Alonzo Barton Cornell

(1832–1904) Alonzo was elected governor of New York State in 1879. In his first message to the legislature, he spoke on the value of women as school officers, and on February 12, 1880, he signed a bill that secured women's right to vote in all school matters, and also made women eligible to serve as school officers. The following day, Lucy Brand of Rochester became a registered voter. While women still could not vote in all elections, Alonzo was a key figure in guaranteeing women local voting rights.