Woman of the Century/Elnora Monroe Babcock

BABCOCK, Mrs. Elnora Monroe, woman suffragist, born in Columbus, Pa., 11th January, 1852. Her maiden name was Monroe. She was married at the early age of eighteen to Prof. John W. Babcock, of Jamestown, N. Y., who for the last EUNORA MONROE BABCOCK. twelve years has been city superintendent of public schools in Dunkirk. N. Y., where they now live. From early girlhood she felt the injustice of denying to woman a voice in government, which concerned her the same as a man, but as her time was taken up to a great extent in household affairs, and she lived in a community where but few sympathized with that feeling and none were ready to come out and take a stand for freedom, she took no very active part in the reforms of the day until 1889, when, owing mainly to her efforts, a political equality club was organized in Dunkirk, of which she was made president. This club flourished remarkably under her management, and before the close of her first year as president of the Dunkirk club, she was elected president of the Chautauqua County Political Equality Club, the most thoroughly organized county in the United States, having twenty-five flourishing local clubs within its borders and a membership of 1,400. At the close of her first year as president of that club she was unanimously re-elected. That office she still holds. On 25th July. 1891, she had the honor of presiding over the first woman in suffrage meeting ever held at the great Chautauqua Assembly, where, through the request of the county club.the subject was allow ed to be advocated. Aside from the presidency of these clubs, she has Served upon a number of important committees connected with suffrage work. Although deeply interested in all the reforms of the day tending to the uplifting of humanity, she has devoted most of her time to the enfranchisement of woman believing this to be the most important reform before the American people to-day, and one U|x>n which all other reforms rest.