New Hampshire Political Heroines, Suffragists, Elected Women and Record Breakers

Armenia S. (Aldrich) White of Boscawen and Concord NH. A leader of woman’s suffrage in New Hampshire.

Being that November 8, 2016 is a momentous day for New Hampshire (and the United States), I want to highlight some of the heroic women who paved the way for us. Here is a recap of important stories of pace-setting political New Hampshire women who I have written about during the past ten years.

We need to think about these women of the past, and thank them. No less important are New Hampshire women of today–those making telephone calls to check on constituents, acting as drivers to get people to the polling locations, wanting to make sure people are educated and able to vote, and last but not least, running for office themselves.

**************
Suffragists and Equal Rights Leaders
**************

Photograph: Miss Sallie W. Hovey, Chairman, New Hampshire National Woman’s Party. Just returned from Washington where she has been lobbying recalcitrant Senators from the New England States; ca 1917; Records of the National Woman’s Party, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington DC; Digital ID: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mnwp.152009

New Hampshire’s Leading Suffragist, Human Rights Proponent and Philanthropist: Armenia S. (Aldrich) White (1817-1916)

New Durham New Hampshire’s Educator, Lawyer, Suffragist, Humanitarian and Author: Marilla Marks (Young) Ricker (1840-1920)

Portsmouth New Hampshire’s Charity Worker and Suffragist: Sarah Whittier “Sallie” Hovey (1872-1932)

Bristol New Hampshire’s Tailor, Stock and Dairy Farmer, Activist, Suffragist: Mary Ann (Powers) Filley (1821-1910)

Newport New Hampshire Teacher, Suffragist, Civic & Club Leader, Business Woman: Mary Matilda (Putnam) Sibley (1860-1927)

Northwood New Hampshire Teacher and Attorney, Ella Louise Knowles (1860-1911)

Dover New Hampshire Suffragist and UNH Administrator: Carmita Aileen (Cameron) Murphy (1925-2003)

*** SEE the 2019 List of additional Suffragists ***

**************
Political Women – Elected and Appointed in New Hampshire
***************

Penacook New Hampshire’s First Female Legislator, Physician, Educator and Civic Leader: Dr. Mary Louise (Rolfe) Farnum (1870-1965)

Rollinsford New Hampshire’s First Female Legislator, Outdoor Enthusiast, Civic Leader, and Women’s Rights Proponent: Jessie Doe (1887-1943)

New Hampshire’s First Female Senator: Bristol’s E. Maude (Fowler) Ferguson (1883-1932)

Manchester New Hampshire Physician, Civic Leader and Politician: Dr. Zatae L. (Longsdorff) Straw (1866-1955)

New Hampshire’s first Female Senator: Bristol’s E. Maude (Fowler) Ferguson (1883-1932)

New Hampshire’s First Woman Governor (Acting), Politician, Civic Leader, and Campaign Advisor: Vesta Maurine (Coward) Roy (1925-2002)

New Hampshire’s First Woman Sheriff and Deputy Sheriffs: Helen Kenney of Concord, M. Jennie (Wood) Kendall of Nashua, and Lillian (Christian) Bryant of Conway

New Hampshire’s First Female Selectman: Lenna Gwendolen (Wilson) Perry (1899-1986)

New Hampshire’s First Woman County Commissioner: Keene New Hampshire’s Grace A. Richardson (1873-1947)

Raymond New Hampshire Businesswoman, Teacher, First Woman Legislative Committee Chairman: Emma Louise (Tucker) Bartlett (1859-1933)

Portsmouth New Hampshire’s First Woman Legislator, Child Welfare Advocate, and Civic Leader: Gertrude Iola (Moran) Caldwell 1881-1964

New Hampshire and Portsmouth’s First Woman Mayor: Mary Ellen (Carey) Dondero (1894-1960)

New Hampshire’s Record-Breaking State Representative and “Grand Dame”: Hilda C.F. (Johnson) Brungot (1886-1982)

Manchester New Hampshire’s Human Rights Champion, Volunteer, Civic and Community Leader: Vanessa Leah Washington-Johnson-Bloemen (1953-2011)

New Hampshire Legislator, Senator, Civic Leader, Postmaster and Registered Nurse: Edith (Bumpus) Gardner of Springfield and Gilford (1899-1966)

O’Neill, Rose Cecil, Artist. Suffrage kewpies / O’Neill. New York: Published by Puck Publishing Corporation, 295-309 Lafayette Street, 1915. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2011660535/. (Accessed November 05, 2016.)

**************
Additional Reading (on this topic)
***************

New Hampshire’s Tradition of Leadership: The Women’s Delegation (2016)

 29 Badass Images Of Women Winning And Exercising The Right To Vote (Huffington Post)

A Brief History of the New Hampshire Woman Suffrage Association

Suffragist vs Suffragettes

Sassy Jane Genealogy: When Could Women Vote in your Family?

[Updated July 2020]