Early 20th Century Women's Suffrage

Wayne County, NY



Ninth Annual Convention

of the

Wayne County

Woman's Suffrage Association

M.E. Church, Alton, New York

Friday, June 17th, 1910

PROGRAM

10:00 A.M.

Convention called to order by 1st Vice-President Mrs. F. D. Gaylord
Prayer Mrs. H.N. Becker
Report of Credential Committee
Minutes of Last Convention
Appointment of Committees: Entertainment, Nominating and Resolutions
Report of Officers
Election of Officers and Delegates to State Convention
Miscellaneous Business
Reports of Local Clubs: Alton Butler Lincoln
Lyons Marengo Newark Palmyra
Savannah Sodus Williamson
Dinner Served at the Alton Hotel, 40 cents

2:30 P. M.

Prayer Rev. O. F. Fero
Music
Address of Welcome Mrs. Anson F. Gatchell
Greetings,
W. C.T. U. Mrs. G. E. Burns, Alton
Grange Mrs. Emily Thompson, Alton
W. R. C. Mrs. Florida Lawrence, Wolcott
Response Mrs. F. D. Gaylord, Sodus
Music
Ten Minute Talks Rev. Arthur W. Battey, Sodus;
Rev. H. N. Becker, Alton;
Rev. D. B. McMurdy, Sodus
Duet Mrs. T. F. Madden and Mrs. Nettie Richards, Sodus
Question Box Miss Harriet May Mills, Syracuse
Music
Address - "Responsibility as a Factor
in Woman's Development
Rev. H. E. Hyde, Red Creek
Solo Miss Pearl Becker, Alton
Adjournment
Supper will be furnished free in the church by the Alton ladies

8:00 P. M.

Music
Devotional Service Rev. H. N. Becker, Alton
Music
Poem Mrs. A. F. Gatchell
Paper
Solo Mrs. E. A. DeZutter, Williamson
Address Miss Harriet May Mills, Syracuse
Report of Committee on Resolutions
Duet Mrs. T. F. Madden and Mrs. Nettie Richards, Sodus
Benediction



TENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION

of the

WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

of Wayne County

at the M. E. Church, Williamson,

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1911

OFFICERS

President Mrs. Edward A. DeZutter, Williamson
First Vice-President Mrs. A. D. Clark, Alton
Second Vice-President Mrs. F. D. Gaylord, Sodus
Recording Secretary Mrs. Hannah R. Tinsley, Lyons
Corresponding Secretary Mrs. D. W. Gieble, Williamson
Treasurer Mrs. Joel Thorne, Marengo
Auditors Mrs. Leland Pratt, Newark
Miss Nash, Sodus

PRESIDENTS OF LOCAL CLUBS

Alton Mrs. A. D. Clark
Lyons Mrs. Lisette C. Parshall
Lincoln Mrs. Cora M. Rogers
Marengo Mrs. Joel Thorne
Newark Mrs. Spencer Post
Sodus Mrs. F. D. Gaylord
South Butler Mrs. F. E. Davis
Williamson Mrs. E. A. DeZutter

MORNING SESSION, 10:30 O'CLOCK

Singing, America
Report of Credential Committee
Appointment of Committees: Entertainment, Nominating and Resolutions.
Report of Officers
Election of Officers and Delegates to State Convention.
Pledges for State Work.
Report of Local Clubs.
Price of Dinner, 35 cents.

AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:15 O'CLOCK

Prayer Rev. Matthew Gaffney
Solo Mrs. Stanley Fairbanks
Address of Welcome Mrs. Edwin Harrison
Response Mrs. A. D. Clark
Address Mrs. E. A. DeZutter
Discussion - "Club Management" Led by Mrs. Anna G. Putnam
Symposium - "The Twentieth Century Woman"
(a) In the Industries and Finance Mrs. A. D. Waterman
(b) In Philanthropy and Reform Mrs. H. Clara Hopkins
(c) In the HomeMrs. Anson F. Gatchell
Clarinet Duet Leland Fuller and John Bennett
Paper - "World Progress of Woman's Suffrage" Mrs. E. O. Rogers
"Legislative Work" Miss Harriet May Mills, Syracuse
Reading - "Three Dreams in a Desert" Mrs. E. G. Frazier, Rochester
Supper will be Served by the Williamson Club.

