Emily Parmely Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emily Parmely Peltier Collins
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"A Woman of the Century"
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| Born | Emily Parmely August 11, 1814 Bristol, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 14, 1909 Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Pen name | "Justitia" |
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| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
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| Children | 2 sons |
Emily Parmely Collins (born Parmely, later Peltier, then Collins; pen name, Justitia) was an important American woman. She lived from August 11, 1814, to April 14, 1909. Emily was a strong supporter of women's rights, especially the right for women to vote. She was also an activist and a writer.
In 1848, Emily Collins made history. She started the very first society in the United States dedicated to women's right to vote. This group was in South Bristol, New York. She also played a part in the movement to end slavery and the movement to reduce alcohol use. Emily believed it was super important for women to develop all their skills. She wrote in newspapers to support women's rights in education, jobs, and politics.
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Early Life
Emily Parmely was born in Bristol, New York, on August 11, 1814. Her parents, James Parmely and Lydia Robbins Donelson, were among the first people to settle in the "Genesee Country." Her family came from England and settled in Connecticut in 1639. Emily's father fought in the American Revolutionary War.
As a child, Emily was quiet and loved to be by herself. She enjoyed spending time with her pets and reading books. She became a very keen reader, especially enjoying history and poetry.
Emily's Career and Activism
Early Career and Marriages
When Emily was 16, she became a teacher in Bristol, New York. It was unusual then, but she earned the same pay as male teachers.
In 1832, Emily moved to Michigan with her brother. There, she taught in a small log schoolhouse near Port Huron, Michigan. On January 8, 1835, she married Charles Peltier, who was a merchant. They moved to Detroit. Charles worked as a Post Trader and later as a judge. They had one son, Pierre Desnoyers Peltier. Charles died in Detroit.
Emily married her second husband, Simri Bradley Collins, on July 4, 1841. They had one son named Emmett Burke Collins.
Fighting for Women's Rights
In 1848, Emily returned to Bristol, New York. She attended the famous Seneca Falls Convention in July. This was a very important meeting for women's rights. On October 19, Emily started the first women's suffrage society in the world. It was called the Woman's Equal Rights Union. That same year, she sent the first petition to the state government asking for women's rights.
In 1858, her family moved to Rochester, New York. They lived there until 1869. Emily was a member of the Unitarian church during this time.
Civil War Efforts
Emily Collins was a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War. She served in Virginia during the 1864 campaign. Both of her sons, Dr. P. D. Peltier and Captain E. Burke Collins, were with her.
She wrote about her experiences, saying that the fight against slavery reminded her of the fight for women's rights. She felt that arguments for freeing enslaved people also applied to women. She was surprised that not all people who wanted to end slavery also supported women's rights.
Life in Louisiana
In 1869, Emily's family moved to Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. Her second husband passed away there in 1876. Her second son, Captain E. Burke Collins, died in 1872. Emily lived in Louisiana for ten years. She continued her work for women's right to vote with another activist, Elizabeth Lisle Saxon.
In 1879, Louisiana was creating a new state constitution. Emily wrote a paper sharing her ideas for a fair constitution. Her ideas were read to the people writing the constitution and were praised by newspapers in New Orleans.
Activism in Connecticut
In 1879, Emily moved to Hartford, Connecticut, to live with her son, Pierre. In 1885, she helped start the Hartford Equal Rights Club with Frances Ellen Burr and others. She was the president of this club for many years and later became its honorary president.
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Emily also wrote stories to share her ideas. She wrote for the Hartford Journal every week under the pen name "Justitia." In these articles, she supported human rights, especially for women. She also spoke to the Connecticut state government each year about women's right to vote. She suggested that the government should control the sale of alcohol to help with temperance issues. She also pushed for changes in how elections worked and for people to work together instead of competing.
Personal Life
Emily Collins was a member of the Massachusetts Referendum League and the Woman's Relief Corps. She spoke to many groups about different topics. In 1904, she joined the Daughters of the American Revolution. This group is for descendants of people who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Emily Collins passed away on April 14, 1909. She was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. She had two sons, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
See also
In Spanish: Emily Parmely Collins para niños
