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.

Show less

Details

Title: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association (cre)et al, Vermont Equal Suffrage Association (cre)et al
Subject
Description: 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 Silver Special Collections at the University of Vermont, the collection focuses on the period from 1870 to 1920. 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.THE COLLECTION The Women’s Suffrage in Vermont Collection include VESA annual meeting reports and correspondence, legislation, promotional materials such as broadsides and leaflets, and photographs. FURTHER READINGS 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.
Publisher
Contributor
Date: 1882-1916
Type
Format
Identifier: uvmcdi:suffrage, local: suffrage
Source
Language: eng
Relation
Coverage
Rights

Sort

Title
Date

Search

(1 - 20 of 104)

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.
Show less

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: Annual Report of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association and Minutes of the 19th Convention, held at Barton, Vermont, June 9 and 10, 1903.
Date Created: 1903

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: Carrie Chapman Catt to Annette W. Parmelee
Date Created: 1919-09-24
Description: Catt tells Parmelee that her convention paper was thorough and excellent, but that the NAWSA cannot pay states for sending in their histories and can only promise a copy of the book once written.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
Date Created: 1919-09-03
Description: Catt offers logistical advice and talking points for Olzendam and Pelley to use when talking to newspaper editors and legislators on their upcoming car trip to drum up support for calling a special session and ratifying the 19th Amendment.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
Date Created: 1919-09-05
Description: Catt discusses ratification in other New England states, describes the work needed to get Vermont legislators to pledge for ratification, and stresses the importance of the work of Olzendam and Pelley.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
Date Created: 1919-09-12
Description: Catt tells the story of ratification in Oklahoma and how it compares to Vermont, suggests gathering pledges for a petition to present to the Governor, and says to speak in person only to the "difficult" legislators.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
Date Created: 1919-10-02
Description: Catt tells Olzendam that her work has brought good results and bodes well for a special session of the legislature, discusses the possibility of Governor Clement changing his attitude, and states that the Republican party is pushing for ratification.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam and Marion Stone Pelley
Date Created: 1919-09-12
Description: Catt provides a status update on ratification progress nationally and stresses the importance of Vermont being the thirty-sixth state to ratify.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Marion R. Horton
Date Created: 1919-09-12
Description: Catt discusses the ratification process around the country and her belief that a different procedure may be more effective in Vermont: having members of the Governor's political party speak to him unofficially and sending letters to all legislators who have pledged support for ratification. Copy,...
Show moreCatt discusses the ratification process around the country and her belief that a different procedure may be more effective in Vermont: having members of the Governor's political party speak to him unofficially and sending letters to all legislators who have pledged support for ratification. Copy, enclosed in letter to Olzendam.
Show less

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Marion R. Horton
Date Created: 1919-09-04
Description: Catt accepts the terms of renting Horton's automobile for Olzendam and Pelley's upcoming trip and offers NAWSA's support in developing a press kit to share with sympathetic newspaper editors. She asks Horton to persuade Olzendam and Pelley not to antagonize Governor Clement.

Title: Carrie Chapman Catt to Marion Stone Pelley
Date Created: 1919-09-05
Description: Catt describes the work to be done by Pelley with the preparations of Miss White, and calls for a thorough campaign to promote a special session of the Vermont Legislature.

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.
Show less

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.

THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT LIBRARIES

Digital Collections

Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection

Collection Overview

Sort

Search

Pages

Pages

Bookmark

Bookmarks: