Friends of the Library Open for Book Donations

Clear off your shelves and drop off your gently used books, CDs and DVDs Aug 23-29

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Among-Friends.html?soid=1104907686970&aid=4r1tm-ArFqU

Out of the Darkness

I will be joining with thousands of people nationwide this fall to walk in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Community Walk. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is at the forefront of research, advocacy, education and prevention initiatives designed to reduce loss of life from suicide. Robin Willliams along with more than 38,000 lives are lost each year in the U.S. and over one million worldwide to suicide, the importance of AFSP's mission has never been greater, nor our work more urgent.

I hope you will consider supporting my participation in this event. Any contribution will help the work of AFSP, and all donations are 100% tax deductible. Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation click the "Donate Now" button on my fundraising page. If you would rather donate by check please make the check payable to AFSP and mail it in with the offline donation form.

AFSP holds hundreds of events nationwide throughout the year, including the Out of the Darkness Community Walk.  I am joining my friend Paula Fields-Nicols’ team, Our Sons. Paula lost her son Stephen in 2010 and we will be walking in his memory. If you live in the area and would like to join us October 12^th in the Northwest New Jersey Walk, Stanhope, NJ, click on the link. We would love to have you walk with us. Thank you for considering this request for your support. If you have any questions about the Out of the Darkness Community Walks or AFSP do not hesitate to contact me or visit www.afsp.org 

Suffrage Amendment Ratified, Women Have Vote

The above was the headline in the New York Times on August 25, 1920 announcing the cerfication of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The privilege of voting has always been important to me. I remember the distress of not being able to vote in the 1980 Presidential election along with the rest of my dorm because I didn't turn 18 until nine days later. Following in my Grandma Armstrong's footsteps, I have worked as a poll worker on Election Day for over 20 years. As a woman of the 21st century, it is hard to believe that less than 100 years ago, women in the United States did not have the right to vote. By 1920 when the country finally granted women the right to vote my Nana Burket had survived growing up with nine brothers, lived through a world war, married and given birth to her first child. Unfortunately Nana died in 1981 long before I had grown out of the “it's all about me” teen stage. I missed out what would have been a profound discussion of what it was like to have gained the fundamental right of a citizen... to participate in government by our vote.

Women’s Suffrage Timeline

1787: The Constitutional Convention places voting rules in the hands of the states. Only New Jersey granted women the right to vote

1807: Women lose the right to vote in New Jersey

1848: The Seneca Falls Convention proposes women’s suffrage by Elizabeth Cady Stanton

1861-1865: The American Civil War. The suffrage movement was largely on hold during the conflict

1867: Susan B Anthony forms the Equal Rights Association

1869: The 1^st US territory, Wyoming grants unrestricted suffrage to women

1870: The 15th amendment to the US Constitution is adopted granting voting rights to former male African-American slaves

1872: Susan B Anthony registers and votes in Rochester, New York, stating that the 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution gives her the right to vote

1874: The Supreme Court in the case of Minor vs. Happersett rules that the 14^th Amendment to the US

1875: Women begin winning the right to vote in school election starting with Minnesota and Michigan

1878: A federal amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote is introduced by Senator A.A. Sargeant of California

1882: The US House and Senate appoint committees on women's suffrage

1884: The House of Representatives debates women suffrage

1886: The suffrage amendment is defeated in the Senate

1887: The Supreme Court strikes down the law that gave women the right to vote in the Washington territory

1887: Women win the right to vote in Kansas municipal elections

1893: Colorado votes for women suffrage as western states and territories continue to lead the charge on women’s right to vote 

1912: Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party includes women suffrage as a part of its platform

1913: The Senate votes on a women suffrage amendment, but again it does not pass

1916: Woodrow Wilson and the Democratic Party Platform pledge to endorse women suffrage

1916: The first woman is elected to the US Congress. Montana sends Jeannette Rankin to the House of Representatives

November 14th, 1917: The "Night of Terror” suffragist prisoners are beaten and abused

1917: The New York becomes the 1^st Eastern state to grant women full suffrage

1918: The House of Representatives passes the women’s right to vote

1918 Women suffrage is once again struck down in the Senate

1918: President Wilson declares his support for women suffrage

1919: The National American Woman Suffrage Association becomes the League of Women Voters

June 4, 1919: The Senate finally passes the women suffrage

August 18, 1920 Tennessee ratifies the suffrage amendment

August 26, 1920: The 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, stating, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation," becomes law.

The suffrage fight took over 100 years to result in women gaining the right to go into the voting booth. The least we can do is get out and vote every first Tuesday of November.

John Honeyman Washington's Spy

As publicity chair for my Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, I thought it would be nice to post tidbits on our chapter's Patriots on our Facebook page. In the case of John Honeyman, I found intrigue and controversy.

Born in Ireland of Scottish descent,  he came to the colonies as a British soldier to fight in the French and Indian War.  After the war ended, John settled in Philadelphia, married and engaged in trade as a butcher and weaver. It was during his time in Philadelphia that John began his assoication with George Washington.  They met whilst Washington attended meetings at the Continental Congress in 1774; where the General accepted the services of the former soldier. John Honeyman became one of General Washington's spies.  At a subsequent meeting in November 1776 in Fort Lee, General Washington asked Honeyman to pose as a Tory sympathizer and to spy on the British. In particular to establish relationships with the British military in Trenton. To that end, General Washington neatly arranged for Honeyman to be outted as a Tory sympathizer at the family's home in Griggstown.  

Forced to flee to the “safety” of British controlled Trenton, John made connections with the British military as a trader, peddling his meats and textiles. Such trading with the officer core made it possible for John to gather the requested intelligence. Prior to Christmas 1776, Honeyman was “captured” by the Continental Army and brought before General Washington.  Honeyman was able to provide his commander detailed information on the Hessian troops, their commanding officer, and maps of enemy locations. After the debrief, Honeyman was put into jail where he “escaped” and made his way back across the Delaware.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Upon his return to Trenton, Honeyman told the Hessian commander of his capture and the disarray of the Continental troops, dis-information Washington hoped would lull the enemy into relaxing their defenses for the holiday. The ploy worked; Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night and the British handed defeat at the Battleof Trenton.

There are books, videos and even a play chronicling John Honeyman’s contribution to the Patriots victory. Even so, in today’s revisionist history, his accomplishments have come under attack. I found a wonderful piece on the CIA website in defense of John Honeyman and George Washington. Next time I’m in the Princeton area, I’ll have to pass by the Honeyman house to pay my respects. And that play looks like an interesting program for a chapter event…