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Lydia Taft
Lydia Taft
Lydia Chapin Taft Born February 2, 1712(1712-02-02) Mendon, Massachusetts Colony, England November 9, 1778 (aged 66) Uxbridge, Massachusetts, USA Women’s suffrage, America’s First Woman Voter Josiah Taft Bazaleel Taft, Sr. and six other children Seth and Bethia Chapin
central Massachusetts. The reference cited also mentions that she married a Taft.[3] In 1731, these communities became part of the new county of Worcester County.
Died Occupation Spouse(s) Children Parents
Marriage to Josiah Taft
Lydia Chapin was married to Josiah Taft[6], on December 28, 1731, (as recorded in Mendon vital records of Taft marriages), and she became known as Lydia Chapin Taft. They were married at the Congregational Church in Mendon. Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, the son of Daniel and Lydia (Chapin) Taft, and the grandson of the first American Taft, Robert Taft. Josiah’s father Daniel, had been a local "squire" and Justice of the Peace. Lydia and Josiah then settled in Uxbridge. It is possible that when they settled in Uxbridge that they then joined the only Uxbridge church, a Congregational church, gathered in 1727, and mentioned first in a list of new Congregational parishes in the Great Awakening of 1731.[7] Josiah was a prominent landowner. The famous Taft family in America had its origins in Uxbridge and Mendon, starting with Josiah’s grandfather, an English immigrant, Robert Taft, who settled here in 1680. Josiah and Lydia went on to have a family of eight children between 1732 and 1753.[6][8][9] Their children were: Josiah, born 10 May 1733, Ebenezer, born 20 August 1735, (died 16 October 1735), Caleb, born 15 January 1739, Asahel born 23 April 1740, Joel, born 15 August 1742, (died before 19 February 1747}, Joel born 19 February 1748; {died 30 August 1749} at age 1, Bazaleel, born 3 November 1750, and Chloe, born 7 June 1753. Josiah was a farmer, and soldier, and Lydia was a colonial mother and homemaker. Josiah became a prominent citizen in early Uxbridge. He was a farmer, local official, and Massachusetts legislator. Josiah served several terms as a member of the Board of Selectmen, as town clerk, as town moderator[8], and in the Massachusetts General Court. HR, 1753.[8]Lydia and Josiah were among the wealthiest families in Uxbridge.[8]
Lydia Chapin (Taft) (February 2, 1712 – November 9, 1778), was the first woman voter in colonial America.
Early life
Lydia Chapin was born in at Mendon, Suffolk County, Massachusetts on 2 February 1712.[1] She was the daughter of Seth Chapin, and Bethia Thurston. Seth Chapin was a respected member of the community and a Captain in the militia.[2] Young Lydia Chapin grew up in Mendon, in a large family with nine siblings.[3] Lydia’s mother had had 13 children.[4]. Her father Seth owned much property in what is today Milford, south Hopedale and Posts Lane in Mendon.[4] The family lived on 45 acres (180,000 m2) near the Post’s Lane bridge and Mill River.[4] Posts Lane in Mendon was made famous for the first man killed in the King Phillip’s War, who lived on this street, Richard Post.[5]. Lydia’s family moved within the town of Mendon to another home circa 1715. This early community was already developing a sense of history from these pioneers. Young Lydia would grow up here and learn the trades that her mother Bethia, and her grandmother taught, which included the Yankee heritages of farming, flax weaving, childrearing, education, clothing, and home economics. In 1727 the western part of Mendon became the newly incorporated town of Uxbridge. Mendon and Uxbridge were at that time rural, colonial, pioneer communities in
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Lydia Taft
in 1756, was following the tradition of "no taxation without representation".[10] The early town records demonstrate at least two other occasions when Lydia voted in official Uxbridge Town meetings, both in 1758 and again in 1765. This occurred while Massachusetts, was a colony of Great Britain. Lydia Chapin Taft’s historic vote and her role in the history of women’s suffrage is recognized by the Massachusetts legislature since 2004, which named Massachusetts Route 146A from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island border in her honor.[12] [2] Margaret Brent of Maryland Colony tried to assert property rights and to vote in 1647 on behalf of herself and Lord Calvert’s estate. It is reported that this was denied by the Governor. She is the only other known claimant to the title. The record shows that Lydia Chapin Taft was America’s first legal woman voter. Lydia Taft died at Uxbridge in 1778, shortly after U.S. independence.
