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Movement in Kingston, NY
By Nancy Chando
This article is a revised version of FHK’s November 2020 newsletter.
It has been over 100 years since the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote. The Women’s Suffrage movement began in 1848 with the New York Seneca Falls Convention. Early leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony became well known for their work. Unfortunately, it took 72 years for the suffragists to achieve success. The early leaders did not live long enough to see the amendment pass or to cast a vote.
This article from the December 28th, 1894 New Paltz Times advertises Susan B. Anthony’s appearance at the Kingston Court House.
Future generations had to pick up the torch and carry it to ratification by the U.S. Constitutional amendment. Local women worked within their own states to encourage the passage of individual state amendments. Wyoming was the first state to pass an amendment giving women the right to vote in 1890. Colorado followed in 1893.
Advertisement from The Kingston Daily Freeman, November 5, 1917.
The New Paltz Times, December 28, 1894.
Sample New York State Ballot for Nov 6, 1917. Courtesy of New York Heritage.
Women in New York State began to meet and work to have an amendment on their state ballot. An online search of The Kingston Daily Freeman during the years 1915-1920, reports many women’s meetings held during those years were held at private homes. As attendance increased, they moved to larger public buildings.
Starting in April, 1915, Mrs. Myron J. Michael held numerous well-attended meetings for women’s suffrage at her Kingston home at 44 Maiden Lane. One meeting at the Michael home was hosted by the Citizen’s League, another by the Federation of Women’s Clubs. They both featured speakers discussing political equality for women.
44 Maiden Lane, home of Mr. and Mrs. Myron J. Michael. Photo by Peter Roberts.
142 Pearl Street, Home of Mr. and Mrs. John Searing. FHK Archives.
Other Kingston women listed at these events were Mrs. W.N. Fessenden, Mrs. Henry Hovenberg, Mrs. Marian McCormack, Mrs. Ray Powley, Mrs. John Brodhead, and Mrs. John Searing of 142 Pearl Street.
Ulster County Courthouse, 285 Wall Street. FHK Archives.
On March 15, 1917, the Kingston Suffrage School opened. It was held in the Supervisor’s Room of the Ulster County Courthouse. The newspaper reports that Miss Elinor Byrnes was to conduct the school that would train workers for the 1917 New York State campaign. Among those who gave brief talks at the school were Mrs. Myron J. Michael, chairman of the Kingston Suffrage Party, and Mrs. John W. Searing. The article states the room was brightened with vases of yellow tulips and daffodils.
Wiltwyck Inn, 48 Main Street. FHK Archives.
On June 29, 1917, Mrs. Raymond Brown and Mrs. John Searing appealed for the suffrage cause at a public meeting held at the Wiltwyck Inn at 48 Main St., Kingston.
Hebrew School Hall, 50 Post Street. From left to right: Hymie, Sadie, Gertie, and Elsie Reher, Robert Cohen is in front. Courtesy of the Reher Center Collection.
On October 19, 1917, the Freeman reported that there will be a Woman Suffrage meeting held at the Hebrew School Hall on the corner of Post and Spring Streets. A large attendance was anticipated.
November 6, 1917, was the Election Day that New York State added Amendment 1 to the ballot, giving women the right to vote. 54% of the men of New York voted in favor. 34 counties in the state carried the amendment to passage. A few cities chose not to approve the amendment. Kingston and Albany were two cities that voted it down.
As an addendum to this article’s text as originally published four years ago, we would like to honor some of the local suffragettes by informing you of their given names, as opposed to using their husband’s names which was the convention at the time.
Mrs. Hattie Burton Michael lived at 44 Maiden Lane, Kingston
Mrs. Annie Pidgeon Searing, lived at 142 Pearl Street, Kingston
Mrs. Maude Everett Fessenden
Mrs. Mary Williamson Powley
Mrs. Louise Wood Van Hoevenburg
Mrs. Lucinda Kiselbough Brodhead
Marquee at Ulster Performing Arts Center 601 Broadway, Kingston, New York, October, 2020. Photo by Peter Roberts.
Women throughout the country continued their work for suffrage until the 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, was added to the United States Constitution. “The Right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex”.
Newsletter Archive
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The Yellow Jackets: Kingston’s Semi-Professional Football Team – February 2022
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