Eliza Robertson Gifford

Eliza Cornelia (Robertson) Gifford, wife of Walter Cornell Gifford, was born on a farm near the village of Ellicottville, Cattaraugus County, New York, August 4, 1830, died May 9, 1911. Daughter of Henry Clark and Ursula (Maltby) Robertson, both natives of Connecticut, and both brought at an early age to New York state by their parents, he to Madison, she to Oneida county. They came to Cattaraugus County in 1820 and were among the pioneers of that section. Both were school teachers and all their five children followed that profession. Eliza C. began teaching when still lacking three months of being fifteen years of age. Her salary was one dollar per week and “board around.” From that time until her marriage she either attended school as a pupil or was engaged in teaching. In that day there was but one college open to girls (Oberlin, Ohio), the district school being the only opportunity she had to acquire an education, except two terms at a private school taught by the wife of a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Sylvester Cowles at Ellicottville, and later two terms at the old Jamestown Academy, with E. A. Dickinson as principal, and Harriet Hazeltine, preceptress. The limitations which custom and opinion in those days set for girls were much less liberal than at present, and many things which were highly improper then for a girl could be done by the opposite sex without questions. Many things that a girl can now do with perfect propriety then earned only opprobrium and such terms as “unladylike,” “romp,” or “tomboy.” As a young girl, she often puzzled her head why so much more was expected of a girl, especially in morals, and decided in her own mind that there should be one standard of morality for both sexes. The newspapers that came to her home sometimes contained articles on “Women’s Rights,” but almost always articles were disparaging and often contemptuous. Women who took any part with such ideas were called “Screechers” or “Strong Minded,” etc. On reflection the young girl decided it better to be called strong minded than the opposite, and at her first opportunity became identified with the equal suffrage movement, and equal rights in the home, in church and in state, believing that humanity can never be capable of its greatest achievements until the wife and mother takes her proper place beside her husband, his c-equal and helpmate. When the grange came to bless the agricultural community, she with her husband lost no time in identifying herself with the m ovement, and together, in 1873, they became charter members of Union Grange, No. 244 of Jamestown, In its organization not only the opportunity but especial chance for a broader outlook for the farmer’s wife was given, and she often remarked that “the woman of the farm needs associations which the grange affords more than the men, for her life is necessarily more secluded and often isolated.” At the first session fo the National Grange which she attended at Atlanta, Georgia in 1890, her husband then being master of New York State Grange, which made her a delegate to the National Grange also, she introduced a resolution which declared the National Grange to be in favor of the “ballot for women.” As one of the fundamental principles of the order is equal rights for both sexes, this proposition would seem but the legitimate sequence of such teaching, and although the grange has since declared in favor of equal suffrage it met at this time with such violent opposition, particularly from southern representatives, that the resolution was afterward defeated. A motion, however, prevailed to print five thousand copies of her preamble and resolution for distribution among the various granges of the nation, which was done. Mrs. Gifford continued an active, earnest worked in the grange for many years. She introduced, in 1881, in the New York state Grange, the first suffrage resolution ever brought before that body, and was the author of the memorial in favor of enfranchising women, which was adopted by the State Grange and submitted to the constitutional convention of 1894. She held the office of master of Union Grange and that of master of Chautauqua County Pomona Grange.

She was for many years a frequent contributor to the press, chiefly in advocacy of “Equal Rights,” believing the press to be the surest, speediest way to gain the public ear. She was also active and useful in the special work of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. For many years she held the office of county superintendent of franchise; she was also state superintendent of legislative work for the New York State Woman’s Suffrage Association. She and her husband were in perfect accord in her work and labored together for the public good. In common with most women of the farm her life was a busy one, and as she said “with clouds and more sunshine.” Her later years were spent in the companionship of her daughter Alice, (Mrs. Orin B. Hayward) of Jamestown.

Cutter, William B., Genealogical and Family History in Western New York, 3vols 1912. p. 1127

Eliza Robertson Gifford

(1830–1911) As an outspoken member of the New York State Grange, Eliza Gifford urged the influential agricultural organization to support women's suffrage. After years of campaigning by Eliza and other NYSWA activists, the New York State Grange endorsed an equal suffrage resolution at its 1881 convention in Utica, NY.

Eliza’s resolution was followed up in local subordinate Granges throughout the state and the Grange was key to bringing the suffrage cause to rural communities. Though anti-suffrage views persisted among some members, many Grangers took up the cause, sending petitions to the state legislatures in Albany. Eliza continued to advocate for women’s suffrage, eventually serving as the first vice-president of the Jamestown Political Equality Club. In 1891, she brought the issue to the attention of the national Grange, and in 1893 the national Grange endorsed a resolution supporting equal suffrage for women.