Women’s Rights in Westford: A Timeline
| Date | Event |
| 1780 | The Massachusetts State Constitution restricts voting to men only but does not specify “male” as a qualification for holding public office. |
| 1819 | Susan Prescott made history as Westford Academy’s first female assistant preceptor, serving as both assistant principal and teacher. |
| c. 1833 | Under the leadership of Mrs. Patty Blake and Mrs. Rebecca E. G. Luce, 254 women from Westford signed a petition asking the Board of Selectmen not to grant licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages in town. |
| Aug. 9, 1837 | Angelina and Sarah Grimké, abolitionists and early women’s rights advocates, spoke in Westford to an audience of “only 250,” defending women’s right to speak publicly against slavery. |
| 1850 | Lucy Stone and several other New England women organized the first National Woman’s Rights Convention in Worcester. Sojourner Truth was among the speakers. Annual conventions continued until 1860. |
| 1869 | Miss Amanda M. Hale and Miss Eliza H. Herrick became the first women to serve on a Westford town board as members of the Library Committee. |
| 1875 | Miss Eliza M. Babbitt and Miss Olive A. Prescott became the first women to serve on the Westford School Committee. |
| 1879 | The Massachusetts Legislature voted to allow women to vote for School Committees. |
| 1879/1880? | Seven Westford women requested that their names be placed on the voter list to vote for School Committee: Catharine Abbot, Elizabeth R. Abbot, Eliza A. Babbitt, Emily F. Fletcher, Betsy Groce, Eliza J. Herrick, and Clara A. Smith. Emily F. Fletcher also appears on the 1920 list of women voters. |
| Jan. 8, 1880 | In his first inaugural address, Massachusetts Gov. John D. Long, a former Westford Academy preceptor, affirmed his support for woman suffrage. In 1881, he called for a constitutional amendment, saying suffrage was “a right and not a grace.” |
| Mar. 7, 1881 | Westford Town Meeting dismissed an article requested by the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association asking the Legislature to extend women’s rights to hold town offices and vote in town affairs. |
| Mar. 6, 1882 | Westford Town Meeting again dismissed an article requested by the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association. |
| Nov. 5, 1895 | Massachusetts held a non-binding referendum on allowing women to vote in municipal elections. Statewide, the referendum failed. In Westford, 91 men and 11 women voted yes; 134 men and no women voted no. |
| June 1, 1914 | At the home of Miss Ella Hildreth, a local society for the promotion of suffrage was formed. Officers included Ella F. Hildreth, May Balch, and Mrs. Homer M. Seavey. |
| Aug. 21, 1915 | An open-air equal suffrage meeting was held at Westford Common, with Teresa A. Crowley and Gertrude Halladay Leonard speaking to a good number of listeners. |
| Oct. 16, 1915 | Six Westford women attended a Boston rally supporting a ballot question to amend the Massachusetts Constitution to grant women the right to vote in Massachusetts. |
| Nov. 2, 1915 | With only men voting, the Massachusetts ballot question to give women the right to vote in state elections failed statewide and in Westford, though it passed by one vote in precinct 4, Forge Village. |
| Feb. 24, 1919 | Twenty-two suffragists were arrested outside the Massachusetts State House while trying to picket President Woodrow Wilson during his visit to Boston. They were the last women arrested in a suffrage protest. |
| May–June 1919 | The U.S. House and Senate approved the Susan B. Anthony 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. |
| June 25, 1919 | Massachusetts became the eighth state to ratify the 19th Amendment. |
| Feb. 14, 1920 | The National League of Women Voters was formally organized during the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention. |
| May 27, 1920 | The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts was organized. |
| Aug. 26, 1920 | The U.S. Secretary of State certified ratification of the 19th Amendment. |
| Aug. 28, 1920 | The Westford Board of Registrars of Voters announced registration hours for men and women, the first time women were mentioned in these announcements. Lucy A. Keyes, nearly 90, expected to register and vote that fall. |
| Aug. 28, 1920 | 121 Westford women registered to vote. In total, 279 Westford women registered before the November 1920 presidential election, in addition to 18 women previously registered for School Committee elections only. |
| Sept. 4, 19 | The registrars’ meeting at Town Hall was busy: 139 people registered, including 121 women and 18 men, demonstrating women’s interest in their new responsibilities. |
| Feb. 19, 1921 | At “the largest meeting in the history of the town,” women participated in Westford Annual Town Meeting for the first time. |
| Mar. 7, 1966 | Alice Hildreth became the first woman elected as Westford Town Clerk. |
| Nov. 1968 | The League of Women Voters of Westford was recognized as a local League. |
| Mar. 6, 1972 | Ellen Harde became the first woman elected to the Board of Selectmen. |
| June 30, 2019 | Of 242 elected and appointed Westford town officials, 116—48 percent—were women. |
(This is part of Westford Celebrates Women’s Right to Vote, a joint project of the Westford Historical Society, Westford League of Women Voters, and Westford Cultural Council. With special thanks to Bob Oliphant.)
