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The 1920 Petticoat Government
The 1920 Jackson Town Council
I’ve said before that one of the reason I chose
Wyoming in which to write my western stories besides its awesome beauty, is
because of its attitude toward women. Long before the rest of the United
States, Wyoming gave women the right to vote. My grandmother, Matilda McNeal,
was a women’s activist who dedicated herself to working for women’s suffrage.
She would have been proud of Wyoming. I know there are some naysayers out there
who might say the state legislature gave women the right to vote in order to drawn more women into the state,
seeing’s how Wyoming had a lack of female population. They also wanted to get
some attention to advocate their desire to become a state. Well, I recently
read an article by Ronald Diener titled “The Year of Women: 1920 Petticoat
Government In the Town of Jackson” that proved to me Wyoming really is the equality state.
In his article written in 1996, Mr. Diener states that
for weeks after the 1920 election in which Jackson elected an all female city
legislature, the Jackson Hole Courier, a local newspaper, reprinted articles
that had appeared in other newspapers throughout the United States that Women’s
suffrage as an aspect of Wyoming’s statehood had brought about a great deal of
political and philosophical discussion and debate. The mountain town of
Jackson’s Petticoat Government received both high praise and contentious ridicule.
So, what about that election held on May 11, 1920 in
Jackson, Wyoming? Well, after the final count was verified on June 8, the Town
Council of Jackson swore in the mayor and four council members, all five of
them women. These women were not little Betty Homemakers, but leaders and
movers of the community who had no problem expressing their opinions with firm
articulation. They didn’t just win by meager leads, either, but by an
outstanding landslide. Here’s how the votes came down:
Mayor Grace Miller won with 56 votes over her male
opponent, Fred Lovejoy with 28
For 2-year council positions:
Rose Crabtree, 50 votes; opponent William Mercill 34
votes
Mae Deloney, 49 votes; opponent Henry Crabtree, 31
votes
One-year council positions:
Faustina Haight, 54 votes; Maurice Williams 31
Genevieve Van Vleck, 53 votes; T. H. Baxter, 28
Just a word or so about these women.
Grace
Miller and her husband, Robert, were not only civic-minded
individuals and significant benefactors, but they were also astute in business.
Grace Green from Ottawa, Illinois, married Robert Miller in 1893. They
established their famous home with 2,000 acres of land which they sold twelve
years later to the Federal government to establish the National Elk Refuge.
In 1901-1902 Robert and Grace, along with the
Simpsons, plotted out original town of Jackson. A look at the original drawings
shows conclusively that the drafting effort was hers, not his.
Robert Miller was the founder and president of the Jackson
State Bank with $230,000 operating assets. Not only did they assemble parcels
of land to be turned over to the National Park Service to expand the Grand Teton
National Park, but they also deeded over property to be used for the elementary
and grade schools. When Robert died, the schools closed to allow the children
to follow his casket to his final resting place. The couple only had one child,
who sadly, died in infancy.
As Mayor, Grace Miller went to work securing title to
the town cemetery and made great strides in fixing the streets and roads of the
town to help business thrive in the town.
Henry and Rose Crabtree
Rose
Crabtree's election to a two-year term on the Town Council got
special attention, because she out-did her husband, Henry, in the process and
Henry was the sitting mayor at the time of this election.
When ``Ma'' Reed left Jackson on October 5, 1917 and
asked Rose and Henry Crabtree to look after things for her; the Crabtrees had
no idea they would become the owner- operators of a hotel. They would become
well known for the fine food Rose prepared, for the comfort and hospitality of
their hotel, their generosity to those down on their luck, and for not only surviving,
but thriving in good times and bad. The good townsfolk loved them. According to
the news papers and other writings of the day, the Crabtree Hotel was the
favorite spot for dignitaries and visitors to share their stories.
They didn’t mind getting their hands dirty and
working. Henry's trade was carpentry and woodworking. With their dedication to
hard work and their generosity for others, it’s no wonder the townsfolk found it easy to cast their
votes for Rose.
Mae
Delaney (I could not find any information on Mae—bummer)
Faustina
Forrester moved to Jackson from Iowa, a recent college
graduate, and became a school teacher at the Frank Woods School, the Kelly
School, the Ditch School and at other schools in Zenith and Jackson, beginning
in 1902.
She married Dan Haight and became a homesteader's
wife. Her three sons and daughter-- Don, Duke, Donald and Donna--enjoyed young
lives of learning in an extraordinary home.
Not only was Faustina a college educated, but she was
also highly respected for her opinions on many topics. Often friends and former
students came back to her for her sage advice. She grabbed the chance to serve
on the Town Council.
Genevieve
Van Vleck
In 1906 Roy Van Vleck and his brother Frank moved to
Jackson and opened a store, the Jackson Hole Mercantile. For a time, they lived
in the back room, took their meals at Reed's, then Crabtree's, hotel. Roy
brought Genevieve Lawton from Michigan to become his wife in 1911. Roy and
Genevieve had two daughters.
Genevieve enjoyed her duties with her family and with
the store. May 9 to May 12, 1920, would become life changing days for her. In
her daily journal she wrote:
May [1920]
9, Sun - planted sweet peas
10, Mon - Roy painted kitchen
11, Tues - Village election.... men furious
12, Wed - Roy painted bathroom and pantry
9, Sun - planted sweet peas
10, Mon - Roy painted kitchen
11, Tues - Village election.... men furious
12, Wed - Roy painted bathroom and pantry
She led a busy life and occupied herself with
organizations and meetings. She was active in all manner of social and business
and political life. When the opportunity came to serve the Town of Jackson in
public office, she did not hesitate to join in.
Besides these five elected officials in the Petticoat
Government of 1920, there were other women involved as well: Edna Huff served
as health officer, Marta Winger as clerk, and Viola Lubeck as treasurer. Best
of all, was the town marshal, Pearl Williams, a petite woman of twenty-two who
was eager to confront trouble with a sword or a pen.
Marshal Pearl Williams
Pearl Williams gave an interview in which she
exaggerated her physical prowess, her shooting skills, her undefeated
fist-fighting record, her stamina and resilience riding the desert wastes. Only
the locals of Jackson Hole knew her slight frame, her charm, her ability to
move on and against people without giving them opportunity to resist or to
protest.
Wyoming had known women's suffrage for decades, but
only Jackson Hole showed Wyomingites how to practice it. And these strong and
capable ladies of the town set, in their term of office, outstanding records of
service and achievement. My Grandmother Matilda would be proud. Is it any
wonder that I chose Wyoming to write about my spirited and courageous Wilding
women? Make me proud, Wyoming!
My Grandmother, Matilda Saphrona McNeal
(Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia public domain/ except the picture of my grandmother, thanks to my dad's family album)
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