Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection

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. 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 Invasion 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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73 1919
Miniature of Henry M. McFarland to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
Henry M. McFarland to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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    • Date Created: 1919-10-10
    • Description: Response of a legislator from Hyde Park, Lamoille County who will vote for ratification of the federal suffrage amendment but doesn't care to petition the Governor.
    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
    Miniature of Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
    Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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      • 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.
      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
      Miniature of Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam and Marion Stone Pelley
      Carrie Chapman Catt to Lillian Herrick Olzendam and Marion Stone Pelley
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        • 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.
        • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
        Miniature of William A. Root to Lillian H. Olzendam
        William A. Root to Lillian H. Olzendam
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          • Date Created: 1919-10-24
          • Description: Bennington County Senator Root responds that he will vote for ratification if a special session is called but does not care to petition the Governor for the session. [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
          • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
          Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Dr. Fred E. Dwinnell
          Lillian H. Olzendam to Dr. Fred E. Dwinnell
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            • Date Created: 1919-10-30
            • Description: Olzendam asks again for the signature of Representative Dwinell of Lyndon calling for a special session.
            • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
            Miniature of Ashley Joseph Goss to Lillian H. Olzendam
            Ashley Joseph Goss to Lillian H. Olzendam
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              • 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.
              • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
              Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Marion Stone Pelley
              Lillian H. Olzendam to Marion Stone Pelley
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                • Date Created: 1919-11-06
                • Description: Olzendam tells Pelley she doesn‚Äôt believe that the state‚Äôs lawmakers fully understand the Federal suffrage amendment, discusses her difficulties with obtaining legislators‚Äô signatures in support of a special session, and expresses concern at pushing too much for Washington County Senator Howland‚Äôs help.
                • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Harriet W. Patterson
                Lillian H. Olzendam to Harriet W. Patterson
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                  • Date Created: 1919-12-03
                  • Description: Olzendam asks Mrs. George W. Patterson to speak with Representative Clark of Brookfield in order to change his mind about signing the petition, and discusses petition signing statistics from the towns of Brookfield and Randolph Center.
                  • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                  Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Frank G. Howland
                  Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Frank G. Howland
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                    • Date Created: 1919-10-18
                    • Description: Olzendam updates Washington County Senator Frank Howland about the legislative signatures she has obtained in support of a special legislative session to ratify the suffrage amendment.
                    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                    Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Frank G. Howland
                    Lillian H. Olzendam to Frank G. Howland
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                      • Date Created: 1919-11-06
                      • Description: Olzendam asks Washington County Senator Howland if VESA can publicize the existence of his legislative committee and states that she wishes to publish the text of the Federal Amendment and excerpts from the United States Constitution because legislators don‚Äôt seem to fully understand the rights that would be granted to Vermont women upon ratification.
                      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection