Josephine Anderson Pearson (1868 - 1944) was an American

anti-suffragette Anti-suffragism was a political movement composed of both men and women that began in the late 19th century in order to campaign against women's suffrage in countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. ...

, educator, writer, and lecturer who lived and traveled throughout Tennessee.

Life

Josephine Pearson was born in Gallatin, Tennessee, and raised in

McMinnville, Tennessee McMinnville is the largest city in and the county seat of Warren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 13,605 at the 2010 census. It was named for Governor Joseph McMinn. Geography McMinnville is located at (35.686708, -85.7793 ...

. In 1890, she graduated from Irving College and completed her Master's Degree at

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberlan ...

in 1896. Pearson worked for many organizations and held positions such as the women's auxiliary president for the Dixie Highway Council of the Cumberland Divide and commissioner for the Woman's Board of the

Tennessee Centennial Exposition The Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition was an exposition held in Nashville from May 1 – October 31, 1897 in what is now Centennial Park. A year late, it celebrated the 100th anniversary of Tennessee's entry into the union in 17 ...

. Pearson began her fight against suffrage after making a promise to her dying mother. She fought for women's rights by writing essays on feminism, suffrage, and related topics.In 1917, she became president of the Tennessee State Association Opposed to Women Suffrage. Although at this time she lived in Monteagle with her father, she traveled throughout Tennessee for three years working for the association. In mid-July 1920, Pearson traveled to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

, due to a special session being called by the governor to vote on the 19th amendment. During her fight for the 19th amendment, Pearson set up headquarters at the

Hermitage Hotel The Hermitage Hotel, is a historic hotel located at 231 6th Avenue North in Nashville, Tennessee. Commissioned by 250 Nashville residents in 1908 and named for Andrew Jackson's estate, The Hermitage near Nashville, the hotel opened in 1910. It ...

in Nashville, where she urged legislators to oppose ratification. Although Pearson never cast a vote in her lifetime, she spent the remainder of her life writing, teaching, and protesting women’s suffrage. She taught philosophy and history at the Southern Seminary of Virginia while also serving as dean. Pearson died in 1944 and was buried in the Monteagle Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearson, Josephine 1868 births 1944 deaths Anti-suffragists People from Gallatin, Tennessee Educators from Tennessee