31st Annual Convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association, November 1-4, 1899

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The 31st Annual Convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) was held in Dunkirk, NY November 1-4, 1899. Events were held at the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union building and Academy Hall with the Hotel Gratiot serving as the conference hotel. Participants attended lectures and meetings about advancing the cause of women's suffrage.

Images

Suffrage Ribbon from the Dunkirk NYWSA Annual Convention

Pamphlet for the 31st Annual Convention of the NYSWSA, 1899 (Library of Congress)

Pamphlet, page 2

Pamphlet, page 3

Pamphlet, page 4

Dunkirk Evening Observer, Dunkirk, New York, November 1, 1899

"Reports Were Given, At This Morning's Session of the Women Suffragists." November 2, 1899

Women's Educational and Industrial Union building on Central Ave (Historical Society of Dunkirk)

Women's Educational and Industrial Union building on Central Ave

"Members of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in front of their building on Central Avenue." (Historical Society of Dunkirk)

The 1881 section of the Dunkirk Academy (Historical Society of Dunkirk)

The Academy in 1897

The Dunkirk Academy c. 1906, with the original section visible at the back of the larger front addition. (Dunkirk Historical Society)

Dunkirk Academy with the 1908 Junior High addition (Dunkirk Historical Society)

The entire Academy complex after the final 1926 addition (Dunkirk Historical Society)

The entire Academy complex after the final 1926 addition (Dunkirk Historical Society)

Hotel Gratiot in 1892 (Dunkirk Historical Society)

Demolition of the Hotel Gratiot

1898 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing the Women's Union building and Hotel Gratiot.

1898 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing Academy Hall.

Mary Thayer Sanford Crossett delivered the minutes at the 31st Convention. Sanford (left) is pictured here with Susan B. Anthony and Mary S. Anthony.

Mariana Wright Chapman, President of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association, presented the Report of Executive Committee and Welcome Response at the 3st Convention.

Art, Tints and shades, Vintage clothing, Self-portrait

Isabel Howland, presented the Report of Corresponding Secretary at the 31st Convention

Elnora M. Babcock, presented the Report of Press Committee at the 31st Convention

Lillie Devereux Blake, President of the New York City Woman Suffrage League, presented the address "Politics and the Home" at the 31st Convention.

Harriet May Mills, Chairman of the Organization Committee, NYSWSA, gave an address at the 31st Convention.

Harriet May Mills (right) with Elizabeth Valentine.

Carrie E.S. Twing, offered an address at the 31st Convention.

Forehead, Chin, Eyebrow, Facial expression

Susan B. Anthony gave an address at the 31st Convention. It was customary for Anthony to address the annual convention and she attended every year that she was able to.

Mary Hilliard Loines, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, gave the committee report at the 31st Convention.

Harriette A. Keyser, Chairman of the Industrial Committee, presented the committee report and plan of work at the 31st Convention.

Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, gave an address at the 31st Convention and conducted the question box segment of the proceedings.

Fashion design, Vintage clothing, Flash photography, Event

Mary Seymour Howell, gave an address titled "Empty Hands" to the 31st Convention.

Art, Vintage clothing, Formal wear, Portrait

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) was organized in 1869 after the Fifteenth Amendment only granted the vote to men. Matilda Joslyn Gage organized the first state convention at Saratoga Springs, July 13-14, 1869 and the association held a convention annually after that. The annual convention was a strategy used by NYSWSA to bring together all the smaller societies throughout the state to work together to advance women’s suffrage in New York.

The Thirty-First Annual Convention occurred November 1-4, 1899 in Dunkirk, NY. Daytime meetings occurred at the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union building on Central Ave and evening events at the Dunkirk Academy on Eagle Street. The hotel for the convention was the Hotel Gratiot on the corner of Central Ave and 4^th Street. The convention included addresses by Susan B. Anthony, Mariana Chapman, and Rev. Anna H. Shaw.

All three buildings used for the NYS Woman Suffrage Association Annual Convention no longer stand. The Women’s Education and Industrial Union was founded by 65 Dunkirk women in 1888 and they raised funds to construct the Union building in 1891. The Union sold their building in 1932 and the following decade it was demolished to make room for new construction. The Dunkirk Academy was constructed in 1881 on a block labeled “Academy Square.” In 1896 a larger addition was constructed on the Eagle Street side of the original buildings. This structure was what was used by the attendees of the NYSWSA conference in 1899. Later in 1908 a Junior High School was constructed on the Swan Street side of the Academy building and then the current Middle School building was built in 1926. The Academy buildings were demolished in 1966, leaving only the 1926 building as the Middle School. The Hotel Gratiot was constructed between 1886 and 1892 and was demolished in 1971.

