Prominent Wisconsin Women (1848-1905)
Mathilde Anneke
Emma Brown
Olympia Brown
Clara Colby
Lavinia Goodall
Ada James
Mathilde Anneke
"I stood before a large assembly...to utter, in the name of suffering and struggling womanhood, the cry of my old Fatherland for freedom and justice. At that time my voice was overwhelmed by the sound of sneers, scoffs and hisses -- the eloquence of tyranny, by which every outcry of the human heart is stifled."
Mathilde Anneke came to Wisconsin as part of the German 48ers and settled with her husband in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She started a German newspaper in Milwaukee but was quickly shutdown by the organization of printers because a woman was the editor of the newspaper. After some time spent in New Jersey, Anneke returned to Milwaukee in 1865 and took up the cause of woman suffrage. She often wrote and lectured with other outstanding women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton."
Starts "Wisconsin Chief" and becomes first woman publisher and editor in Wisconsin to last. Battled for many years in order to have right to publish paper. Through it all, her determination got her the longest running paper with a woman as publisher.
"Our interests are cared for, and we do not wish to be thus sent from pillar to post to get our rights."
Rev. Olympia Brown was the first woman to lead the Racine Universalist Chuch. She was also the first president of the WWSA. Would stay with the cause until the adoption of the 19th amendment.
"Every vote cast for suffrage is a victory over ancient custom, prejudice and conservatism, gained by education and agitation."
In 1865 Clara moved to the home of her grandparents in Madison, Wisconsin, in order to attend the univeristy of Wisconsin. She graduated in 1869, valedictorian of the first Univeristy class to admit women. She then taught Latin and history, while taking graduate courses in French, Greek, and chemistry. In 1872 she and her husband moved to Nebraska where she joined the women's suffrage movement.
"wanted to go into law, like any other student...[people were] suffering for the want of students to help...would not let me in, because I was a woman."
After leaving a journalistic career in the East, Lavinia moved back to Wisconsin to be with her parents. In order to "fill her time" she began reading law books. She learned a great deal of law and was able to serve in the courtroom for local temperance activites. By the summer of 1874, Lavinia Goodall became the first woman in Wisconsin to be admitted tothe bar.
As a young woman, Ada spent a great deal of her time working on local children's boards in Richland Center. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, she and her father became active in local suffrage activities. Her mother, Laura Briggs James, had also worked hard in her life for women's suffrage and now Ada was taking up the cause. In the early 1900's Ada became the president of the Political Equality League.
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