Catherine S. (Kate) Hamlin (1847-1937)
REMINISCENCES of Westford: Immediately after the war, and probably for years before, to a certain extent, the question of “Women’s Rights” was constantly brought up. It is largely to the brave women of those days that we are indebted for the many blessings we enjoy today. When the agitation was at its height, I attended a Women’s Suffrage meeting in Boston one day. On the platform sat Julia Ward Howe, Susan B. Anthony, and many other women, all earnest workers for the cause. On the platform sat Wendell Phillips, a staunch advocate. He was called upon to speak. Absolute quiet was in the vast audience, for all knew of his eloquence. His speech consisted simply of the following story: “In Concord, on the morning of the Concord fight, a woman walked behind the militia with a broom on her shoulder. She was jeered at and asked what she could do with that broom. She replied, “I can show which side I’m on!'”
This meeting of the women Suffragettes was during the popular lecture period. This period, which lasted for several years after the close of the war, was a most delightful and inspiring influence after the death and horror of four years. Lecture courses were a prominent feature in every town, and the most intellectual and eloquent speakers were to be heard. In cities, the largest halls were filled to the very doors with eager listeners and the conversation everywhere was of the latest lecture.
When a town was not large enough, or rich enough, to arrange for an independent course of lectures, several towns would unite; a part of the lectures being given in one town and a part in other towns. The audience is then composed of subscribers from all the places. The sleigh rides over the snow to the jingling of many bells were not the least of the pleasures. My memory fails me to name all those we heard: Julia Ward Howe, Wendell Phillips, Henry Ward Beecher, and John F. Gough but a few of them.
Although far from the excitements of city life and knowing comparatively little of the questions and movements of the world at large — save that gleaned from the newspapers — news of what was passing elsewhere occasionally reached the quiet of the town. Click here to read more of Kate’s REMINISCENCES of Westford Massachusetts
Registration of Westford Women Voters 1920
Title on spine: “Town of Westford Annual Registration of Voters” in Town Hall vault
Title at top of most pages: Annual Registration of Voters, Town of Westford, 1920, except p. 135 (says 1921), p. 136-139 (say 19_) pp. 113-140
Transcribed Jan. 29- Feb. 7, 2020 (Lynn Cohen)
*Man in household registered on same day
| Page # | Precinct | Last Name | First Name | Street | Enrollment | Remarks |
| 113 | 1 | Abbot | Anna | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 113 | 1 | Anderson | Clara B. | Flagg Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 113 | 1 | Anderson | Susan D. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 113 | 1 | Atwood | Lillie B. | Graniteville Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 113 | 1 | Atwood | Mary | Graniteville Rd | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 113 | 1 | Atwood | Sarah C. | Graniteville Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 113 | 3 | Abrahamson* | Henrietta B. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 114 | 1 | Balch | Agnes D. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 114 | 1 | Balch | Mary G. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 114 | 1 | Banister | Margaret H. | Lowell Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 114 | 1 | Bartlett | Helena M. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 114 | 1 | Blaisdell* | Elizabeth A. | S. Chelmsford Rd | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 114 | 1 | Blaney | F. Edith | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 114 | 1 | Buckshorn | Adeline M. | Depot St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 114 | 1 | Burnham* | Addie M. | Chelmsford Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 114 | 4 | Baker | Charlotte | Pleasant St | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 114 | 4 | Brown | Mary C. | Bradford St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 114 | 2 | Blood | Lucy A. | Broadway | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 114 | 2 | Benson | Alma S. | Main St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 114 | 4 | Baker | Elizabeth E. | Pine St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 114 | 4 | Bennett | Priscilla | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 114 | 3 | Barretto* | Bella | Groton Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 115 | 1 | Carter | Eliza A. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 115 | 1 | Bennett? | Grace E. | Main St. | Reg. Oct. 20, 1920 | |
| 115 | 3 | Baum | Rebecca | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 115 | 3 | Baum | Winifred | Nabnasset St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 116 | 4 | Collins | Bertha M. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 116 | 4 | Collins | Efcie | Pleasant St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 116 | 4 | Collins | Emily | Pleasant St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 116 | 4 | Cavanaugh | Cecelia F. | Bradford St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 116 | 4 | Comey | Susannah | Pine St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Carmichael | Annie L. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Conley | Catherine J. | River St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Carpentier | Emma M. | River St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Counter | Ella M. | River St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Charlton | Agnes F. | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Charlton | Catherine C. | River St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 116 | 2 | Charlton | Mary C. | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 116 | 4 | Carmichael | Harriet | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 116 | 4 | Costello* | Annie V. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 117 | 1 | Day | Ada A. | Graniteville Rd | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 117 | 1 | Drew | A. Mabel | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 117 | 1 | Drew | Sarah J. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 117 | 3 | Edwards | Annie E. | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Edwards | Laura S. | Pine St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 117 | 3 | Edwards | Louisa | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 117 | 1 | Emilson | Linnea S. | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 117 | 1 | Feeney | Adrith C. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Daley | Hannah H. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Davis | Elizabeth | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 117 | 2 | Eaton | Hilma M. | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 117 | 2 | Eaton | Jennie | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Daley | Katherine C. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Davies | Maria | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | DeLaHaye | Alice M. | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 117 | 4 | Dugdale | Ellen N. | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 117 | 3 | Dunn | Agnes J. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 117 | 3 | Edwards | Flora M. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 117 | 3 | Edwards | Mary E. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 118 | 1 | Felch | Mary A. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 118 | 1 | Flagg | Lucy M. | Howard Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 118 | 1 | Flagg | Ruth A. | Howard Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 118 | 1 | Flanders | Alma E. | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 118 | 3 | Fletcher | Carrie H. | Groton Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 119 | 3 | Fletcher | Edith P. | Groton Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 119 | 1 | Fletcher | Eva E. | Lincoln St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 119 | 1 | Fletcher | Gertrude D. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 119 | 1 | Fletcher | Ida M. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 119 | 1 | Fletcher | Mary Etta | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 119 | 2 | Fletcher | Dora B. | Main St. G. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 119 | 4 | Flanagan | Della D. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 119 | 2 | Furbush | Margaret C. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 119 | 1 | Ferguson | Carrie M. | Main St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 119 | 1 | Fletcher | Etta W. | Plain Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 120 | 1 | Green | Laura W. | Chelmsford Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 120 | 1 | Green | Mary F. | Chelmsford Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 120 | 1 | Grieg | Clara A. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 120 | 1 | Griffin* | Artemus J. | Griffin Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 120 | 1 | Griffin | Nellie M. | Griffin Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 120 | 2 | Gilson | Alice M. | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 120 | 2 | Gould | Alma L. | Gould Rd. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 120 | 2 | Gilson | Mattie E. | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 120 | 1 | Greig | Charlotte P. | Main St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 120 | 1 | Goodwin* | Nellie J. | Chelmsford Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Hamilton | Isabella | Littleton Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Hamlin | Annie | Hildreth St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Hartford | Hazel B. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Heald | Alice K. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Hildreth | Edith L. | Hildreth St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 121 | 1 | Hildreth | Ella F. | Hildreth St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 121 | 1 | Hildreth | Ella S. | Hildreth St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Hildreth | Gladys D. | Hildreth St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 121 | 1 | Howard | Alice M. | Howard Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 121 | 4 | Hanley | Catherine A. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 121 | 4 | Hanley | Mary F. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 121 | 2 | Hanson | Esther F. | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 121 | 2 | Hanson | Sophia M. | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 121 | 2 | Harrington | Elizabeth J. | Cross St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 121 | 2 | Harrington | Mary A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Ingalls* | Zina L. | Main St. G. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 122 | 1 | Jarvis | Florence M. | Griffin Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 122 | 1 | Johnson | Amy L. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 122 | 1 | Judd | Edith A. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 122 | 1 | Judd | Elva T. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Healy* | Bridget E. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Healy | Elizabeth | Second St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Healy | Margaret A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Herbert | Nellie A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Healy | Ellen F. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 122 | 2 | Healy | Mary E. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 122 | 4 | Hosmer | Janey H. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 122 | 4 | Hunt | Annie M. | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 122 | 1 | Irish | Amy B. | Nutting Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 123 | 1 | Keyes | Lucy A. | Providence Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 123 | 1 | Kimball | Nellie F. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 123 | 2 | Lambert | Amelia W. | Keyes Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 123 | 1 | Lawrence | Florence M. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Lawrence | Grace | Pleasant St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 123 | 4 | Lord | Eva M. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Lord | Marion E. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 123 | 1 | Lydiard | Dorothea D. | Concord Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 123 | 4 | Kelly | Margaret | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Kelly | Sarah A. | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Kavanaugh | Annie E. | Pershing St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Kavanaugh | Ellen | Chestnut St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 123 | 4 | Kavanaugh | Ellen C. | Pershing St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 124 | 4 | Lord | Mary | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 124 | 2 | Ledwith | Jennie M. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 124 | 4 | Leahy | Jennie | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 124 | 3 | Lundgren | Helga L. | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 125 | 3 | MacGregor | Margaret J. | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Mason* | Olga | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McCoy | Helen M. | Flagg Rd | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McCoy | Lettie C. | Flagg Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McDonald | Alice M. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McDonald | Gladys K. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McDonald | M. Madeline | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McDonald | Margaret R. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McDougall | Hattie L. | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | McMaster | Martha A. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Meyer | Lillian E. | Flagg Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 125 | 1 | Nesmith | Hattie K. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Miller | Edna M. | Main St | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | May | Alice | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | May | Elizabeth A. | Chestnut St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 125 | 2 | McCarthy | Frances T. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 125 | 2 | McCarthy | Ruby A. | River St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 125 | 2 | McCullough | Rose V. | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 125 | 2 | Nelson | Emma F. | First St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 125 | 2 | McEnaney | Cora M. | Fourth St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | McKniff* | Emily A. | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | McKniff | Hannah M. | Orchard St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | Monahan | Lena T. | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 125 | 4 | Nutting | Mary E. | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 125 | 3 | MacNaughton | Isabella | Nabnasett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 125 | 3 | MacNaughton | Jessie E. | Nabnasett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 125 | 3 | Marshall | Hulda | Nabnasett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 125 | 3 | Mayberry | Julia A. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Mills | Rose E. | Providence Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Martin | Clara | Concord Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 125 | 1 | Nutting | Josephine | Nutting Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 126 | 4 | O’Connor | Annie | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 126 | 4 | Orr | Annie L. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 126 | 2 | O’Brien | Harriett A. | West St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 126 | 4 | O’Connor | Mary Cecilia | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 126 | 4 | Orr | Jennie | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 127 | 2 | Palmer | Minnie A. | Main St. G. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Parker* | Emma F. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Peterson | Nellie | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 2 | Picking** | Margaret G. | Keyes Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Pitkin* | Mabel L. | Lowell Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 127 | 4 | Plummer | Mary E. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 4 | Prescott | Ella M. | Pine St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Hattie M. | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Josephine | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Lucinda E. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Mabel M. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Marjorie S. | Hildreth St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 127 | 4 | Precious | Annie O. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 127 | 2 | Parker | Issie A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 127 | 2 | Provost | Mary A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 127 | 3 | Pickux* | Blanche E. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 127 | 3 | Pickux | Eliza E. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 127 | 3 | Prairie | Annie | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 127 | 1 | Prescott | Alexina | Depot St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 128 | 1 | Robinson | Ida M | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 128 | 1 | Rosenberg | Annie A. | Chelmsford Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 128 | 1 | Roudenbush | Evelyn M. R. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 128 | 2 | Reed | Florence | West St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 128 | 1 | Raney | Grace E. | Lincoln St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 128 | 3 | Rudkin | Kate G. | Nabnassett St. