WOMEN IN OFFICE. Excerpted from "Collections of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1911-1912", Edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary. Vol XII., State Printing Office, Topeka, Kansas 1912. submitted by Teresa Lindquist (merope@radix.net); (copyright) 2001 by Teresa Lindquist ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KSGENWEB INTERNET GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY COPYRIGHT NOTICE: In keeping with the KSGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- WOMEN IN OFFICE. A list of women who have held county or municipal offices in Kansas. THERE have been so many demands on this Society for material on women in office that it seemed a wise thing to compile a list of women officeholders and make it available to the public. The list has been made under difficulties, and does not pretend to absolute accuracy, but it is as nearly correct as imperfect records can make it. One perplexing feature has been the change of name on the part of some of the incumbents; another thing that should not have to be reckoned with, but which unfortunately must, is the irregularity in signature. The office of county superintendent of schools has not been included, for lack of space. More women hold that office than any other county office. In 1911 there were fifty women in Kansas serving as county superintendents of schools. The work of the office is considered so specially adapted to women that in counties where there has been any recognition of them as officeholders women have at various times filled the position. Although many women have served as deputies in various county offices, no separate list was made of them, since so many were afterward elected and succeeded to the office. On July 13, 1886, the attorney-general of Kansas rendered an opinion that women could hold office in the state, and the following year the legislature passed "An act conferring upon women the right to vote at city elections and to hold certain offices." This act was approved by Governor Martin February 13, 1887. As early as April 29, 1871, Attorney-general A. L. Williams rendered an opinion that women were eligible to appointment as notaries public, and Miss Emma Clough, of Leavenworth, received the first notary's commission ever issued to a woman in Kansas, May 12, 1871. In 1899 President McKinley in a public address said that Kansas had elected more women to public positions than any other state in the Union. COUNTY OFFICERS. Allen county.--Frances Wilson began her long term of public service as a clerk in the treasurer's office in 1886. She served as deputy county clerk and deputy treasurer, and was elected county treasurer in 1900, serving until 1907. This made a continuous service of twenty-one years. Barton county.--Flora A. Smith, register of deeds, 1903-'04. Bourbon county.--Stella M. Strait, register of deeds, 1896-1900. Mrs. Lydia Barton Ditch, county clerk, 1901-'04. Brown county.--Mrs. D. P. Leslie began her service as deputy county clerk in 1889, serving in that capacity until 1896. She was elected county clerk in 1896, serving until 1900. In 1897 she was succeeded as deputy by Miss Jessie Campbell, who in her turn was elected county clerk in 1904, 1906, 1908 and 1910. Miss Campbell is the present incumbent. Chase county.--Nona Goodreau, register of deeds, 1907-'11, Mrs. Bertha Plummer succeeding her in 1911, with term of office until 1913. Gussie L. Houston, clerk of the district court, 1911-'13. Cheyenne county.--Ida B. Howell, register of deeds, 1899-1903. Clark county.--Effie P. Walden, register of deeds, 1907-'09. Clay county.--Mary P. Coleman, register of deeds, 1888-'89. Cloud county.--Minnie M. McCay served as deputy county clerk 1907-'09, and was elected county treasurer in 1911, with term of office to 1913. Coffey county.--Minnie Gilman served as register of deeds 1898-1903, and was elected county treasurer in 1908 and 1910. Dickinson county.--Anna M. Junken, register of deeds, 1884-'88; Mace King, register of deeds, 1896-'98; Mrs. Bertha C. Anderson, register of deeds, elected 1910. Doniphan county.--Margaret Schletzbaum served as deputy county clerk 1897-1900 and 1905-'09. She was elected to the office, serving as clerk 1900-'05 and 1909-'13, a continuous service of sixteen years in the same office. Douglas county.--Adaline Hamor served as clerk of the district court in 1903. Edwards county.--Florence Erwin elected county clerk in 1908 and 1910; term of office to 1913. Elk county.--Mollie Whaling, register of deeds, 1903-'05. Finney county.--Flossie Brown is now deputy county treasurer, having begun her service in June, 1910. Franklin county.--Mrs. Ada Burney Rodman, elected register of deeds in 1908, and re-elected in 1910. Geary county.--Jessie Patterson, register of deeds, 1886-'90; Ida A. Hartman, deputy county treasurer in 1904; Mrs. Susan E. Mead, register of deeds, elected in 1906 and re-elected in 1908 and 1910; M. Louise Dixon, deputy county treasurer, 1909-'l1, and elected county treasurer in 1910; term of office expires in 1913. Gove county.--Jennie E. Benson, clerk of the district court, appointed to fill a vacancy; served 1906-'07. Graham county.--Mrs. Ellen F. Keleher Howland has a service in county offices of twenty-four years. She served as deputy register of deeds 1887-'97, when she was elected to the office, serving 1897-1903. In 1903 she became deputy clerk of the district court, serving until 1905. She was again appointed deputy clerk of the district court, serving 1907-'09, and re-elected register of deeds in 1908, serving 1909-'11. Olive M. Kackley served as register of deeds 1903-'07. She was succeeded by Edna R. Sperry, who served until 1911, when Alice McGill took over the office, with term expiring in 1913. Greeley county.--Mrs. Mary E. Wells was county treasurer from June, 1896, to the end of the term in 1897, when she became county superintendent, serving two years, until 1909. Hattie J. Brown held the office of register of deeds in 1900. The office was then taken over by Hattie I. Gorboe, who served 1901-'03, when Mary Adams was elected, serving 1903-'05. Hamilton county.--Fannie R. Starkey served as register of deeds 1897-1901. Harper county.--Emily S. Rice was county clerk 1884-'88. Winifred L. Mattimore was elected register of deeds in 1908 and re-elected in 1910. Jackson county.--Mrs. Ruth McConnell, in 1905, filled the unexpired term of her husband, Thomas C. McConnell, 1903-'05, as deputy and county clerk. Jewell county.--Phoebe Brennan was elected clerk of the district court in 1910, beginning her period of service in 1911. Kearny county.--Mrs. A. J. Machesney served as register of deeds in 1897. Vardie V. Goeden was elected clerk of the district court in 1908; reelected in 1910. Kiowa county.-- Mrs. Talitha A. Eaton served as register of deeds in 1895. Margaret Kane was elected to the office of county treasurer in 1896, serving one term. Jennie Parcel also served as county treasurer, being elected in 1906; re-elected in 1908 and 1910. Lane county.--Mrs. Bertha Bicket was county treasurer 1899-1900. Lyon county.--Sarah Edwards was elected register of deeds in 1910; term of office expires in 1913. McPherson county.--Lyda L. Gateka was appointed county treasurer in February, 1912, to fill a vacancy. Marshall county.--Adamantha Newton was elected register of deeds in 1910. Meade county.--Belle M. Peed served as register of deeds 1894-'98, when Nettie Bonham took over the office, serving until 1900. She was succeeded by Winnie Bonham, who served 1900-'05, when Florence Smith was elected, serving 1905-'09. Effie Coon served as clerk of the district court 1897-1901. Mitchell county.--Mrs. Mary H. Cooper was appointed probate judge in 1908 to fill the unexpired term of her husband, and was elected to the office in 1910. Morris county.--Anna L. Alford was register of deeds in 1905. Morton county.--Addle Collins served as register of deeds 1900-'01 and 1904-'05. Lucy Williams became register of deeds in 1905, serving until 1907, when Rose Hindman succeeded to the office, serving until 1911. Nemaha county.--Blanche Magill served as clerk of the district court 1901-'05, when she was succeeded by Lulu Erwin, who is the present incumbent, she having been re-elected in 1906, 1908 and 1910. Ness county.--Eva A. Ferrell served as county clerk 1909-'11. Bird Temple was elected register of deeds in 1910; term of office expires in 1913. Norton county.--Kate E. Johnson began her term of public service as deputy treasurer in 1889, serving in that capacity until 1898, when, having been elected to the office, she served until 1905. She again became deputy treasurer in 1905, serving one term, and in 1906 was re-elected as treasurer, and again elected in 1908 and 1910, giving her the longest consecutive period of service in one county office of any woman in the state. Della L. Boddy served as register of deeds 1905-'07. Osborne county.--Laura V. Ward, register of deeds, elected in 1908 and 1910. Pawnee county.--May Tickell elected county treasurer in 1910. Pratt county.--Maria Mawdsley served as county clerk 1905-'07, having first served as deputy in the office 1901-'05. Reno county.-- Amy J. Alexander was deputy clerk of the district court 1903-'09, when after her election she took over the office and is the present incumbent. Rooks county.--Phemia Fesler was deputy county treasurer in 1895. Shawnee county.--Kate Maxwell King is the only deputy sheriff in the state, having been appointed in 1910. She is likewise one of the game wardens, appointed April 29, 1912. Stanton county.-- Anna Williams was appointed county treasurer in May, 1900, and served as register of deeds from 1903-'05. Stevens county.--Allie M. Fisher served as clerk of the district court in 1894. Elsie Hedrick was register of deeds 1896-'98. Thomas county.--Laura E. Sigman, clerk of the district court, 1907-'11. Trego county.--Ada E. Clift, register of deeds, 1886-1900. Margaret Swiggett was elected register of deeds in 1906; re-elected in 1908 and 1910. Wabaunsee county.--Emma Little was register of deeds one term, 1896-'98. Wichita county.--Alice Gorsuch was elected treasurer in 1908 and reelected in 1910. Mrs. Helen McClung was appointed probate judge in 1909 to fill the unexpired term of her husband. She was elected in 1910. Woodson county.--Lucy Jane Phillips served as deputy clerk of the district court 1903-'11. She was elected to the office in 1910 and is the present incumbent. MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. Argonia, Sumner county.--Had a woman mayor in 1887, Mrs. Susanah M. Salter. Baldwin, Douglas county.--Had in 1889 Mrs. Lucy M. Sullivan for mayor; for council, Mrs. Maggie E. Hyde, Mrs. Marian J. Kidder, Miss Lillian M. Scott, Mrs. Helen S. Stewart, and Mrs. Cornelia J. Martin. The city clerk was Miss Alice M. Smith. Beattie, Marshall county.--In 1899 was served by Mrs. Elizabeth Totten, mayor; Mrs. Lettie Kirlin, Mrs. Mary E. Schleigh, Mrs. Mary A. Sheldon, Mrs. Lulu B. Smith and Miss Elvira Watkins, council; and Miss Katie O'Neil, city clerk. Canton, McPherson county.--Had a woman mayor in 1890, Mrs. Belle Gray. The council was likewise made up of women: Mrs. M. M. Clark, Mrs. Kate Drake, Mrs. P. W. Elwell, Mrs. S. C. Lyon and Mrs. Amos Oldfield. The city treasurer was Mrs. Allie Merrill. Cottonwood Falls, Chase county.--Had Mrs. Wilhelmina D. Morgan for mayor in 1889, with the council as follows: Mrs. Barbara Gillett, Mrs. Sadie P. Grisham, Miss Alice Hunt, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Johnson and Mrs. Elizabeth Porter. The police judge was Mrs. Mary F. Groundwater. Edgerton, Johnson county.--In 1890 the mayor was Mrs. W. H. Kelley; and the council was as follows: Mrs. H. G. Brown, Mrs. W. S. Ewart, Mrs. Nat Ross, Mrs. R. G. Shelden and Mrs. S. E. Stewart. The police judge was Mrs. Jessie D. Greer. These women all qualified and then resigned. Elk Falls, Elk county.-- Had a woman mayor in 1889, Mrs. A. L. King, while the council was made up as follows: Mrs. S. A. Beach, Mrs. Kate Fancher, Mrs. Maggie Hamilton, Mrs. Clara Henderson and Mrs. Anna Welty. The police judge was likewise a woman, Maggie Stout, but she did not qualify. Ellis, Ellis county.-- Had for mayor in 1896 Mrs. M. A. Wade, and for council Mrs. Viola Gaylord, Mrs. Lillian Hussey, Mrs. Elizabeth Murden, Mrs. Ella Newcomer and Mrs. Emma G. Shields. The city clerk was Mrs. Clara Sheldon. Gaylord, Smith county.--In 1895 Mrs. Antoinette L. Haskell was elected mayor, and the city clerk was Miss Florence Headley. In 1896 Mrs. Haskell was re-elected and Miss Headley again served as city clerk, while the council in that year, 1896, was made up of women: Mrs. Loella Abercrombie, Mrs. Esther Johnson, Mrs. Emma A. Mitchell, Mrs. Mary A. White and Mrs. Nancy Wright. The police judge was Mrs. Mary L. Foote. Haddam, Washington county.--The mayor, in 1891, was Mrs. Elizabeth Vedder. Members of the council were as follows: Mrs. Sarah Foster, Mrs. Mary E. Hawk, Mrs. E. Ochiltree, Mrs. Mary McKee Taylor and Mrs. K. C. Teague. The city clerk was Mrs. Emma Kennedy and the police judge Mrs. F. M. Leibel. Holton, Jackson county.--Had in 1893-'95 a woman city attorney, Mrs. Ella W. Brown. Hunnewell, Sumner county.--Mayor in 1911, Mrs. Ella Wilson; city clerk, Mrs. Alice Hilton; police judge, Mrs. Rosa E. Osborne. Jamestown, Cloud county.--Mayor in 1897, Mrs. Anna M. Strain; council, Mrs. Jennie Gould, Mrs. Jane E. Hartwell, Mrs. A. I. Isbell, Mrs. Mary E. McCall and Mrs. Lavinia Wilcox. The city clerk, Mrs. Mamie Barton, refused to qualify. Kiowa, Barber county.--Had a woman mayor in 1891, Dr. Rachel S. Packson. Lincoln, Lincoln county.--Had for city clerk, in 1897, Mrs. Amanda E. Moss; in 1899 Miss Cora Wales. Miss Jennie Austin served as clerk some time after 1903. Oskaloosa, Jefferson county.--In 1888 and 1889 Mrs. Mary D. Lowman (1) served as mayor. The council, in 1888, was composed of Mrs. Sarah E. Balsley, Mrs. Mittie Josephine Golden, Mrs. Emma K. Hamilton, Mrs. Carrie L. Johnson and Mrs. Hanna P. Morse. In 1889 these members were reelected, with the exception of Mrs. Hamilton, who was succeeded by Mrs. W. H. Huddleston; and Mrs. Johnson, who was succeeded by Mrs. D. H. Kline. Pawnee Rock, Barton county.--In 1890 had the following women for members of the council: Mrs. Eli Bowman, Mrs. D. R. Logan, who was president of the council, Mrs. Mary Miller, Mrs. George Heynes and Mrs. C. W. Vosburg. Pleasanton, Linn county.--Mrs. Annie Austin was elected mayor at a special election January 16, 1894, to fill the unexpired term of Z. Kincaid. Mrs. Austin served until April 2, 1894. Rossville, Shawnee county.--In 1889 had a city government composed of Mrs. H. H. Miller, mayor; council, Mrs. Jos. Cannon, Mrs. Samuel Kerr, who did not qualify, Mrs. C. C. McPherson, Mrs. W. M. Mitchner and Mrs. W. C. Sherman. The police judge was Mrs. R. Binns, who did not qualify, and the city treasurer was Mrs. Emma Ellis. Syracuse, Hamilton county.--Council in 1887: Mrs. Caroline E. Barber, Mrs. Sarah M. Coe, Mrs. Mary E. Riggles, Mrs. Hannah D. Nott and Mrs. W. A. Swartwood. Wetmore, Nemaha county.--Mrs. Marie Antoinette Shuemaker served as city clerk two terms, 1887-'88. White Cloud, Doniphan county.--In 1889 two women served on the council, Mrs. Annie Kent and Mrs. Belle Ryan. === NOTE 1.--The tragic death of Mrs. Mary D. Lowman, at Oskaloosa, on Sunday, June 2, 1912, recalls the prominence into which the little town was thrust by the election in 1888 of Mrs. Lowman as mayor and a full council of women. This election created a great interest all over the United States, and caused the women not a little embarrassment. Oskaloosa was the Mecca of newspaper reporters, and the requests for photographs became monotonous. Telegrams and letters poured in from all parts of the country, as well as from foreign countries. Something unprecedented had occurred in Oskaloosa--an entire city government had been turned over to women, and all in good faith and in the interest of good government. That the experiment was successful was proven by the re-election of the mayor and council in 1889. Mrs. Lowman at the time of her death was seventy-two years of age. She had been in somewhat feeble health, and in some way set fire to her clothing in endeavoring to revive a fire in the cookstove. Her burns were so serious that she survived but a few hours.