Place in early American history
Josiah Taft was originally known as Ensign Josiah Taft in the Uxbridge Militia, and later as Lieutenant, and then Captain Josiah Taft in the French and Indian War. He presided over the proceedings of the New England style open town meeting. It is later reported, that Josiah Taft became the largest taxpayer in the town of Uxbridge in 1756.[10]In the fall of 1756, Josiah and Lydia’s 18 year old son, Caleb, became ill, while studying at Harvard, and died on September 19. Josiah went to Boston and Cambridge to bury Caleb. Josiah himself became ill after returning home, and died on September 30, at age 47. It was reported that he left a good estate with bonds and a will.[8] This was immediately prior to an important vote on the town’s support for the war effort in the French and Indian Wars. Josiah’s untimely death opened the door for Lydia’s step into America’s history of women’s suffrage.
Footnote of historic vote
The complete footnote [13] of local history is as follows: "The October 25 town meeting records simply say that on account of Josiah’s death a new moderator will be chosen. With the death of Josiah, Lydia is left to care for 16-year-old Asahael, 6-year-old Bezaleel and 3-year-old Cloa. As seems to be her fate, her life and the life of her town are again intertwined. The French and Indian war is being waged and towns must vote as to whether to increase the amount they will contribute to the cost of the war. The only individuals allowed to vote were freeholders, (free male property holders), and Josiah’s estate was valued as one of the largest in the town. Out of respect for his large contribution to the town, the town fathers allowed Lydia to vote as Josiah’s proxy. She cast a vote to increase the town’s contribution, thereby giving herself the distinction of being the first woman to vote in this country. She is mentioned in town records a few times more, once in 1758 to reduce her highway rates and another in 1765 was to change her school district." Her vote was in favor of appropriating funds for the regiments engaged in the French and Indian War.
Women’s suffrage
Given the important nature of the vote, the landowner and taxpayer status of Josiah’s estate, and the fact that young Bazaleel, Caleb’s younger brother, was just a minor, the townspeople voted to allow Lydia, "the widow Josiah Taft", to vote in this important meeting.[10][1] Lydia then received Josiah’s proxy to vote in this important town meeting. Lydia Chapin Taft then became the first recorded legal woman voter in America. Lydia Chapin Taft, now simply known as Lydia Taft, voted in an official New England Open Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, Massachusetts, on October 30, 1756. This is recorded in the records of the Uxbridge Town Meeting. Lydia Taft of Uxbridge became the first woman to ever vote in the nation.[10][11] Judge Chapin records in his 1864 address to the Unitarian church, that, "Uxbridge may yet become famous as the pioneer in the cause of Women’s suffrage".[10] This was written 56 years before women’s suffrage became legal in America. Lydia Taft’s historic vote would precede the constitutional amendment for women’s suffrage, which was in 1920, by 164 years. In 2007, Uxbridge may still become famous in the history of women’s suffrage. According to Judge Chapin, the vote to allow Lydia to vote
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Lydia Taft
Afterwards
