Chancellor Hotel

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The Chancellor Hotel was constructed in 1901 on the previous site of a Methodist Episcopal Church (1858-1900). With 220 rooms, the Chancellor Hotel was one of Parkersburg’s premier hotels. The West Virginia Democratic Party held its 1916 state convention at the Chancellor Hotel. During this convention national suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt addressed the party leadership and the Democrats adopted a pro-suffrage plank in their state party platform. The hotel was demolished in 1977.

Images

Chancellor Hotel, c. 1909

Postcard of the Chancellor Hotel, c. 1910

The Daily Telegram, Clarksburg, WV, July 10, 1916

Martinsburg Herald, July 15, 1916

Font, Number, Terrestrial plant, Paper product

The Wheeling Intelligencer, August 1, 1916

Carrie Chapman Catt, President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, spoke before the Democratic State Convention to urge support for women's suffrage

Claire K. (Mrs. O. D.) Oliphant of Trenton, NJ spoke against women's suffrage at the Democratic State Convention. (Library of Congress)

Style, Overcoat, Black-and-white, Sleeve

The Wheeling Intelligencer, August 3, 1916

Newspaper, Font, Material property, Publication

The Fairmont West Virginian, August 3, 1916

Shepherdstown Register, August 24, 1916

The Calhoun Chronicle, August 31, 1916

Newspaper, Publication, Material property, Font

Woman Suffrage "Plank" adopted at the 1916 Democratic State Convention

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia, 1916.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Democratic State Convention was held August 2, 1916 at the Chancellor Hotel in Parkersburg, WV. The purpose of the convention was to select presidential electors for the state, nominate two candidates for the West Virginia supreme court of appeals, and set a state Democratic platform. During the convention, the issue of women’s suffrage was a central issue because of the upcoming public referendum on the topic in November 1916. After several attempts, the West Virginia House and Senate had voted in 1915 to send a women’s suffrage amendment to the state constitution through to a public vote. As a result, suffrage leaders were very active in 1916 campaigning for support at the polls.

Suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, addressed the Democratic State Convention in favor of suffrage. Claire K. (Mrs. O. D.) Oliphant spoke against women’s suffrage, representing the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage. The Democrats decided favorably for supporting woman’s suffrage and included that support in their state platform. The women’s suffrage “plank” read: “The woman suffrage amendment has been submitted to the people and while this convention has no power to bind the individual voter, it expresses its conviction that the said amendment should be ratified.”

Sources

Effland, Anne Wallace. “The Woman Suffrage Movement in West Virginia, 1867-1920.” M. A. Thesis, West Virginia University, 1983.

“Fighting the Long Fight: West Virginia Women and the Right to Vote.” A West Virginia Archives and history Online Exhibit. West Virginia Archives & History. http://129.71.204.160/history////exhibitsonline/suffrage/suffrageintroductiontoc.html

Martinsburg herald. [volume], July 15, 1916, Image 2. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85059533/1916-07-15/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+Convention+Democratic+democratic+State&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=10&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2.

"Parkersburg, West Virginia: A Vintage Portrait. Corner of Seventh & Market Streets." Parkersburg, West Virginia: A Vintage Portrait. Accessed February 25, 2022. http://electricearl.com/parkersburg/seventh.html.

“Residents past and present reflect on iconic businesses of the past.” The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. August 11, 2013. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/business/2013/08/residents-past-and-present-reflect-on-iconic-businesses-of-the-past/.

U.S. Census Records. Ancestry.com.

West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1917. Compiled and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate. Charleston, WV: The Tribune Printing Co. GoogleBooks. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://books.google.com/books?id=qFQNAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

"Chancellor Hotel, Parkersburg, W. Va." West Virginia OnView. West Virginia Regional & History Center. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://wvhistoryonview.org/catalog/007604.

The daily telegram. [volume], July 10, 1916, Page PAGE FOUR, Image 4. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85059715/1916-07-10/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1916&sort=date&rows=20&words=Chancellor+hotel&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=9&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=chancellor+hotel&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.

The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume], August 01, 1916, Image 1. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1916-08-01/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+CONVENTION+Democratic+DEMOCRATS+STATE+state&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=4&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.

"Carrie Chapman Catt." Wikipedia. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Chapman_Catt.

Harris & Ewing, photographer. Mrs. O.D. Oliphant, of Trenton, N.J., National President ... American Legion Auxilairy today called upon President Coolidge ... acquaint him with the plans for the Women's Conference on Nat... Defense as peace insurance. Which the American Legion Auxiliary White House, Washington, D.C. United States Washington D.C. District of Columbia Washington D.C, 1925. [January or February] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016894070/. Accessed February 25, 2022.

The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume], August 03, 1916, Image 1. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1916-08-03/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+Democratic+State&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=16&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2.

The West Virginian. [volume], August 03, 1916, Image 1. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1916-08-03/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+Democratic+state&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=1&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.

Shepherdstown register. [volume], August 24, 1916, Image https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026824/1916-08-24/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+Democratic+State&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=8&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022.

The Calhoun chronicle. [volume], August 31, 1916, Image 3. Chronicling America. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85059591/1916-08-31/ed-1/seq-3/#date1=1916&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=convention+Democratic+state&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=17&state=West+Virginia&date2=1916&proxtext=democratic+state+convention+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia. Sanborn Map Company, Feb, 1916. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn09438_006/. Accessed February 25, 2022.