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 Lillian H. Olzendam to John Spargo
Lillian H. Olzendam to John Spargo
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    • Date Created: 1919-11-15
    • Description: Olzendam writes to John Spargo of Bennington about his interest in helping to obtain a special legislative session, and puts him in touch with Washington County Senator Howland, the chairman of the legislative committee to ask Governor Clement for a special session.
    • 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: 1919-11-17
      • Description: Olzendam asks Washington County Senator Howland if he would have a conversation with the Governor and present some facts that she has enclosed to help him ‚Äúrealize that a special session would be the pleasantest way out of a bad situation,‚Äù and notes that after the American Legion affair he would be looking for an opportunity to ‚Äúset himself right with the people of the State.‚Äù
      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
      Miniature of Edwin D. Moore to Lillian H. Olzendam
      Edwin D. Moore to Lillian H. Olzendam
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        • Date Created: 1919-11-21
        • Description: Representative Edwin Moore of Bennington responds that he does not approve of asking the Governor for a special session but would attend if one was called. [Response is written on bottom of original request from Olzendam]
        • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
        Miniature of George J. Bond to Lillian H. Olzendam
        George J. Bond to Lillian H. Olzendam
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          • Date Created: 1919-11-22
          • Description: Representative George Bond of Searsburg responds that he has enclosed his signature and has for the past 50 years been a staunch supporter of women‚Äôs suffrage, except that he does "not care to trust women in national politics" after the women of the west have elected Wilson in the past two presidential elections.
          • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
          Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Edward Curtis Smith
          Lillian H. Olzendam to Edward Curtis Smith
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            • Date Created: 1919-12-22
            • Description: Olzendam asks the Honorable Edward Smith of St. Albans, as a supporter of suffrage, to sign a petition to the Governor to call a special legislative session for ratification and to forward the petition to other well-known men in his social and professional groups.
            • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
            Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Lisa M. Wilkinson
            Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Lisa M. Wilkinson
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              • Date Created: 1919-09-15
              • Description: Olzendam relays Horton's idea for a "Citizenship Conference" to be held in Burlington, the "hot-bed of Antis," with men and women speakers (including Mrs. Schoonmaker of Connecticut), later to be brought to Bennington.
              • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
              Miniature of Carrie Chapman Catt to Annette W. Parmelee
              Carrie Chapman Catt to Annette W. Parmelee
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                • 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.
                • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Vermont Legislators
                Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Vermont Legislators
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                  • Date Created: 1919-10_01
                  • Description: Copy of circular letter sent to legislators, with instructions for printing, present status of ratification nationwide, and "Woodstock Suffrage Study Club" letterhead on the back.
                  • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                  Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Mrs. Vance D. Conant
                  Lillian Herrick Olzendam to Mrs. Vance D. Conant
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                    • Date Created: 1919-10-19
                    • Description: Olzendam asks the wife of Representative Conant of Vershire to get his signature in support of ratification, although he is too ill to travel to a special legislative session.
                    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                    Miniature of Lillian Herrick Olzendam to William H. Dyer
                    Lillian Herrick Olzendam to William H. Dyer
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                      • Date Created: 1919-10-19
                      • Description: Olzendam asks Representative Dyer of Salisbury for his signature in support of ratification, tells him she believes he thinks "the Constitution of Vermont supercedes that of the United States of America," and explains the national importance of Vermont's position.
                      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection