(1843–1903) Anne is noted in several news articles as having attended the National Women's Suffrage convention in Buffalo in October 1902. It notes that Mrs. Anne E. Merritt was from Brooklyn and in charge of railroad rates. She died in 1903 and the last article mentioning her in FultonHistory.com is 1902.

(1886–1916) Inez attended Vassar College, where she excelled in track and field and drama. It was at Vassar that she first became active in the fight for women's suffrage. When the college refused to allow speakers on womens' suffrage to appear on campus, Inez organized a rally in a local cemetery. Vassar suspended her for this, but she was not deterred. After graduating from Vassar in 1909, she earned a degree in labor law from NYU and became a respected attorney. In March of 1913, the day of Woodrow Wilson's presidential inauguration, 8,000 suffragists marched for their cause in Washington D.C. Inez Milholland, dressed in white robes and riding on a white horse at the head of the parade made a powerful and striking impression on the crowd. Later she became one of the leaders of the Congressional Union for Women's Suffrage, as well as the movements most popular public speaker.

Additionally, Inez was a co-founder of the N.A.A.C.P. On October 16, 1916, while giving a speech against Woodrow Wilson in Los Angeles, she suddenly collapsed. Inez Milholland lived with pernicious anemia, which had worsened due to her demanding speaking schedule and near constant travel. Ten weeks after her collapse, she died. She was thirty years old. Her last public words were famously, "Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?" She was the wife of Dutch businessman Jan Boissevain. Her sister, Miss Vida Milholland, was also a Suffragist buried in the same cemetery.

(1888–1952) Vida contributed far more to gaining suffrage for American women than has been recognized. She joined her more famous sister, Inez, at Vassar as a co-conspirator against the college's anti-feminist President James Taylor.

After Inez's death, Vida gave up her singing career and threw herself into suffrage work. She had a fine voice and sang at suffrage meetings. She joined the picketing of the White House. One of the most common banners one sees in photos is one showing the last words of Inez before she collapsed in Los Angeles: "How Long, Mr. President, Must Women Wait for Liberty." Vida was one of the first to be arrested for picketing, on July 4, 1917. She served three days in the District of Columbia Jail, during which time she sang every night for the benefit of her fellow prisoners.In 1919 she toured the United States as part of the "Prison Special" tour of NWP speakers and sang at all the meetings.

After suffrage was won in 1920, Vida worked on peace issues with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. She had a partner in this work, Peg Hamilton. With other well-known female couples, they were an early lobbying group not only for peace but for same-sex partnerships. *courtesy SuffragistMemorial.org

(1856–1912) Anne emerged as a spokesperson for the suffrage cause at the New York State Constitutional Convention, held in 1894. There, she gave a speech advocating women’s suffrage. Anne attended most state suffrage conventions from that time on until her death, and was regarded as one of Ontario County’s leading suffragists.

(1822–1911) Between 1897 and 1911 Elizabeth Smith Miller and her daughter, Anne Fitzhugh Miller, filled seven large scrapbooks with ephemera, convention programs, letters, press clippings, photographs, pins, ribbons, banners, and other memorabilia. The scrapbooks were created primarily to document the activities of the Geneva Political Equality Club, which the Millers founded in Geneva, New York, in 1897. They offer a unique look at the political and social atmosphere of the time as well as chronicle the efforts of two women who were major participants in the suffrage movement. Elizabeth Smith Miller and Anne Fitzhugh Miller scrapbooks are a part of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Collection in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

They also recorded some of the persistent efforts of a growing number of dedicated women and men working for woman suffrage at the state, national, and international levels. These scrapbooks capture the spirit of this suffrage struggle and provide a unique opportunity to share in the personal frustrations and victories of a cause in progress.

(1845–1924) Susan began her activism as a founding member of the Banks Brigade when she was still a teenager. Founded in 1861, the Banks Brigade was a group of daughters from elite Cambridge and Boston families who met weekly to sew clothing and bandages for Union soldiers. After the Civil War, the group continued their social and charitable activities renaming the club The Bee.

In 1867, Susan Dixwell married Gerrit Smith Miller, grandson of abolitionist Gerrit Smith, first cousin to Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Susan, through her social activism, was an active participant of the women's suffrage movement.

(1821–1902) Nathan was a newspaper editor and publisher.

Born in New Hampshire, he began learning the newspaper business after limited schooling. The interfacing of news with politics fascinated him. Nathan moved to the Finger Lakes area where he began a few newspapers. His last and best known was the Ontario County Times which was viewed as an anti-slavery publication. Nathan first published this paper in January, 1852. Nathan was also involved in local politics. He served as the postmaster of Canandaigua and was elected Ontario County Clerk.

(1857–1935) A teacher at a private academy near Boston, Harriet embraced the suffrage cause after hearing Lucy Stone speak in 1886. She moved to New York City to work with the then-new National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). At some point she returned to her childhood home in Syracuse, where she organized the 24th annual convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) in 1892. In 1894 she was named recording secretary of NYSWSA. By then she was in demand as a lecturer and organizer. Other notable activists with whom she worked closely included Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Carrie Chapman Catt. Source: freethought-trail.org

(1878–1918) From 1911-1918, Violet worked on organizing and fundraising for suffrage.

Violet attended the Empire State Campaign Committee for suffrage at the annual convention held from November 30 - December 2, 1916. The New York State Campaign was consolidated under the State Woman Suffrage Party and Violet was on the Executive Committee. She also served on the Entertainment and Education Committee for the National Woman's Suffrage Party. At the State Departmental Work for the National American Convention of 1917, Violet was appointed a Speaker in War Time and Chairman of the speaker's bureau. In February of 1917, Violet held a suffrage experience meeting at the Cosmopolitan Club in New York City with educational lectures that was attended by both supporters and anti-suffragists.

After the United States entered World War I, the suffrage movement worked to support the war effort. Violet was on the special committee appointed by the New York City Chairman through the New York State Senate for those enlistment efforts. As a result, in March 1917 the headquarters of the Woman's Suffrage Party on Livingston Street, Brooklyn, New York became an enlistment station, which she helped organize.

(1874–1923) Born in Oswego, Luther attended the public schools and graduated from Harvard University in 1896. He began his career at the First National Bank of Oswego, which was owned by his family, and he eventually became the bank's cashier and vice president. He was a founder of the Oswego Chamber of Commerce, created by merging two other organizations, and he served as its president.

A civic activist, Luther was a trustee of the Presbyterian church he attended, the public library in Oswego, and Oswego's Home for the Homeless and Orphan Asylum. In 1907 Luther was appointed state Banking Commissioner, but served just five days before resigning on the grounds of ill health. He was a delegate to the 1908 Republican National Convention and he was president of the New York State Bankers' Association from 1910 until 1911.

Luther was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-Second and to the six succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1911 until his death in Oswego in 1923. During his service in Congress Luther actively advocated women's suffrage and prohibition.

(1881–1971) Ruth served as a director of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association in 1913 and marched in the woman suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. on March 3. Her husband, Luther Mott, was US Representative from New York's 28th (later the 32nd) congressional district (1911-1923), an early proponent of women's suffrage, and an ardent prohibitionist. On his death in 1923, former speaker, Thaddeus D. Sweet, was backed by party leaders over Ruth Mott as a candidate to replace her husband in Congress. At the same time, Ruth's supporters suggested that she be offered the position of Oswego's postmaster, which she accepted.

Ruth served as the postmaster in Oswego from 1923 to 1936. While many supporters of women's suffrage were wives or daughters of successful professional men or business leaders, Ruth achieved those roles in her own right. *Courtesy alexanderstreet.com

(1872–1919) A lawyer, Gabrielle advocated for women in the court system and appealed to the Governor to set up separate courts for women and women's issues. Gabrielle was noted as a leader in women's affairs and was referred to as a prominent suffragist. She was reported to have called anti-suffragists "traitors to the home" and "cowards."

Gabrielle authored a pamphlet entitled "New York Laws of Interest to Women", read at the November 11, 1908 convention of the New York State Federation of Women's Clubs and published by the Federation in 1908. She was active in the Woman Suffrage Party from its inception in 1909. She served as chairman of the Legislative Committee of the New York State Federation of Women's Clubs, during which time she was successful in establishing a Women's Court, a separate court for the trial of women under arrest.

Gabrielle was a member of the New York County Lawyer's Association, Equal Franchise Society, Women's Republican Club, National Civic Association, National Society of Patriotic Women, and Daughters of the American Revolution. *courtesy alexanderstreet.com

(1793–1865) Laura is described by Victor historian Babette Huber as the town of Victor's earliest known suffragette.

In August of 1848, Rochester, NY was planning a Convention for Women's Rights. Laura was elected Vice President of the committee conducting the convention. This gathering was held two weeks after the Seneca Falls convention and was reported as being well attended. Her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Murray Walling, was an active suffragette who worked closely with Susan B Anthony. Little else is know about Laura Murray's contributions but it is clear that she set a strong example for her daughter.

If you know more about her, you can help us tell her story. Please use our Add a Suffragist form to submit your information.

(1862–1946) Maud was a social worker, labor activist, and suffragist for women's right to vote. Lobbying Albany on consumer issues made Maud realize how little legislators cared about the opinions of vote-less women and so she became more involved in suffrage activities. In 1908, Maud published a pamphlet entitled The Wage Earner and the Ballot which pointed out that in suffrage states the age of consent was higher, the illiteracy rate was lower, women were paid more for civil service jobs, and there were stronger child labor laws.

(1840–1931) Clara was a prominent member of the German reform community in the United States. She spoke at the first convention of the Deutscher Frauenstimmrechtsverein in New York in 1872, which had been established with the help of her sister-in-law, Mathilde Neymann Wendt. In 1882, Clara was a speaker at the Suffrage Convention for New York State Women. That same year, she traveled with Susan B. Anthony to Nebraska to support the Nebraska Woman Suffrage Society's campaign.

Clara aided in uniting large numbers of new immigrants who could be reached in the German language. While the German-American women's rights movement operated parallel and, at times, in opposition to the larger US movement, Clara frequently served as a messenger between the groups.

(1888–1939) Dora was an educator and choreographer. She is best known for advancing the dignity of African American history through dance and drama. Dora taught in New York City schools and directed the Colored Players Guild at the Harlem YWCA. She worked with WEB DuBois to stage a large scale pageant, The Star of Ethiopia, in 1913.

During World War I, Dora was a leader in the Circle for Negro War Relief. This organization promoted the psychological welfare of African American soldiers and provided goods for them and their families.

(1869–1927) In 1913, Margaret was appointed 10th campaign district chairman of the Empire State Campaign Committee. She was a friend of Carrie Chapman Catt and often accompanied her on her campaigns. The counties in the 10th campaign district included her home county of Dutchess, as well as Putnam, Columbia, Ulster and Greene. One can find numerous articles regarding Mrs. Norrie's suffrage work, and many more after enfranchisement was gained.

To summarize Margaret's activism in a short biographical sketch would be a challenge, as she was involved in 28 organizations. (Poughkeepsie Eagle News, 12/20/1927). She was a leader in the fight for woman suffrage and had a passion for politics. In her role as chairman of the Tenth Campaign District, she was often the chief speaker or presided over various meetings. The address she gave at the opening of the new headquarters of the local Suffrage party on the second floor of the Hinkley Building in Poughkeepsie is printed in full in the Poughkeepsie Eagle-News, Feb 26, 1916 issue.

(1838–1910) Sarah was a great granddaughter of President John Adams. Working with Susan B. Anthony, Sarah campaigned for the admission of women at the Cornell University, which she called "that stronghold of feminine prejudice," and the two women received the support of its founder, Ezra Cornell. The school admitted women in 1870, one of the first American universities to do so.

Sarah, a novelist and lecturer, often challenged gender-based economic disparities. She questioned the practice of marriage as the husband’s economic ownership of the wife. As president of the Working Women’s Association, she discovered that about half of New York City rag pickers were female. She wryly concluded, “This is the only business in which women have equal opportunities with men.” Pointing out that children were not the property of their parents, to be denied schooling and forced to work at very young ages, she advocated compulsory education for both sexes. “If, by this means, every boy and girl could both be educated and made self-supporting...would it not be better for both parents and children?”

Having lost her fortune, Sarah Norton died at age 72 in 1910, in Troy, N.Y. in poverty. A penciled statement found clutched in her hand illustrated the circumstances in which she found herself as she approached death, stating, "I have spent my life and nearly two fortunes working in the interest of women and this is the end - friendless-dissolution-death. Let no one play at philanthropy who wants peace."

(1859–1946) Katharine was appointed 11th campaign district chairman in 1913, working under the direction of Carrie Chapman Catt. The counties in her district included Rensselaer, Saratoga, Washington, Warren, and Essex. At a Saratoga County Woman Suffrage Party convention in May 1917, held in Saratoga Spring, Mrs. Notman spoke at the luncheon. She stated that every high-profile accomplishment by a woman helped the suffrage cause. She also stated "there are plenty of things men aren't doing for us to do; ordinary womanly things which are just as important to the nation as imitating what men are doing." *courtesy alexanderstreet.com

(1852–1937) Anna was an activist and suffragist from the age of sixteen until women won the right to vote in 1920. Her most notable participation in the suffrage movement came from her work in New York City with the St. Catherine's Welfare Association, a Catholic women's organization. Anna played a major role in establishing the group and organized the first meeting, held on Jan 7, 1911 at the Covenant of Peace, 225 West Fourteenth St. in New York City. She served as the organization's vice-president in 1917.

Anna actively engaged in the group's effort to spread the support of enfranchisement to women. The women of St. Catherine's Welfare Association rejected the general policy of the Catholic Church opposing women's enfranchisement, instead viewing it as their mission to change that policy.