Sources

“History of Schools.” Historical Society of Dunkirk, NY—Dunkirk Historical Museum. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org/history-of-dunkirk/history-of-schools/.

“New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA).” Freethought Trail. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://freethought-trail.org/profiles/profile:new-york-state-woman-suffrage-association-nyswsa/.

New York State Woman Suffrage Association. Thirty-First Annual Convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association Dunkirk, November 1, 2, 3 and 4. November 1-4, 1899. Online Text. https://www.loc.gov/item/rbcmiller001349/. Accessed October 18, 2021.

“The Hotel Gratiot.” Architectural Inventory: Nineteenth Century Structures in Chautauqua County, NY. Accessed October 18, 2021. http://app.chautauquacounty.com/hist_struct/DunkirkCity/TheHotelGratiot.html.

“Women’s Educational and Industrial Union.” Historical Society of Dunkirk, NY—Dunkirk Historical Museum. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org/history-of-dunkirk/people-of-dunkirk/women-in-our-history/womens-educational-and-industrial-union/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

"Woman Suffrage Convention Ribbon, 1899." National Museum of American History. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_529875.

Dunkirk Evening Observer. New York State Woman Suffrage Association Convention, Dunkirk. Dunkirk Evening Observer, Dunkirk, New York, November 1, 1899. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/rbcmiller001351/. Accessed October 19, 2021.

Reports Were Given at New York State Woman Suffrage Association Convention. November 3, 1899. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/rbcmiller001352/. Accessed October 20, 2021.

"404 Central Ave (about), Dunkirk, NY 14048 City of Dunkirk." Architectural Inventory: Nineteenth Century Structures in Chautauqua County, NY. Accessed October 18, 2021. http://app.chautauquacounty.com/hist_struct/DunkirkCity/404CentralDunkirk(about).html.

“History of Schools.” Historical Society of Dunkirk, NY—Dunkirk Historical Museum. Accessed October 18, 2021. https://dunkirkhistoricalmuseum.org/history-of-dunkirk/history-of-schools/.

"525 Eagle Street Dunkirk, NY 14048 City of Dunkirk Dunkirk Academy." Architectural Inventory: Nineteenth Century Structures in Chautauqua County, NY. Accessed October 18, 2021. http://app.chautauquacounty.com/hist_struct/CHSDBTitle.html.

"525 Eagle Street Dunkirk, NY 14048 City of Dunkirk Dunkirk Academy." Architectural Inventory: Nineteenth Century Structures in Chautauqua County, NY. Accessed October 19, 2021. http://app.chautauquacounty.com/hist_struct/CHSDBTitle.html.

"343 Central Avenue (about) Dunkirk, NY 14048 City of Dunkirk Gratiot Hotel." Architectural Inventory: Nineteenth Century Structures in Chautauqua County, NY. Accessed October 18, 2021. http://app.chautauquacounty.com/hist_struct/DunkirkCity/343CentralDunkirk(about).html.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, New York. Sanborn Map Company, Mar, 1898. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05889_003/. Accessed October 18, 2021.

Dillon Eggleston and Leigh Ann Wheeler. "Biographical Sketch of Mary Thayer Sanford." Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1009859979.

"Mariana Wright Chapman." Wikipedia. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Wright_Chapman.

"Howland, Isabel, 1859-1942)." Freethought Trail. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://freethought-trail.org/profiles/profile:howland-isabel/.

"Elnora Monroe Babcock." Wikipedia. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elnora_Monroe_Babcock.

"Lillie Devereux Blake." Wikipedia. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Devereux_Blake.

"Harriet May Mills." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_May_Mills.

"Carrie E.S. Twing." Making Women's History in Southwestern New York State. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://womenmakehistory.net/biographies/carrie-e-s-twing/.

"Susan B. Anthony." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021.

"Mary Hillard Loines." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Hillard_Loines.

"Harriette A. Keyser." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harriette_A._Keyser.png.,

"Anna Howard Shaw." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Howard_Shaw.

"Mary Seymour Howell." Wikipedia. Accessed October 20, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Seymour_Howell.