The Suffrage Torch (also known as the Torch of Liberty and the Suffrage Torch of Victory) was a wooden and bronze-finished sculpture of a torch that was used in the

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, and

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, ...

women's suffrage campaigns starting in the summer of 1915. The torch was the idea of

Harriot Stanton Blatch Harriot Eaton Blatch ( Stanton; January 20, 1856–November 20, 1940) was an American writer and suffragist. She was the daughter of pioneering women's rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Biography Harriot Eaton Stanton was born, the sixth ...

who wanted a visual publicity stunt to draw attention to the suffrage campaigns. The torch traveled throughout New York state and was handed over to

Mina Van Winkle Mina Caroline Ginger Van Winkle (March 26, 1875 – January 16, 1933) was a crusading social worker, suffragist, and groundbreaking police lieutenant. From 1919 until her death in 1933, she led the Women's Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Depa ...

, head of the New Jersey suffragists. The torch was stolen in New Jersey and later recovered in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The suffrage torch drew a good deal of publicity during its use in the campaigns taking place in those three states.

About

The Suffrage Torch, also known as the Torch of Liberty, was a small wooden sculpture with a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

finish, made to look like a torch on fire. It was designed by Alice Stocks. It was meant to be a way to increase publicity, as a "mega-stunt" for the

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to 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 grant women the right to vot ...

campaigns in

, and

areas. The torch was the idea of

, the daughter of suffrage and women's rights leader

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12, 1815 – October 26, 1902) was an American writer and activist who was a leader of the women's rights movement in the U.S. during the mid- to late-19th century. She was the main force behind the 1848 Seneca ...

, who wanted a "symbol of illumination" for women's suffrage. Blatch traveled with Louisine Havemeyer around New York, starting in

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

in June and early July 1915, bringing the torch with them to campaign stops. Margaret Ashley Bellinger also participated in the event. Havemeyer used the torch as a prop during several speeches she gave in New York. The last stop for the New York tour was Buffalo in late July. The torch was handed off to the New Jersey Women's Political Union (WPU) on August 7, 1915. New York members of the WPU went halfway across the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...

on the tugboat, ''Holbrook'', while New Jersey WPU activists left on the ''A.W. Smith''. Originally Blatch was to take the torch on the boat, but Havemeyer stood in her place, despite becoming seasick during the journey. The boats were decorated in purple, green and white. Both boats were late to their meeting. The New York boat was late due to a delay with publicity on the pier. The New Jersey boat was late because the suffragists had forgotten to obtain a license to ship out. This information was relayed by a man in a

dinghy A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which ...

, called the ''De Gink'' and piloted by "Fatty" Willy. Willy took suffrage supporter, W. S. Holbrook to the Jersey shore where they were able to get the ''A.W. Smith'' out on the water. The boats met in the middle of the Hudson River and "drew rail to rail". First the suffragists read a "A Hymn for Equal Suffrage" by Percy MacKaye and then Havemeyer gave a speech. Havemeyer passed the torch to

of New Jersey, completing the passing of the torch ceremony. The torch accompanied activists and their speeches at several New Jersey cities. At a meeting at the

Atlantic Highlands Atlantic Highlands is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the Bayshore Region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,385,Alyse Gregory Alyse Gregory (July 19, 1884 Norwalk, Connecticut, United States – August 27, 1967 Morebath, Devon, England) was an American-British suffragist and writer. Biography Gregory's father, James G. Gregory, was a doctor in Norwalk. She showed ...

. Van Winkle offered a $50 reward for the return of the torch. Blatch was critical of the New Jersey activists saying, "Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer and I, who guarded the torch in New York never let it out of our sight. We even took it to bed with us. I'm sorry the New Jersey suffragists were so recreant to their trust." Immediately, anti-suffragists were blamed for being the thieves. In order to counter the attack, anti-suffragists pledged $30 to increase the reward to $80 for the return of the torch. The Suffrage Torch was found about a week later by a lawyer and suffragist, Anthony V. Lynch, Jr., who found it in a streetcar in

. Lynch refused the reward and gave the money back to the New Jersey suffragists. The torch continued to tour throughout New Jersey after it was returned. In early September, the torch was passed into

and given to Mrs. Werkheiser of

Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in, and the county seat of, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River, a river tha ...

. The '' New York Sun'' noted that the Suffrage Torch drew a good deal of attention during the 1915 campaign.

References

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General sources

* *

External links

* {{Authority control 1915 in New Jersey New Jersey suffrage New York (state) suffrage Pennsylvania suffrage Publicity stunts Torches Women's suffrage in the United States

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General sources

External links