The first Women's Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, it brought together hundreds of women and men to further the cause of women's rights. Stanton introduced her "Declaration of Sentiments," which included the following statement:
"Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and religious degradation, - in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of these United States." [National Park Service]
The Mutual Improvement Association of Sandy Spring was founded. It's credited as being the oldest women’s club in Maryland and possibly in the U.S.
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton established the American Equal Rights Association.
The American Equal Rights Association disbanded over the issue of suffrage for black men (the 15th Amendment), which Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton did not support. They believed women’s suffrage should occur first.
Anthony and Stanton established the National Women Suffrage Association (NWSA), focused on obtaining a constitutional amendment for women’s suffrage. Former American Equal Rights Association supporters, Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe, established the American Women Suffrage Association, which focused on women’s right to vote on a state level. The two organizations later combine to become the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).
On February 26, Congress passed the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting black men the right to vote. It was ratified February 3, 1870. Maryland voted against ratification.
Catherine V. Waite, grandmother of Lucy Wright Trundle, requested to have her named added to the register to vote in Cook County, IL. She was denied, following an appeal.
Jesse Waite Wright, mother of Lucy Wright Trundle, testified alongside Susan B. Anthony before the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate. Here's an excerpt from her testimony:
"Miss Jessie T. Waite of Illinois said: Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen of the Judiciary Committee: In the State of Illinois we have attained to almost every right except that of the ballot. We have been admitted to all the schools and colleges; we have become accustomed to parliamentary usages; to voting in literary societies and in all matters connected with the interests of the colleges and schools; we are considered members in good standing of the associations, and, in some cases, the young ladies in the institutes have been told they hold the balance of power.... Women must have the ballot that they may have protection in getting bread for themselves and their families, by giving to the party that looks for their support some substantial evidence of their strength. Experience has demonstrated, especially in the temperance movement, how fruitless are all their efforts while the ballot is withheld from their hands. They have prayed; they have petitioned; they have talked; they have lectured; they have done all they could do, except to vote; and yet all avails them nothing....In some of the counties of our State we have ladies as superintendents of schools and professors in colleges. One of the professors in the Industrial University at Champaign is a lady. Throughout the State you may find ladies who excel in every branch of study and in every trade. It was a lady who took the prize at "the Exposition" for the most beautiful piece of cabinet-work. This is said to have been a marvel of beauty and extraordinary as a specimen of fine art.... Another lady is a teacher of wood-carving. We have physicians, and there are two attorneys, Perry and Martin, now practicing in the city of Chicago. Representatives of our sex are also to be found among real-estate agents and journalists, while, in one or two instances as preachers they have been recognized in the churches." [History of Woman Suffrage, Volume 3]
Caroline Hallowell Miller organized the Maryland Woman Suffrage Association in Sandy Spring. It later became the Montgomery County Suffrage Association and affiliated with NAWSA.
The Lady's Home Interest Club of Forest Glen and the Woman's Club of Darnestown, MD, were established.
Woman's Club of Dawsonville was formed.
Years later, in 1917, Dawsonville clubwoman Katie Barbie Jones (Mrs. Jos. H. Jones) penned a "Report on Home Economics," in which she reported her efforts to have the county school board add home economics classes to the school curriculum. In part, she wrote:
"... I have not been able to convince them of our urgent need of a Home Economics demonstrator. I am not a suffragette, but it does seem we will be forced to the ballot to get justice. Why should a woman practically have to get upon her knees to men in the her effort to improve conditions of women of this community."
The Maryland Federation of Woman's Clubs was formed in Baltimore, MD.
Maggie Welsh, wife of store owner William W. Welsh, established the Rockville Woman's Club. Early members include Mrs. Allnutt, Miss Farquhar, Mrs. Getzendanner, Mrs. Offutt, and Mrs. Stone.
On January 11, 1904, eight young women met at the home of Helen L. Thomas and organized the Wednesday Club of Sandy Spring. Although Sandy Spring already had the long-standing Mutual Improvement Association, vacancies for new members were scarce, so the Wednesday Club became a gathering for mostly younger women in the community.
The Montgomery County Federation of Woman’s Clubs was formed at a meeting of clubwomen in Kensington. The Federation was the first of its kind in Maryland. Elected officers were: President, Mrs. E.J. Hartshorne of Kensington; Vice Presidents, Mrs. Seymour Tulloch of Forest Glen, Miss Beulah White of Rockville, Miss Helen Nourse of Darnestown, Mrs. Little of Linden, and Mrs. J. Harry Cunningham of Kensington; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Anna Farquhar of Rockville; Recording Secretary, Mrs. G.H. Wright of Linden; and Treasurer, Mrs. E.H. Darby of Darnestown. [Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD), November 16, 1905]
Montgomery County Federation of Woman’s Clubs passed a resolution to have a woman appointed to the County Board of Education.
Edith Houghton Hooker established the Just Government League of Maryland. It was affiliated with the National Woman Suffrage Association.
On March, 3, women from all parts of the country and internationally joined the Women's Suffrage Procession along Pennsylvania Avenue in the District of Columbia. The procession occurred the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration.
We don’t know all of the Montgomery County women who participated, but we know that Lavinia Engle was there as well as several Sandy Spring women, including Mary Janet Miller, Mary Stabler, Florence Bond, Rebecca Miller, Ellen Thomas, Sarah Miller, and Edith Farquhar (who according to Wednesday Club history, had the honor of carrying the U.S. flag at the front of the procession).
The Just Government League of Montgomery County disavowed the methods of the women picketing the White House. The Montgomery County League withdrew from the State League and became the Woman Suffrage League of Montgomery County.
On June 4, Congress passed the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote.
Carrie Chapman Catt established the non-partisan League of Woman Voters at the final convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association held in Chicago in February 1920. The League was intended to continue the work of educating women and "shape legislation to the interests of women." [Evening Star (Washington, DC), February 13, 1920]
Maryland Governor Ritchie appointed Lucy Wright Trundle as the first woman on the Montgomery County Board of Education.
Lavinia Margaret Engle is elected to the Maryland State House of Delegates, the first woman to represent Montgomery County.
Maryland voted to ratify the 19th Amendment.