks Dr. Tinkham at the University of Vermont if women are given equal advantages with men at the College of Medicine, and why, if it is true that as of 1818 women were granted admission to the Vermont Medical Society, that women are unaware of this and seek their medical education out of state.
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- Title
- Annette W. Parmelee to Ida H. Harper
- Date Created
- 1919-11-21
- Description
-
Parmelee writes Mrs. Ida Harper of New York City that she had just finished writing fifty pages for the suffrage history when she received Harper’s suggestions, and that she will do a rewrite after other obligations have been completed.
- Title
- Annette W. Parmelee to Ida Husted Harper
- Date Created
- 1919-09-11
- Description
-
Parmelee debates whether or not to accept the position of State Historian for the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association.
- Title
- Annette W. Parmelee to Marion R. Horton
- Date Created
- 1919-09-11
- Description
-
Parmelee debates whether or not to accept the position of State Historian for the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association, and gives her opinion as to Governor Clement's opposition to women's suffrage.
- Title
- Annette W. Parmelee to Marion R. Horton
- Date Created
- 1919-09-18
- Description
-
Parmelee states that she is willing to take up the State Historian appointment though she is concerned at her ability to perform the task, and questions Horton's opinion of a "favorable Legislature," as they voted suffrage down after Catt's "splendid speech."
- Title
- Ashley Joseph Goss to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-11-01
- Description
-
Representative Goss of Danville responds that he has returned a signed petition form, although he thinks it doubtful the Governor will call a special session.
- Title
- Charles Dalton to Annette W. Parmelee
- Date Created
- 1919-12-09
- Description
-
Charles Dalton, Secretary of the State Board of Health, responds to Parmelee’s inquiry about the admission of women to the University of Vermont College of Medicine, referring her question to Dean Tinkham and stating that while almost no such requests have been received, the University Council is...
Show moreCharles Dalton, Secretary of the State Board of Health, responds to Parmelee’s inquiry about the admission of women to the University of Vermont College of Medicine, referring her question to Dean Tinkham and stating that while almost no such requests have been received, the University Council is considering the matter.
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- Title
- Charles G. Miller to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-23
- Description
-
Representative Miller of Westminster replies that he does not feel there should be a special session of the legislature. [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
- Title
- Charles H. Parmelee to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-24
- Description
-
Representative Parmelee of Wilmington replies that he is sympathetic to equal suffrage but does not believe the Governor is warranted in calling a special session for that purpose.
- Title
- Charles L. Stuart to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-05
- Description
-
Response of a senator from Caledonia stating that he'll be out of state but would attend a special session if called.
- Title
- Edward F. Dudley to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-11-05
- Description
-
Representative Dudley of Fairlee responds that he does not think it is advisable to sign a petition to the Governor to call a special session for ratification.
- Title
- Edwin D. Moore to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-11-21
- Description
-
Representative Edwin Moore of Bennington responds that he does not approve of asking the Governor for a special session but would attend if one was called. [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
- Title
- Frances E. Rastall Wyman to Annette Watson Parmelee
- Date Created
- 1919-10-27
- Description
-
Wyman explains to Parmelee the succession of presidents of the VESA between 1913 and 1915.
- Title
- Frank G. Howland to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-20
- Description
-
Washington County Senator Howland says that Representative Hopkins of Burlington is in favor of a special session and ratification but does not want to appear as a member of the committee to approach the Governor, and asks Olzendam what she had in mind for payment of legislators if the session is...
Show moreWashington County Senator Howland says that Representative Hopkins of Burlington is in favor of a special session and ratification but does not want to appear as a member of the committee to approach the Governor, and asks Olzendam what she had in mind for payment of legislators if the session is held without expense to the State.
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- Title
- Frederick C. Brown to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-27
- Description
-
Legislator Brown of Barton responds that he did everything he could for suffrage in the last session and will again when the proper time comes, but does not feel that a special session would "meet the approval of the Governor or the State at large."
- Title
- Frederick Jackson Tewksbury to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-20
- Description
-
Representative Tewksbury of Ryegate responds that he will vote for ratification if a special session is held but asks to be excused from signing the petition. [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
- Title
- Frederick L. Webster to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-20
- Description
-
Representative Webster of Swanton responds to Olzendam's request for his signature of support, saying that he prefers not to urge the Governor to call a special session, as "the matter is up to him to decide." [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
- Title
- George Edward Child to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-10-06
- Description
-
Response of a legislator from Weybridge, Addison County, who voted for the suffrage bill in the last session and would do so again but would rather not sign a petition to the Governor.
- Title
- George J. Bond to Lillian H. Olzendam
- Date Created
- 1919-11-22
- Description
-
Representative George Bond of Searsburg responds that he has enclosed his signature and has for the past 50 years been a staunch supporter of women’s suffrage, except that he does "not care to trust women in national politics" after the women of the west have elected Wilson in the past two...
Show moreRepresentative George Bond of Searsburg responds that he has enclosed his signature and has for the past 50 years been a staunch supporter of women’s suffrage, except that he does "not care to trust women in national politics" after the women of the west have elected Wilson in the past two presidential elections.
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