[4] ^ Crane p.181 [5] "Indian History and Genealogy". On April 18, 1775, Lydia and Josiah’s son, RootsWeb. Bezaleel Taft, Sr., answered the "alarm" at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Beza~massasoit/book20.htm. Retrieved on leel served in the Continental Army, first as a 2007-09-28. Sergeant, and later as a Captain in the [6] ^ Crane p.222 Worcester 9th Company. Lydia watched her [7] Clarke, D.D., Joseph S. (1858). A son as he served the new nation. Lydia ChapHistorical Sketch of the Congregational in Taft, a colonial champion of women’s sufChurches in Massachusetts, from 1620 frage, died at Uxbridge on November 9, to 1858. Boston (Digitized by Google 1778, at the age of 65, after the United books): Congregational Board of States had officially declared its independPublication. pp. p. 148. ence and was engaged in the American Rehttp://books.google.com/ volutionary War. [3] Bezaleel Taft, Sr. and his books?id=L7yETClx8EUC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148& son Bezaleel Taft, Jr, followed Josiah’s footiJXqsD6tLuFhTz6NiE0. steps to become Massachusetts state legislat[8] ^ Schultz, John (1997). Legislators of the ors serving in the Massachusetts General Massachusetts General Court 1691-1780: Court and in the Massachusetts Senate. Five A Biographical Dictionary. UPNE. pp. p. generations of Tafts served Massachusetts 353. http://books.google.com/ from this branch of the Taft family. Bezaleel books?id=eKPUSr. and Bezaleel Jr. also served on the state Drsc_UC&pg=PA353&lpg=PA353&dq=josiah+taft+ Executive Council. It would be many years [9] ""Taft descendents"". rootsweb. before another American woman would behttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ come the next pioneer in the history of wo~taft/Taftdes5.htm#id4586. Retrieved men’s suffrage. Over half a century later, anon 2007-10-10. other Blackstone Valley woman, Abby Kelley [10] ^ Chapin, Judge Henry (1881). "Address Foster, who belonged to the Quaker Meeting Delivered at the Unitarian Church in at Uxbridge, would lead two later famous sufUxbridge, 1864". Worcester, fragists, into the anti-slavery movement, Massachusetts: Charles Hamilton Press Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone. (Harvard Library; from Google Books). At least five generations of Massachusetts pp. p.172. http://books.google.com/ Taft’s were descendents of Lydia and Josiah books?id=uaTaft, and served in public careers including pgcKRY2QC&pg=RA1-PA172&lpg=RA1-PA172&dq= their son Bezaleel Taft, Sr. Her grandson, [11] ""Oldest/Firsts Within the Blackstone Bezaleel Taft, Jr, lived in an historic home Valley"". The Blackstone Daily. known as Elmshade, which is now on the Nahttp://www.blackstonedaily.com/ tional Historic Register and was also deeply History&Heritage/firsts.htm. Retrieved involved in public service. on 2007-09-29. 4 years after Lydia’s death, America’s first [12] ""AN ACT DESIGNATING STATE woman soldier Deborah Sampson enlisted in HIGHWAY ROUTE 146A IN THE TOWN the Continental Army, disguised as Robert OF UXBRIDGE AS THE LYDIA TAFT Shurtlief of Uxbridge. HIGHWAY"; "Chapter 56 of the Acts of 2004"". Massachusetts State Government; the state legislature;. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/ [1] Crane, Ellery Bicknell (1907). Historic seslaw04/sl040056.htm. Retrieved on Homes and Institutions and Genealogical 2007-09-29. and Personal Memories of Worcester [13] ""Uxbridge Breaks Tradition and Makes County, Massachusetts with a history of History: Lydia Chapin Taft by Carol Worcester Society of Antiquity;. Chicago Masiello"". The Blackstone Daily. and New York: Lewis. pp. 181-182. http://blackstonedaily.com/Journeys/cmhttp://books.google.com/ lt.htm. Retrieved on 2007-09-29. books?id=86rbSq2FhdYC&pg=RA2-PA182&lpg=RA2-A182&dq=seth+chapin+jr+mendon+mass&sou [2] Crane p.221 [3] ^ Crane p.182
References
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lydia Taft
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Taft" Categories: Women's suffrage, French and Indian War, People from Massachusetts, 1712 births, 1778 deaths, People from Worcester County, Massachusetts, Women's rights, People from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, People from Mendon, Massachusetts, People from Suffolk County, Massachusetts, American colonial people This page was last modified on 19 April 2009, at 22:44 (UTC). All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) taxdeductible nonprofit charity. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers
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