Carefree Truth
Issue #769, August 19, 2019
Vicki Bobo, Regent of the Black Mountain Foothills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) said she was so appreciative of the Council for inviting her to speak at the September meeting. She has a background in education and now travels around talking to children and young adults about the U.S. Constitution.
This is the Year of the Woman because of the Suffragette Movement. The 19th Amendment was signed by the Senate and the House in June of 1919 and took another year to ratify. The 1920 ratification will be celebrated next August. Arizona was far advanced; it passed women's rights in November of 1912, the year it became a state.
Mrs. Bobo read a story in the first person, speaking as Frances "Fannie" Lillian Willard Munds, the #1 Arizona suffragette. Miss Willard was born in California, but her family soon moved to Nevada, where they engaged in mining and raising livestock. Miss Willard moved to Pittsfield, Maine with her sister and new brother-in-law, where she trained to be a teacher. She rejoined her family, which had moved to Cottonwood in the Arizona Territory, where her father had partnered with William Munds, the founder of Munds Park. Miss Willard taught school in the Mormon town of Pine, and traveled around to teach in several other small towns in the area, such as Payson and Jerome. To fill her evening hours, she became the head of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and joined the Eastern Star.
She fell in love with Mr. Mund's youngest son Johnny, who was 2 years her junior. They married in 1890 in Cottonwood. Her father had just died, but her mother threw a big wedding for them. She described her beautiful wedding gown. She and Johnny raised stock in Cottonwood until he was offered a job as a Deputy Sheriff in Prescott, under Bucky O'Neal. After Sheriff O'Neal moved on, Johnny became the Sheriff of Yavapai County. He worked for the Sheriff's Department from 1893-1903, total time served. Mrs. Munds became active in the Arizona Suffrage Association during this time, as the secretary. Pauline O'Neal was the president.
In 1893, Arizona began its bid for statehood. Suffrage was added to the Constitution and everything was ready to go, but President Benjamin Harris denied statehood and suffrage. His recently deceased wife Carolyn was the first president of the DAR, and would have given him a tongue lashing for sure, but he was as cranky as an old bear.
The Suffrage Bill was almost passed in 1903. Both Houses passed it, but Governor Alexander Brody vetoed it. He objected to it again at the 2nd Arizona Constitutional Convention in 1910, citing some really lame excuses again. Oh, what a meany he was!
Mrs. Munds became president of the Arizona Suffrage Association after Mrs. O'Neal moved to Phoenix. She went after 2 very influential groups that had been overlooked previously, the Arizona Miners and the Mormon Women. She didn't agree with all their views, but they were willing to work hard for the cause. Arizona became a state on Valentine's Day of 1912. Her group prepared an Initiative which qualified for the ballot on July 5th, 1912. The all male voters passed women's right to vote overwhelmingly in November of 1912. Arizona joined 9 other states.
Mrs. Munds was sent to Budapest, Hungary to be a suffragette ambassador. She was elected to the Arizona State Senate for 2 years in 1914. She was the first female legislator in Arizona and the second woman ever to serve as a Senator at the state or national level. "Our friends, the true blue conservatives, will be shocked to think of a grandmother sitting in the State Senate!" She later ran for Arizona Secretary of State, but lost, so she and Johnny moved back north to enjoy their grandbabies.
It took the rest of the United States until June 4th, 1919 to pass the suffrage bill. Three quarters of the states must agree in order to ratify an amendment. There were 48 states, so 36 were needed. Wisconsin was the first and Tennessee was the last, passing it by just 1 vote. Mississippi didn't sign it until 1984. Mrs. Munds was grateful to see her dream of voting become a reality, but sorry that so many suffragettes didn't live that long. She read that Arizona wanted to erect a statue of her in a park in Phoenix. But she gave credit to all the women who worked on suffrage around the country and didn't feel she should be singled out.
Mrs. Bobo said she brought 3 brochures and encouraged people to take them. (Herbert scanned them. Here is the link. http://carefreetruth2.com/dar.html
The national one was too large when folded out to fit in his scanner, but for those interested in further information, Mrs. Bobo can be contacted at 480-363-4869 or at victoria.bobo1010@gmail.com
The brochure for the local DAR chapter is included on the link, as is the one for a contest currently being run on the 19th Amendment. Mrs. Bobo is the contest chairwoman, and would be happy to answer any questions about the contest.)
Their chapter of the DAR is doing things for Carefree. Thanks to John Crane, they are the Cookie Ladies at the Veteran's Day celebration and the Memorial Day event, and have recently added flags. They are grateful for the opportunity to be of service.
Vice Mayor Crane explained that the DAR ladies serve coffee and cookies to the guests attending the events, and are helping with the flags at the Cave Creek Cemetery. He added that the DAR also does lots of other things for veterans. He thanked them.
Mayor Les Peterson thanked Mrs. Bobo for her presentation. He read a Proclamation for Constitution Week. "Whereas September 17th, 2019 marks the 232 anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention, and whereas it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary and the patriotic celebration which will commemorate the occasion, and whereas Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a Proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating September 17th-23rd as Constitution Week, now therefore I, Les Peterson, Mayor of Carefree, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of Carefree, do hereby proclaim the week of September 17th-23rd as vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties, remembering that lost rights may never be regained." Mayor Peterson signed the Proclamation and presented it to Mrs. Bobo, who accepted it on behalf of the DAR and thanked him.
Issue #769, August 19, 2019
Vicki Bobo, Regent of the Black Mountain Foothills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) said she was so appreciative of the Council for inviting her to speak at the September meeting. She has a background in education and now travels around talking to children and young adults about the U.S. Constitution.
This is the Year of the Woman because of the Suffragette Movement. The 19th Amendment was signed by the Senate and the House in June of 1919 and took another year to ratify. The 1920 ratification will be celebrated next August. Arizona was far advanced; it passed women's rights in November of 1912, the year it became a state.
Mrs. Bobo read a story in the first person, speaking as Frances "Fannie" Lillian Willard Munds, the #1 Arizona suffragette. Miss Willard was born in California, but her family soon moved to Nevada, where they engaged in mining and raising livestock. Miss Willard moved to Pittsfield, Maine with her sister and new brother-in-law, where she trained to be a teacher. She rejoined her family, which had moved to Cottonwood in the Arizona Territory, where her father had partnered with William Munds, the founder of Munds Park. Miss Willard taught school in the Mormon town of Pine, and traveled around to teach in several other small towns in the area, such as Payson and Jerome. To fill her evening hours, she became the head of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and joined the Eastern Star.
She fell in love with Mr. Mund's youngest son Johnny, who was 2 years her junior. They married in 1890 in Cottonwood. Her father had just died, but her mother threw a big wedding for them. She described her beautiful wedding gown. She and Johnny raised stock in Cottonwood until he was offered a job as a Deputy Sheriff in Prescott, under Bucky O'Neal. After Sheriff O'Neal moved on, Johnny became the Sheriff of Yavapai County. He worked for the Sheriff's Department from 1893-1903, total time served. Mrs. Munds became active in the Arizona Suffrage Association during this time, as the secretary. Pauline O'Neal was the president.
In 1893, Arizona began its bid for statehood. Suffrage was added to the Constitution and everything was ready to go, but President Benjamin Harris denied statehood and suffrage. His recently deceased wife Carolyn was the first president of the DAR, and would have given him a tongue lashing for sure, but he was as cranky as an old bear.
The Suffrage Bill was almost passed in 1903. Both Houses passed it, but Governor Alexander Brody vetoed it. He objected to it again at the 2nd Arizona Constitutional Convention in 1910, citing some really lame excuses again. Oh, what a meany he was!