EVENING SESSION, 8:00 O'CLOCK

Music
Devotional Service Rev. J. C. Henry
Report of Committee on Resolutions
Pantomime - "America" Christine DeZutter
Address Rev. Edwin A. Rumball, Rochester
Solo Miss Gertrude Hicock
"Last Words" Miss Harriet May Mills, Syracuse

Note: Harriet May Mills (1857 - 1935) was the daughter of Syracuse NY abolitionists C.D.B. Mills and Harriet Smith Mills, her middle name taken after famous Syracuse abolitionist Rev. Samuel J. May. Harriet earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University, taught for a number of years at several private schools, and, influenced by feminists Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone, eventually became a political activist and dedicated herself to the suffrage movement. In 1892 she founded the Political Equality Club in Syracuse. In the 1890s she traveled to other states to help organize and promote suffrage activities, lecture, and fundraise. Her home in Syracuse became the headquarters of The New York State Women's Suffrage Association (NYSWSA), and she was elected president of the organization in 1910. In 1920, she became the first woman to run for state-wide office in NY State, running for Secretary of State. In 1934, the women's building at the New York State Fairgrounds was named the Harriet May Mills Building.




Lyons Republican, September 13, 1912

WAYNE SUFFRAGISTS
FORM ORGANIZATION

Harriet May Mills Addresses Annual
Meeting of Wayne County Association at Lyons.

Wayne county women suffragists are more than pleased with the interest taken in their meetings held in this village last Saturday. For some unknown reason a couple of the Wayne county societies were not represented, although they were expected. It was a disappointment to the officers that the missing ones did not get here, and they have yet to learn why.

The morning meeting was held in the Civic Club rooms and was largely attended. This meeting was of a business nature. Mrs. L. C. Parshall of this village delivered the address of welcome and the response was heard from Mrs. Frank Gaylord of Sodus.

The necessity of a strong county organization was brought out by several of the speakers and all present pledged themselves to make a great effort during the ensuing year. It was pointed out that the Woman's Suffrage movement was behind times in this county as compared to several other counties of the state, and it is the hope of the members that they will be able to catch up during the next twelve months.

Officers were elected as follows: President, Mrs. Eugene Rodgers, of Lincoln; vice-president, Mrs. L. Parshall, of Lyons; recording secretary, Mrs. H. T. Tinsley, of Lyons; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Braithwaite, of Lincoln; treasurer, Mrs. George Barclay, of Sodus.

The following delegates and alternates to the state convention to be held at Utica, October 15th to 18th, were elected. Delegates, Mrs. H. T. Tinsley, Lyons; Mrs. L. Parshall, Lyons; Mrs. Frank Gaylord, Sodus. Alternates, Mrs. E. T. Ennis, Lyons; Mrs. George Barclay, Sodus; Mrs. Braithwaite, Lincoln.

In the afternoon Harriet May Mills, president of the state organization, delivered an address in the park which was listened to attentively by a large crowd of women and about the same number of men. In her talk Mrs. Mills praised Senator Griffith highly for his stand on the equal suffrage bills in the senate last session, but she scored Assemblyman Yeomans for his position, concluding her remarks about Mr. Yeomans, with the assertion that he was the only member of the Judiciary committee who voted against the submission of the proposition to change the amendment to give the women the right to vote. Mrs. Mills also spoke at the morning business meeting. She is an interesting talker and believes in woman suffrage from the bottom of her heart. Her remarks were heard by appreciative audiences, and from her manner it would seem that a majority of her hearers favor the movement.


Note: Frederick W. Griffith, of Palmyra, was a member of the New York State Senate from 1910 - 1912. Albert Yeomans, of Walworth, was a New York State Assemblyman, serving Wayne County from 1911 to 1913.




The above programs and newspaper article courtesy of the Office of the County Historian, Lyons, New York.




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