Elizabeth Thacher Kent facts for kids
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Elizabeth Thacher Kent (born September 22, 1868 – died August 14, 1952) was an important person who worked to protect nature and fought for women's right to vote. With her husband, William Kent, she helped create the famous Muir Woods National Monument. They did this by giving land to the government. She was also a leader in groups like the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the National Woman's Party. She even wrote books about her own life and her husband's career.
Early Life and Family
Elizabeth Thacher Kent was born to Thomas Anthony Thacher, a professor at Yale University, and Elizabeth Baldwin Thacher. On February 26, 1890, she married William Kent. They moved to Kentfield, California, and had seven children together. Some of her children became well-known, including Sherman Kent, a Yale professor, and Roger Kent, a US politician. Her daughter, Adaline Kent, became a famous artist. Elizabeth enjoyed driving cars and playing bridge in her free time.
She was also the great-granddaughter of Roger Sherman, one of America's founding fathers. Her brother, Sherman Day Thacher, started The Thacher School in Ojai, California. She was good friends with her cousin, Elizabeth Selden Rogers, who was also a leader in the National Woman's Party.
Protecting Nature
Elizabeth T. Kent and her husband cared a lot about their community and protecting the environment. They saw that the tall redwood trees in Marin County, California were being cut down. To save these amazing forests, Elizabeth and William bought 611 acres of land. They then gave 295 acres of this land to the United States government. This special land later became the Muir Woods National Monument, a place where people can still enjoy the giant redwoods today. Elizabeth was also good friends with John Muir, a famous nature lover, and they often wrote letters to each other about protecting nature.
Fighting for Women's Rights
In 1911, Elizabeth and her family moved to Washington D.C. This happened after her husband, Mr. Kent, was elected to Congress. In D.C., Elizabeth became a very active supporter of women's rights. She played a big part in helping women get the right to vote.
She gave speeches at important meetings for women's suffrage in 1913 and 1914. She then became a leader for the Congressional Committee of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Elizabeth also helped start a group called the Congressional Union, which later became the Women’s Party. This group famously protested outside the White House to push for women's voting rights.
In the 1930s, Elizabeth became involved with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. By 1937, she was the president of the Marin County chapter of this group. While in Washington D.C., she talked to members of Congress and spoke in front of congressional committees twice. Elizabeth Thacher Kent was later honored by being chosen for the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame after her death. She also took part in a big meeting of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945.
