Suffragists
PRESERVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE
Ida B. Wells said, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
Kaysville women (and men) shone a light on the importance of women having a voice in the public sphere. Kaysville women played an important role and held prominent positions in the suffragist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many women wanted the right to vote to continue legally practicing polygamy, but their crusade continued through the end of polygamy in 1890, and beyond.
2020 is a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of Utah women receiving the right to vote making them the first women to vote in the United States.
Kaysville suffragists were a small part of the larger state, national, and even international movement of women working together to win the right to vote to have an equal say in the governance of their communities. Kaysville suffragists held public and private meetings, balls, concerts, and some attended the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 to gather support and demonstrate the importance of equal suffrage. They also wrote articles, lead and were members of the Columbian Club, Woman Suffrage Association, and other civic organizations.
2020 is a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of Utah women receiving the right to vote making them the first women to vote in the United States. 2020 is also the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act which protects the voting rights of all United States citizens regardless of race or gender.
This year, the Kaysville – Fruit Heights Museum of History and Art is honoring the sacrifices made by suffragists. We are indebted to them for their foresight and labor in our behalf.
Kaysville has grown substantially since 1870, 1920, and 1965. Some descendants of Kaysville suffragists still live in our community and are now joined by many neighbors and friends from near and far. We look to these women of the past with gratitude for securing voting rights for women, and we recognize our responsibility to continue to exercise that right.
Image Source: From Library of Congress, Image 47 of National American Woman Suffrage Association Records: Subject File, 1851-1953; Equal rights amendment; 5 of 6
Kaysville Suffragists
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sarah-baarnes-layton1.jpg)
Sarah Barnes Layton
1826 – 1906
- Kaysville Columbian Club Officer
- Women’s Exponent Contributor
- Long Time Kaysville Relief Society President
- Davis County Woman’s Suffrage Association Convention Delegate
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/jane-hooper-blood1.jpg)
Jane Hooper Blood
1845 – 1898
- Columbian Club Officer and Leap Year Ball Participant
- Advocate for Education
- Relief Society Counselor and Treasure
- Voted in 1880 for Territorial Delegate to Congress
- Credentialled and Seated at the Davis County W.S.A. Convention
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/adora-taylor-wessels-Edit1.jpg)
Dora Taylor Wessels Strumquist
1856 – 1943
- Davis County W.S.A. Vice President
- Davis County W.S.A. Executive Committee Member
- Kaysville Columbian Club Participant
- Davis County Ladies World Fair Commission
- Kaysville Businesswoman
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sarah-taylor-coombs1.jpg)
Sarah Layton Taylor Coombs
1865 – 1936
- First Kaysville Woman Postmaster
- Kaysville Temperance Organization Program Participant
- Republican Party Delegate
- Davis County W.S.A. Executive Committee Member
- Kaysville Los Platicadoras (Civic Improvement) Club Member
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sarah-blamires-sheffield1.jpg)
Sarah Blamires Sheffield
1853– 1942
- Kaysville Columbian Club Officer
- Kaysville Main Street Businesswoman
- Kaysville Relief Society President for 20 Years
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sarah-barton-dailey1.jpg)
Sarah Barton Dailey
1862 – 1946
- Crossed the Plains to Kaysville as an Infant
- Davis County W.S.A. Executive Committee
- Kaysville Columbian Club Grand Concert & Ball Participant
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/elizabeth-lizzy-smith1.jpg)
Lizzie Wadley Smith
1844 – 1919
- Kaysville Woman’s Suffrage Association President
- Davis County W.S.A. Vice President
- Utah Territory W.S.A. Convention Delegate
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/mary-blamires-boynton-Edit1.jpg)
Mary Kershaw Blamires Boynton
1829– 1894
- Kaysville Columbian Club Officer
- Agent for the Woman’s Exponent
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/rachel-may-mansell1.jpg)
Rachel May Mansell
1839– 1923
- Credentialed in Davis County W.S.A. Convention
- Kaysville Relief Society Secretary and Counselor
- Main Street Businesswoman
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/sarah-jarman-staker1.jpg)
Sarah Jarman Staker
1877 – 1953
- Kaysville Woman’s Suffrage Association Secretary
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/harriet-smith-smith-Edit1.jpg)
Hattie Smith Smith
1856 – 1938
- Kaysville Columbian Club Officer
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ellen-beazer-barton1.jpg)
Ellen Ann Beazer Barton
1852 – 1918
- Credentialed Delegate to Davis County W.S.A. Convention
![](https://dev.kfhmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/celia-raymond-hall2.jpg)
Celia Raymond Hall
1868 – 1943
- Kaysville Columbian Club Officer