Warren G. Harding letter to Harriet Taylor Upton, 1917 February 11, 1917 February 11

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Summary

Creator:
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923, Upton, Harriet Taylor, and Baskin, Lisa Unger
Abstract:
Collection comprises a letter written by the United States Senator from Ohio Warren G. Harding to the suffragist Harriet Taylor Upton regarding support for women's suffrage. Harding responds to a telegram from Upton asking him to use his influence on Ohio State Senator U.G. Murrell in support of women's voting rights. Harding replies that he is "reluctant" to advise Murrell on the matter because of his previous experience with Murrell while Harding was a member of the Ohio General Assembly.
Extent:
0.1 Linear Feet (1 item)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11411

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of a single autograph typescript letter on Senator Warren G. Harding's United States Senate letterhead dated 1917 February 11. Senator Harding writes to suffragist Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton of Warren, Ohio, "I beg to acknowledge your telegram of February 4. By reason of my former experience as a member of the Senate of Ohio General Assembly, I would be reluctant to advise Senator Murrell of Clinton County as to his ultimate action on the suffrage matter." Murrell was a member of the Ohio General Assembly. By 1917, Senator Harding was prepared to vote in the affirmative on the issue of women's suffrage. Harriet Upton was was hoping to leverage his influence to generate similar support in their home state of Ohio.

Biographical / historical:

Warren G. Harding was the 29th President of the United States and a member of the Republican party. He served as the United States Senator from Ohio from 1915-1921. On the issue of suffrage, Harding first indicated that he could not support votes for women until his Ohio constituents did. By the time support for suffrage increased and was voted on by the Senate in 1918, Harding was a supporter. Although Harding was popular in his time, scandals that later came to light have caused him to be remembered as one of the worst Presidents in history.

Harriet Taylor Upton was a women's suffrage activist who was nationally known for her work in the struggle for women's right to vote. She was the president of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association at the time of this letter. Upton made an unsuccessful bid for election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1926, and was the first woman to become a vice chairperson of the Republican National Committee. She was also active in the temperance movement and an author of both children's books and histories.

Acquisition information:
The Warren G. Harding letter to Harriet Taylor Upton was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2015.
Processing information:

Processed by Megan E. Lewis, March, 2017

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2015-0050-LUBMSS248

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Warren G. Harding letter to Harriet Taylor Upton, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.