top of page

LOCAL SUFFRAGE LEADERS

Suffragists, both men and women, tirelessly campaigned for equal enfranchisement. Allen County citizens gave presentations in favor of woman suffrage, attended regional meetings of suffrage associations, and even went door to door to canvas support. Suffragists came in all ages, as seen in the 1914 "Suffrage Day" parade in Allen County: young girls marched and sang suffrage-themed songs, college graduates walked in their gowns, and veteran suffragists led the homemaker's division. Armed with pro-suffrage literature and their oratory skills, Allen County suffragists coordinated mass meetings, campaigns, and parades to educate the public on their cause. They were known regionally and invited suffragists from across the United States and Great Britain to the county's seat, Lima, to share their strategies and anecdotes.  Below are suffragists from Allen County who helped lead the local movement. 

Gamble,Lilaabt1950s.jpg

lima's First  woman to vote
in a national election

Lila (Graham) Gamble
1890 - 1989

On November 2, 1920, Lila Gamble stood in line at her polling location, a garage on the corner of Market and Kenilworth. At 6:00 AM, a half hour before the official opening time, Gamble cast her vote. She is believed to be the first woman in Lima to vote in a national election.

Born in Georgia, Gamble moved to Lima by age 30, where she lived most of her life. She was a homemaker and a member of the Order of Eastern Star and St. Paul’s AME Church.  Her husband was Louis Cola Gamble, a prominent local. Two of her children, actress Maidie Ruth and Clarice, the first black woman to lead a YWCA in Philadelphia, were also well-known.

 

Photograph: Lila Gamble, c. 1950. Allen County Museum Collection.

Lila Gamble

Do you have a photograph or information about a local suffragist?
Contact Brittany Venturella, Director of Curatorial Affairs, at bventurella@allencountymuseum.org. 

bottom of page