Mrs. Munds became president of the Arizona Suffrage Association after Mrs. O'Neal moved to Phoenix. She went after 2 very influential groups that had been overlooked previously, the Arizona Miners and the Mormon Women. She didn't agree with all their views, but they were willing to work hard for the cause. Arizona became a state on Valentine's Day of 1912. Her group prepared an Initiative which qualified for the ballot on July 5th, 1912. The all male voters passed women's right to vote overwhelmingly in November of 1912. Arizona joined 9 other states.
Mrs. Munds was sent to Budapest, Hungary to be a suffragette ambassador. She was elected to the Arizona State Senate for 2 years in 1914. She was the first female legislator in Arizona and the second woman ever to serve as a Senator at the state or national level. "Our friends, the true blue conservatives, will be shocked to think of a grandmother sitting in the State Senate!" She later ran for Arizona Secretary of State, but lost, so she and Johnny moved back north to enjoy their grandbabies.
It took the rest of the United States until June 4th, 1919 to pass the suffrage bill. Three quarters of the states must agree in order to ratify an amendment. There were 48 states, so 36 were needed. Wisconsin was the first and Tennessee was the last, passing it by just 1 vote. Mississippi didn't sign it until 1984. Mrs. Munds was grateful to see her dream of voting become a reality, but sorry that so many suffragettes didn't live that long. She read that Arizona wanted to erect a statue of her in a park in Phoenix. But she gave credit to all the women who worked on suffrage around the country and didn't feel she should be singled out.
Mrs. Bobo said she brought 3 brochures and encouraged people to take them. (Herbert scanned them. Here is the link. http://carefreetruth2.com/dar.html
The national one was too large when folded out to fit in his scanner, but for those interested in further information, Mrs. Bobo can be contacted at 480-363-4869 or at victoria.bobo1010@gmail.com
The brochure for the local DAR chapter is included on the link, as is the one for a contest currently being run on the 19th Amendment. Mrs. Bobo is the contest chairwoman, and would be happy to answer any questions about the contest.)
Their chapter of the DAR is doing things for Carefree. Thanks to John Crane, they are the Cookie Ladies at the Veteran's Day celebration and the Memorial Day event, and have recently added flags. They are grateful for the opportunity to be of service.
Vice Mayor Crane explained that the DAR ladies serve coffee and cookies to the guests attending the events, and are helping with the flags at the Cave Creek Cemetery. He added that the DAR also does lots of other things for veterans. He thanked them.
Mayor Les Peterson thanked Mrs. Bobo for her presentation. He read a Proclamation for Constitution Week. "Whereas September 17th, 2019 marks the 232 anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America by the Constitutional Convention, and whereas it is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary and the patriotic celebration which will commemorate the occasion, and whereas Public Law 915 guarantees the issuing of a Proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating September 17th-23rd as Constitution Week, now therefore I, Les Peterson, Mayor of Carefree, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of Carefree, do hereby proclaim the week of September 17th-23rd as vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties, remembering that lost rights may never be regained." Mayor Peterson signed the Proclamation and presented it to Mrs. Bobo, who accepted it on behalf of the DAR and thanked him.
Victoria Bobo and Mayor Les Peterson with the Proclamation
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
Mayor Peterson said he and Mrs. Peterson lived for a while in Maine. While they were there, he recalled attending a significant parade in Pittsfield on July 4th, featuring families who had lived on their land dating back to the time of King George, before the American Revolution. It made him think of the heritage.
https://vimeo.com/352914181
(Lyn's note: Do click on the video. Mrs. Bobo's enthusiastic reading included many fun and funny personal details that I left out for the sake of length. Her version will leave you smiling and sometimes even laughing out loud!)
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
Mayor Peterson said he and Mrs. Peterson lived for a while in Maine. While they were there, he recalled attending a significant parade in Pittsfield on July 4th, featuring families who had lived on their land dating back to the time of King George, before the American Revolution. It made him think of the heritage.
https://vimeo.com/352914181
(Lyn's note: Do click on the video. Mrs. Bobo's enthusiastic reading included many fun and funny personal details that I left out for the sake of length. Her version will leave you smiling and sometimes even laughing out loud!)
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.