Suffragists in Pennsylvania
Jennie Bronenberg, Philadelphia: Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in 1919, jailed for five days.
Annie D. (Mrs. William) Chisholm, Huntington: Picketed the White House in 1917, arrested, tried, sentenced, released on personal bond after 12 days.
Cora Crawford, Philadelphia: Business woman. Marched in March 3, 1913 Parade. Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in Jan. 1919, jailed for five days.
Lavinia Lloyd Dock, Fairfield: Picketed the White House in 1917, arrested, tried, sentenced, and incarcerated.
Mrs. Mary Carroll Dowell, Philadelphia: Active club member and suffragist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Pennsylvania officer of NWP. Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in 1919, jailed for five days.
Mrs. Edmund C. Evans, Ardmore: Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in 1919, jailed for five days.
Rose Fishstein, Philadelphia: Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in Feb. 1919, jailed for five days.
Margaretta Forten (1806-1875), Philadelphia: Daughter of black abolitionist James Forten, with her mother and sister Harriet, was a founding member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, and members of the American Equal Rights Association. These sisters helped lay the groundwork for the National Woman’s Rights Convention in October 1854, and helped organize the Philadelphia Suffrage Association in 1866.
Reba Gomborov, Philadelphia from Kiev, Russia: Secretary of Pennsylvania Industrial Section for Suffrage, and NWP. Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in Jan. 1919, jailed for five days.
Frances E. W. Harper, Unknown City: Abolitionist with Maine Anti-Slavery League; became one of the most active Black woman suffrage leaders.
Kate C. Heffelfinger, Shamokin: Picketed the White House in 1917, arrested, tried, sentenced, and incarcerated. Participated in NWP Lafayette Square demonstration in 1918, jailed for 15 days. Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in 1919, jailed for five days.
Mary Ingham, Philadelphia: Member of national NWP executive committee, Pennsylvania state chairman of NWP.
Dora Lewis, Philadelphia: Member of NWP executive committee, chairman of finance committee, national treasurer, ratification committee chairman. Picketed the White House in 1917, arrested, tried, sentenced, and incarcerated.
Elizabeth McShane, Philadelphia: Picketed the White House in 1917, arrested, tried, sentenced, and incarcerated.
Gertrude Bustill Mossell (1855-1948), Philadelphia: From a prominent free African American family of reformers, she married a physician. A professional journalist (Mrs. N. F. Mossell), she wrote a women’s column in T. Thomas Fortune’s newspaper, The New York Freeman. Her first article was on suffrage was published in 1885. Like Frances Harper, she believed intemperance to be a great hindrance to the Black community. She directed her arguments to the Black community through the Black press.
Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875), Philadelphia: Daughter of wealthy sail maker and abolitionist reformer James Forten, Sr., Harriet and her sister were founding members of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, and members of the American Equal Rights Association, where Harriet served on the executive committee. The sisters helped lay the groundwork for the first National Woman’s Rights Convention in October 1854, and helped organize the Philadelphia Suffrage Association in 1866.
Harriet (Hattie) Purvis Jr., Philadelphia: A niece of the Forten family of reformers, she was active in the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association and on its Executive Committee. Between 1883 and 1900, she served as a delegate to the National Woman Suffrage Association. She also served as Superintendent of Work among Colored People for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, championing both reforms. A friend of Susan B. Anthony, she represented the second generation of Black women suffragists.
Lily Helen (Thompson) Dupuy Steele, Pittsburgh: State auditor for the Women Suffrage Party of Pennsylvania. She was also involved with the Eastern Suffrage Headquarters, Equal Franchise Federation of Pittsburgh, and the National American Women Suffrage Association. On June 7, 1916, she was one of five thousand women who marched two miles through heavy wind and rain to the Chicago Coliseum, where the Republican National Convention was being held.
Ellen Winsor, Haverford: Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in Jan. 1919, jailed for five days.
Mary Winsor, Haverford: Participated in Watchfire demonstrations in Jan. 1919, jailed for five days.