Hannah Jane Patterson (November 5, 1879 – August 21, 1937) was an American suffragist and social activist. She was a key member of the
women's suffrage movement
Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to gran ...
in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and worked for the
National American Woman Suffrage Association
The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was an organization formed on February 18, 1890, to advocate in favor of women's suffrage in the United States. It was created by the merger of two existing organizations, the National ...
. During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Patterson was a member of the Woman's Committee of the
Council of National Defense
The Council of National Defense was a United States organization formed during World War I to coordinate resources and industry in support of the war effort, including the coordination of transportation, industrial and farm production, financial s ...
. For her service, she was awarded with a
Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation.
Examples include:
*Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action
* Distinguishe ...
. Patterson graduated from
Wilson College and studied at both
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
and the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
.
Early life and education
Hannah Jane Patterson was born on November 5, 1879, in
Smithton, Pennsylvania
Smithton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 399 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population was listed at 378. Smithton has its own post office, with zip code 15479, and is serviced by Yough Sch ...
, to Harriet McCune and John Gilfillan Patterson, a banker. In 1897, she began her studies at
Wilson College in
Chambersburg
Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley, and north of Maryland and the Mas ...
.
Initially homesick, Patterson participated in baseball, field hockey, tennis and basketball. She was on the debate team and served as class president.
She earned her
A.B.
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
, graduating in 1901.
Patterson then attended
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in 1902, taking courses in finance,
and the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
, where she studied law.
Career and social activism
An educated woman in the
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era (late 1890s – late 1910s) was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States focused on defeating corruption, monopoly, waste and inefficiency. The main themes ended during Am ...
, Patterson involved herself in organizations pushing for reform of
child labor
Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such e ...
laws,
women's rights
Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...
, and
public health law
Public health law examines the authority of the government at various jurisdictional levels to improve public health, the health of the general population within societal limits and norms. Public health law focuses on the duties of the government ...
s.
Following a move to
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, Patterson became a member of the Civic Club of Allegheny County. Her efforts were instrumental in the creation of a
juvenile court
A juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes that are committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern legal s ...
for the county.
She founded the Allegheny County Equal Rights Association in 1904 alongside
Jennie Bradley Roessing
Jennie Bradley Roessing (May 11, 1881 – May 15, 1963) was a leader in Pennsylvania's women's suffrage movement during the early 1900s. She was an active participant in the women's suffrage movement and various Pittsburgh-area organizations.
Ear ...
, Mary Bakewell, Mary Flinn, and Lucy and Eliza Kennedy. Their organization's "Pittsburgh Plan" called for the creation of "local and regional associations at the political precinct level" and was later adopted on a national scale by the
National American Woman Suffrage Association
The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was an organization formed on February 18, 1890, to advocate in favor of women's suffrage in the United States. It was created by the merger of two existing organizations, the National ...
(NAWSA).
Patterson also worked with the Allegheny County Committee on School Legislation and was involved with the Consumers' League of Western Pennsylvania.
She was a long-time supporter of Wilson College. The Alumnae Association elected her as treasurer of in 1906. Patterson later became president of the association and one of the college's trustees.
Women's suffrage
By 1910, Patterson was campaigning for women's suffrage.
She was a key member of the Pennsylvania suffrage movement,
serving as vice president of the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association (PWSA)
and the first person to chair Pennsylvania's Woman Suffrage Party, a position she held until 1915.
![Patterson, Hannah J](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Patterson%2C_Hannah_J.%2C_10-4-19_LCCN2016827111_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In November 1914, Patterson gave a speech before the 46th annual convention of the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association in
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
. Philadelphia's ''
Evening Ledger'' called her "one of the most convincing speakers for the cause."
Alongside PWSA president Roessing, Patterson led the 1915 drive to amend the
Pennsylvania Constitution
The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All acts of the General Assembly, the governor, and each governmental agency are subordinate to it. Since 1776, Pennsylvania's Constitution has undergone ...
to allow universal suffrage.
They mounted an intensive lobbying campaign, attending public events and giving lectures throughout the state. The PWSA commissioned the casting of the
Justice Bell, a replica of the
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence ...
with its clapper chained to its side as a symbol of how women were being silenced by being denied the vote.
[ Patterson participated in the bell's tour, which took it to every county in Pennsylvania.] On July 7, 1915, at a "Suffrage Day" themed baseball game between the Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citizen ...
and the Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
, Patterson threw out the first pitch. While the suffrage amendment was narrowly defeated, their efforts spurred the major political parties to include suffrage planks in their 1916 political platforms.
Patterson then moved to New York City and was elected to be corresponding secretary for NAWSA in 1916.
World War I
Following the April 1917 American entry into World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Patterson was appointed to the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense
The Council of National Defense was a United States organization formed during World War I to coordinate resources and industry in support of the war effort, including the coordination of transportation, industrial and farm production, financial s ...
. The Committee elected her Resident Director of the executive office. She oversaw the 15 woman outfit, working out of a building in Washington, D.C. known as "the Little Playhouse". The following year she was appointed Associate Director of the newly created Field Division of the Council of National Defense and was made a member of its governing board. In her role as Resident Director of the Woman's Committee, Patterson was responsible for the performance of each of the committee's departments. The Committee coordinated the actions of state divisions in conjunction with the larger war effort and served as an intermediary between the federal government and women's groups of the 48 states.
For her wartime service, Patterson received the Army's Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation.
Examples include:
*Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action
* Distinguishe ...
in 1919. She was one of the first woman civilians to receive the award, then the highest non-combat award presented by the United States government.
Following the war, she was appointed assistant to Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker Jr. (December 3, 1871 – December 25, 1937) was an American lawyer, Georgist,Noble, Ransom E. "Henry George and the Progressive Movement." The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, vol. 8, no. 3, 1949, pp. 259–269. w ...
, President Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
's Secretary of War. Patterson later served on the War Risk Advisory Committee alongside future Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes Sr. (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American statesman, politician and jurist who served as the 11th Chief Justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the ...
.
Return to Pennsylvania
After the war, Patterson returned to Pittsburgh and was an investment advisor
A financial adviser or financial advisor is a professional who provides financial services to clients based on their financial situation. In many countries, financial advisors must complete specific training and be registered with a regulatory ...
, heading the women's department of brokerage firm J. H. Holmes & Co. in the 1920s. She also served on the board of directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
of the West Newton bank her father ran.
In 1931, Patterson managed her friend Sara Soffel's successful campaign for judgeship, helping her become Pennsylvania's first woman jurist. She was asked but declined to be a candidate for Congress in 1935.
Patterson died on August 21, 1937 at West Penn Hospital
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, commonly referred to as "West Penn Hospital", is located at 4800 Friendship Avenue in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 317-bed hospital is part of the Allegheny Health Network. It serv ...
in Pittsburgh. She is interred at West Newton Cemetery. Patterson never married and she had no children.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Hannah J.
1879 births
1937 deaths
20th-century United States government officials
American suffragists
Businesspeople from Pennsylvania
Political activists from Pennsylvania
People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Progressive Era in the United States
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Wilson College (Pennsylvania) alumni
University of Pennsylvania alumni
Columbia University alumni
20th-century American women