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 129 | 1 | Sargent | A. Gertrude | Chamberlain Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 1 | Shaddick* | Colette M. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 2 | Shea | Inez F. | Cold Spring Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 1 | Sherman | Jessie M. | Cold Spring Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 4 | Spinner | Edith E. | Central St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 4 | Spinner | Elizabeth E. | Central St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 4 | Spinner | Elizabeth S. | Central St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 1 | Stiles | Nellie F. | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 129 | 1 | Sutherland | Matttie L. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 130 | 1 | Sutherland | E. Lilian | Boston Rd. | . | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 130 | 4 | Sweatt | Edith E. | Central St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 130 | 1 | Symmes | Laura E. | Old Lowell Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Taylor | Elizabeth C. | Stony Brook Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 130 | 3 | Treat* | Sarah E. | Groton Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Tuttle | Ruth | Boston Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 130 | 4 | Sullivan | Mary E. | Pleasant St. | Reg. Oct. 11, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Sargent | Mary H. | Main St. G. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Sawyer | Bertha L. | Broadway | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Shackleton | Ann N. | Broadway | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Symmes | Anna H. | Graniteville Rd. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Symmes | Mattie W. | Graniteville Rd. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Sargent | Elizabeth A. | Main St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 130 | 3 | Swanson | Lena G. | Chamberlain Rd. | Reg. Oct. 22, 1920 | |
| 130 | 2 | Sargent | Maude G. | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Spalding | Fannie B. | Leland Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Sargent | Elta M. | Chamberlain Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 130 | 1 | Sweetser | Jessie H. | Acton Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 131 | 1 | Vose | Martha E. | Old Lowell Rd | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 1 | Walker | Sarah M. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 1 | Weitz | Louise C. | Concord Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 3 | Wheeler | Susie J. | Tyngsboro Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 3 | Whidden | Bessie | Oak Hill Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 3 | Whidden | Stella M. | Oak Hill Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 1 | White | Lena D. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 2 | Whitley | Miriam A. | Broadway St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 1 | Whitney | Ida F. | Main St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 1 | Wilson | Augusta E. | Carlisle Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 1 | Wilson | J. Florence | Carlisle Rd. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 1 | Woodbury | Bertha M. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wright* | Emma M. | North St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 1 | Wright | Eva F. | Main St. | Rep. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 |
| 132 | 1 | Wright | Ruby C. | Depot St. | Reg. Aug. 28, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wall | Etta | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wall | Julia B. | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wood | Emma M. | Third St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wright | Lillian G. | Groton Rd. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 132 | 2 | Wood | Mary F. | Third St. | Reg. Oct. 16, 1920 | |
| 132 | 4 | Whigham | Ada | Pine St. | Reg. Oct. 18, 1920 | |
| 132 | 4 | Weaver | Jessie C. | Central St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 1 | Bosworth | Hilda E. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Bunce | Mary P. | Boston Rd. | (Women Voters) | |
| 133 | 1 | Cameron | Lucy A. | Graniteville Rd. | (Women Voters) | |
| 133 | 1 | Fletcher | Emily F. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Fletcher | Julia H. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Hartford | Jennie A. | Depot St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Hildreth | Stella E. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Isles | Phonsie E. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 2 | Lambert | Alice M. | Keyes Rd. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Loker | Sarah W. | Boston Rd. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Robinson | Maud E. | Main St. | (Women Voters) | |
| 133 | 1 | Seavey | Marjorie M. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Sweetser | Rebecca E. | Carlisle Rd. | (Women Voters) | |
| 133 | 3 | Taylor | Alta M. | Lowell Rd | (Women Voters) | |
| 133 | 1 | Wells | Alice M. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Wheeler | Mary H. | Main St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Wright | Edith A. | Hildreth St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 1 | Wright | Janet | Hildreth St. | Rep. | (Women Voters) |
| 133 | 2 | York* | M. Isabelle | Broadway St. | Reg. Oct. 13, 1920 | |
