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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Showing 61 - 70 of 104 Records

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Miniature of John E. Waterman to Lillian H. Olzendam
John E. Waterman to Lillian H. Olzendam
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    • Date Created: 1919-12-09
    • Description: Representative Waterman of Royalton responds that he will not sign the petition for the special session because he does not want to commit himself to anyone in the matter, but if called upon to vote for ratification he would support it.
    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
    Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Rex
    Lillian H. Olzendam to Rex
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      • Date Created: 1919-12-20
      • Description: Olzendam explains that she has started sending petitions for signatures in support of women‚Äôs suffrage to men belonging to various groups and professions.
      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
      Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Harvey William Varnum
      Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Harvey William Varnum
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        • Date Created: 1919-10-18
        • Description: Olzendam asks Senator Varnum of Jeffersonville to sign his name to a petition of legislators supporting a special session to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment.
        • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
        Miniature of Minutes of the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bellows Falls, Tuesday Eve. and Wednesday, January 17 and 18, 1888.
        Minutes of the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bellows Falls, Tuesday Eve. and Wednesday, January 17 and 18, 1888.
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          • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
          • Date Created: 1887
          • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
          Miniature of George Edward Child to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
          George Edward Child to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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            • 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.
            • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
            Miniature of Frederick Jackson Tewksbury to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
            Frederick Jackson Tewksbury to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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              • 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]
              • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
              Miniature of Frank G. Howland to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
              Frank G. Howland to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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                • 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 held without expense to the State.
                • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                Miniature of Yearbook
                Yearbook
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                  • Creator: Vermont Equal Suffrage Association
                  • Date Created: 1913
                  • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                  Miniature of Yearbook
                  Yearbook
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                    • Creator: Vermont Equal Suffrage Association
                    • Date Created: 1915
                    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                    Miniature of Minutes of the Third Annual Meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Methodist Church, Barton Landing, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, Jan. 12 and 13, 1887.
                    Minutes of the Third Annual Meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Methodist Church, Barton Landing, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, Jan. 12 and 13, 1887.
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                      • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
                      • Date Created: 1887
                      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection