Mrs. H. B. Stephens’ Badge
Front Back
Taken
from Brown, J. G. The History of Equal Suffrage in Colorado, 1868-1898.
Denver, Colo: News Job Print. Co, 1898.
Page
33
“During
the summer of 1894 a powerful organization was founded in Denver, which became
famously known as the East Capitol Hill Woman's Republican League. This
organization was affiliated with the National League and was an outgrowth of
the June convention of that association. Mrs. H. B. Stephens, a partisan of the
Republican faith, undertook the work of party organization among her sex. After
a canvass of two weeks she secured a meeting of Republican women at her house,
where the club was organized with seventy-five charter members. The officers
were: President, Mrs. H. B. Stephens; First Vice-President, Miss Martha Pease;
Second Vice-President, Dr. Mary Barker Bates; Secretary, Miss Mary E. Hyatt. In
a short time the club grew to 1,000 members. The influence of this club
extended far beyond the limits of Denver and forced recognition as a powerful
instrument in winning a large Republican majority in Arapahoe County. Such
work, in fact, was characteristic of the Republican women generally in their
service under the central committees, while another organization, conspicuous
for its effectual work—the East Denver Woman's Republican Club—Mrs. Alma
Lafferty, President, did valiant service for the Republican cause. The Women's
Republican Clubs were the leading spirits in nearly all popular demonstrations,
and the several mammoth meetings organized and managed by them had a telling
effect in bringing together and arousing the enthusiasm of the Republican women
of the city in general. For their faithful services they were justly accorded a
large share of the credit for the victory on election day.”
Page
39
“The East Capitol Hill Women's Republican League Club fairly maintained its membership and working force and contributed largely to the success of the Republican ticket. In March, Mrs. H. B. Stephens was elected Vice-Chairman of the Republican City Central Committee, and thus, as chairman of the two organizations there was a strong consolidation of the Republican women. During the campaign, many of the women in the private ranks of the party came to the front as very enthusiastic and successful workers.”
Page
44
“In
June, 1895, Mrs. Alma Lafferty and Mrs. H. B. Stephens were selected as
delegates to represent the Republican women of Colorado at the annual
convention of Republican league clubs at Cleveland, Ohio, Mrs. Lafferty being
especially deputed to urge the insertion of a resolution favoring the free
coinage of silver in the platform.”
Similar
notations can be found in Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, Susan B. Anthony, Ida Husted
Harper, and Matilda Joslyn Gage. History of Woman Suffrage. New York:
Fowler & Wells, 1902.
Mrs. Martha J. Stephens was born in Sharonville, Ohio on March 12, 1854. She married Hiram B. Stephens about 1877. Her husband was editor of The Woman Voter and Western Woman magazine and later an editorial writer for the Denver Evening Post.
After Colorado's
victorious suffrage campaign in 1893, Denver magazines like The Woman Voter
and Western Woman in June, 1894, touted the accomplishments of western
women voters throughout the region and nation. At first, Susan B. Anthony had
grave doubts whether the west's rough and tumble male voters would ever support
suffrage. The nation's first suffrage victory by popular election in Colorado
restored her resolve to win the rest of the west.
Sources not already cited:
U.S. Federal Census, 1900,
1910
1894, 1895, 1896 Denver
City Directories
Martha J. Stephens U.S.
Passport applications, 1907, 1910
http://theautry.org/explore/exhibits/suffrage/womanvoter_full.html