| 133 | 4 | Ward | Kathlyn C. | Union St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 1 | Williams | Nellie M. | Carlisle Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 2 | Whitton | Winifred E. | Cold Spring Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 2 | Whitton | Goldia A. | Cold Spring Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 1 | Wright | M. Aurilla | Hildreth St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 1 | Wetmore* | Ina M. | Concord Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 1 | Whitney | Bertha L. | Carlisle Rd. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 2 | York | Charlotte | Bridge St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 133 | 2 | York | Blanche N. | Bridge St. | Reg. Oct. 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Bridgford | Lizzie M. | Providence Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Brownsey | Mildred C. | Main St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Balch | Clara | Main St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 3 | Clement | Viola M. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct., 22, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Cameron | Joanna S. | Graniteville Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Cameron | Eleanor A. | Graniteville Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Connell | Mary K. | Hildreth St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Crocker | Martha A. | Lincoln St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 134 | 1 | Cutting* | Mary E. | Main St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 1 | Comstock | A. Gertrude | Concord Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 1 | Chandler | Emma A. | Main St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 2 | Carr | Amelia | Main St. Gr. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 1 | Desmond | Ellen F. | Littleton Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 1 | Day | May E, | Graniteville Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 3 | Dandley* | Margaret M | Makepeace Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 135 | 3 | Dandley | Mary Edith | Makepeace Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 136 | 3 | Hale* | Louisa F. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct., 22, 1920 | |
| 136 | 3 | Haley | Margarete E. | Stony Brook Rd. | Reg. Oct., 22, 1920 | |
| 136 | 3 | Holt | Alice A. | Brookside Rd. | Reg. Oct., 22, 1920 | |
| 136 | 1 | Herrington | Amy A. M. | Providence Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 136 | 1 | Hildreth | Lucy M. | Main St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 136 | 3 | Hutchins | Florence M. | Groton Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 137 | 3 | Knowlton* | Julia E. | Chamberlain Rd. | Reg. Oct., 22, 1920 | |
| 137 | 1 | Knight | Mary F. | Lincoln St. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 137 | 1 | Kimball | Annie W, | Littleton Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 138 | 1 | O’Brien | Lillian A.M. | Providence Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 138 | 3 | O’Brien | Mary A. | Stony Brook Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 138 | 3 | O’Brien | Margaret S. | Stony Brook Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| 138 | 3 | O’Brien | Rose A. | Stony Brook Rd. | Reg. Oct., 23, 1920 | |
| These women were among those listed in the 1920 pages of the book but registered in 1921 | ||||||
| Page # | Precinct | Last Name | First Name | Street | Enrollment | Remarks |
| 113 | 1 | Allen | Catherine E. | Hildreth St. | Reg. Feb. 5, 1921 | |
| 119 | 3 | Foye | Mary E. | Oak Hill Rd. | Reg. Feb. 5, 1921 | |
| 122 | 3 | Johnson | Emma R. | Groton Rd. | Reg. Feb. 3, 1921 | |
| 133 | 2 | Wyman | Elizabeth A. | North St. | Reg. Feb. 2, 1921 | |
| 136 | 1 | Hildreth | Bertha C. | Hildreth St. | Reg. Feb. 5, 1921 | |
| 139 | 2 | Stuart | Flora B. | Broadway | Reg. Feb. 2, 1921 | |
| 139 | 3 | Whidden | Elisabeth M. | Oak Hill Rd. | Reg. Feb. 5, 1921 | |
| p. 140 | Board of Registrars of Voters | Males | Females | Total | ||
| Alfred W. Tuttle | Prec. 1 | 208 | 143 | 351 | ||
| Robert J. McCarthy | Prec. 2 | 127 | 60 | 187 | ||
| Leon F. Hildreth | Prec. 3 | 64 | 39 | 103 | ||
| Charles L. Hildreth | Prec. 4 | 85 | 54 | 139 | ||
| Total | 484 | 295 | 780 | |||
| Oct. 23, 1920 | ||||||
18 women who had registered to vote in school elections prior to 1920
121 women registered on Aug. 28, 1920 of 279 women who registered in 1920, or 43%.
(Complied by Lynn Cohen)
Mary G. (May) Balch (1875-1962)
Westford Wardsman Saturday, October 23, 1915
Miss Mary G. Balch represented Westford in the suffrage parade in Boston last Saturday afternoon. Among interested Westford women who viewed the parade were Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher, Mrs. W. J. Merritt, Mrs. A. W. Hartford, and Mrs. Gertrude C. Skidmore. We understand Mrs. Alice M. Lambert, of North Westford marched with the Lowell delegation.
Women on the Board of Selectmen Westford, Massachusetts
1972-1974 Ellen S. Harde – the first woman elected to the board
1974-1978 none
1978-1981 Marjorie Cook
1981-1982 none
1982-1985 Avis S. Hooper
1985-1992 none
1992-1998 Madonna McKenzie – the first woman to serve two terms; first woman to serve as chairman, 1994
1996-2008 Dini Healy-Coffin first woman to serve four terms; the first time two women were on the board, 1996
1999-2002 Elaine McKenna
2005-2014 Valerie Wormell
2007-2010 Nancy Rosinski (2007: first-year three-women majority on the board)
2010- Andrea Peraner-Sweet
2017-2020 Elizabeth Almeida
2020 – Anita Tonakarn-Nguyen
Noelle Donovan
Elizabeth Shaw
A 20/20 Perspective with Barbara Berenson
Barbara Berenson’s second talk will address women’s rights after they finally achieved access to the ballot in 1920. How have women fared politically and legally over the past century? Berenson will consider how women activists have built alliances and shaped laws in an effort to combat stereotypes, discrimination, and gender-based violence at home, at work, and in the public sphere. She will review some of the key developments over the past century and include a discussion of the long and still-ongoing campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment. She will also discuss the historical connections between women who opposed suffrage and those who oppose women’s rights today. Following Barbara’s talk, we will have a discussion with Westford Women Leaders: Elizabeth Almeida, Ellen Harde, and Beth Morrison.
Westford CAT
1920 Victory Rally and PROMENADE