Bridgewater Women Voters Roll, 1920-1951
Summary Information
- Repository:
- Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
- Title:
- Bridgewater Women's Voter Roll
- Collection No.:
- SC 0082
- Date:
- 1920-1951
- Extent:
- 1 folders
- Language of the Material:
- English
- Abstract:
- Consists of one bound and handwritten ledger listing white women voters registered at Bridgewater Precinct in the Ashby Magisterial District Rockingham County, Virginia.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [box #, folder #], Bridgewater Women's Voter Roll, 1920-1951, SC 0082, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
Biographical / Historical
On June 4th, 1919 Congress passed the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. This ledger was utilized mostly in 1922, with a few entries back-dated to 1920. This means that the ledger was created very shortly after the success of the women's suffrage movement.
Scope and Contents
This Bridgewater Women Voters Roll, 1920-1951, consists of one bound and handwritten ledger, 15-1/2"x10-1/2". This ledger dates from 1922-1948 with a few entries back-dated to 1920, and one other listing 1951 as a date of transfer. The pre-printed label with handwritten blanks (indicated by italics) on the front of the ledger reads:
"Roll of* Women (White) Voters
Registered at Bridgewater Corp[?] Precinct
Ashby Magisterial District
Rockingham County, Virginia
1948
*White or Colored."
The headings for the roll include: date of registration; number; name; date of birth; age in years; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county and precinct; "Is he exempt from payment of poll tax as a prerequisite to voting?"; If naturalized, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred, when and to what precinct. The earliest registrants listed are Frances Arey and Jessie Beydler in January 1922. The earliest birth date listed is Martha Diehl, who was born 1861. Occupations are varied from predominantly house-wives and house-keepers, to teachers, book keepers, secretaries, stenographers, nurses, students, clerks and seamstresses. The more unusual occupations listed are: Dean of Women, Assistant Post Master, dietician, and dental assistant. Almost all of the registrants are local, or were transferred from a neighboring precinct. All entries are handwritten in blue ink.
Administrative Information
Revision Description
Alicia Henneberry September 2013
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Scott Suter (via eBay) in October 2005
Processing Information
In order to streamline the process of applying collegion numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3016.
Location
Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
880 Madison DriveMSC 1704Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807library-special@jmu.eduURL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/
Related Materials
Related Materials
Bridgewater Voter Roll, 1902-1948, SC 0081, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Bibliography
The National Archives http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=13&title.raw=19th%20Amendment%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Constitution:%20Women's%20Right%20to%20Vote