Garrett County’s Suffrage Pilgrimage

Garrett County’s Suffrage Pilgrimage

On Saturday October 26, 2019 an unveiling took place at the Garrett County Courthouse in Oakland, Maryland of a State Highway Administration/Maryland Historical Trust highway marker. The marker, once permanently placed, will commemorate an historic march that took place in Garrett County during the summer of 1914 in support of the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

The marker reads:

“‘Suffrage Hikes’ were an effective tactic in gaining publicity and support for women’s right to vote. From June 16-27, 1914, seven women from Baltimore crisscrossed Garrett County on foot, marching nearly 100 miles and visiting 14 towns to spread the suffrage message to rural citizens. The effort was a great success: 820 new members joined their organization, demonstrating clearly that support for suffrage was not confined to urban areas.”

Speakers at the event included State Senator George Edwards, Delegate Wendell Beitzel, Garrett County Commissioner Larry Tichnell, Town of Oakland Mayor Peggy Jamison, Director of the Maryland Historical Trust Elizabeth Hughes, Cynthia Miller of the Maryland Office of Tourism and Linda L. Singh, Ph.D, Major General (Ret) and Chair of the Maryland Commission on the Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

The photograph here depicts Girl Scout Troop #55004, which led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, standing in front of the sign. We have also attached an article from the July 2, 1914 edition of The Republican newspaper in Garrett County which describes the event. As noted in the newspaper article, a similar hike was being planned for neighboring Allegany County on August 1, 1914

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SUFFRAGISTS “HIKE” THROUGH THE COUNTY.

Great Success. Eight Hundred and Twenty New Members Enrolled.

With evidence that Old Sol accompanied them on their hike through Garrett county, the band of hiking suffragists arrived in Cumberland Sunday, where they planned a similar hike for Allegany county starting August 1. The speakers will be accompanied on their hike through that county by a dozen or more members of the Just Government League of Allegany county.

The leaders were highly elated over their victory Saturday night in a debating contest at Breedlove, W. Va., in which Misses Mary Brennan and Madge Thurlow for the affirmative convinced the judges that women should vote. The negative side was headed by a local preacher who is strongly opposed to woman suffrage and denounced their move in very emphatic terms.

They received 820 new members on their Garrett county tour, and held twenty mass meetings. Kitzmiller led for new members, giving a total of 75, while Friendsville came second with 70. With the exception of a few sore feet and their complexions greatly shaded they all look well after their trip. They are greatly pleased over the hospitality accorded them by the Garrett county people, and their trip cost them less than one hundred and thirty dollars.

The citizens of Garrett county who met the ladies, speak of the highest terms about their visit in their respective neighborhoods, and of their presence in the homes. They were a cheerful, good natured and hopeful company of ladies, and if perseverance and determination count for anything they will win out.

FOOTNOTE: It was recently brought to my attention that there is considered to be a difference between the terms “suffragist” and “suffragette.” Apparently they tend to imply a difference in meaning from an historical perspective. Suffragists were defined as people who supported enfranchisement, in other words, the right to vote. Suffragette was seen as a somewhat derogatory and offensive term and used mockingly by anti-suffragists. This appears to be confirmed somewhat in reviewing several of the postcards and newspaper articles that are posted here.

Later the marker was placed outside the courthouse. See Garret County Historical Markers