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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Miniature of Minutes of the Fifth Annual Meeting of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in Opera Hall, Barre, Vt., Wednesday Evening and Thursday, Feb. 13 and 14, 1889.
Minutes of the Fifth Annual Meeting of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in Opera Hall, Barre, Vt., Wednesday Evening and Thursday, Feb. 13 and 14, 1889.
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    • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
    • Date Created: 1889
    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
    Miniature of Minutes of the Seventh Annual Meeting of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association. Held in Methodist Chapel, Lyndonville, Vermont, Thursday Evening and Friday, January 29 and 30, 1891.
    Minutes of the Seventh Annual Meeting of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association. Held in Methodist Chapel, Lyndonville, Vermont, Thursday Evening and Friday, January 29 and 30, 1891.
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      • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
      • Date Created: 1891
      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
      Miniature of Minutes of the Tenth Annual Meeting of The Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Congregational Church, Barton, Vermont, Thursday Evening and Friday, June 28 and 29, 1894.
      Minutes of the Tenth Annual Meeting of The Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association, Held in the Congregational Church, Barton, Vermont, Thursday Evening and Friday, June 28 and 29, 1894.
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        • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
        • Date Created: 1894
        • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
        Miniature of Minutes of the 16th annual meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association. Waterbury Center, Vermont. June 12 and 13, 1900.
        Minutes of the 16th annual meeting of the Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association. Waterbury Center, Vermont. June 12 and 13, 1900.
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          • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
          • Date Created: 1900
          • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
          Miniature of Twentieth Annual Report of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association and Minutes of the Convention held at Woodstock, Vermont, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, June 22 and 23, 1904.
          Twentieth Annual Report of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association and Minutes of the Convention held at Woodstock, Vermont, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, June 22 and 23, 1904.
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            • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
            • Date Created: 1904
            • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
            Miniature of Twenty-First Annual Report of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association and Minutes of the Annual Convention at Springfield, Vermont, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, June Seven and Eight, 1905.
            Twenty-First Annual Report of Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association and Minutes of the Annual Convention at Springfield, Vermont, Wednesday Evening and Thursday, June Seven and Eight, 1905.
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              • Creator: Vermont Woman's Suffrage Association
              • Date Created: 1905
              • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
              Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to James Hartness
              Lillian H. Olzendam to James Hartness
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                • Date Created: 1919-12-19
                • Description: Olzendam asks future governor James Hartness, 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 Annette W. Parmelee to Marion R. Horton
                Annette W. Parmelee to Marion R. Horton
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                  • Date Created: 1919-09-11
                  • Description: Parmelee debates whether or not to accept the position of State Historian for the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association, and gives her opinion as to Governor Clement's opposition to women's suffrage.
                  • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                  Miniature of William Henry Dyer to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
                  William Henry Dyer to Lillian Herrick Olzendam
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                    • Date Created: 1919-10-04
                    • Description: Response of a legislator from Salisbury, Addison County, who believes Vermont cannot authorize equal suffrage until after the state's Constitution has been amended and ratified, which could only happen after two more legislative sessions.
                    • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection
                    Miniature of Lillian H. Olzendam to Collins M. Graves
                    Lillian H. Olzendam to Collins M. Graves
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                      • Date Created: 1919-12-16
                      • Description: Olzendam asks Collins Graves of Bennington to consider working with Washington County Senator Howland to speak with the Governor about calling a special session for ratification; his fellow townsman, John Spargo, has already agreed to be part of such a delegation, and the VESA would pay the cost of the visit.
                      • Parent Collections: Women's Suffrage in Vermont Collection