Janette Hill Knox facts for kids
.jpg)
Janette Hill Knox (born January 24, 1845 – died July 28, 1920) was an important American woman who worked for many causes. She was a temperance reformer, which means she believed in limiting or stopping the sale of alcohol. She was also a suffragist, fighting for women's right to vote. Besides her activism, Janette Hill Knox was a teacher, an author, and an editor.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Janette Hill was born in Londonderry, Vermont, on January 24, 1845. Her father, Lewis Hill, was a reverend in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her mother was Olive Marsh. Janette grew up in a quiet home in New England.
Because her father moved often for his church work, Janette went to school in many different towns. In 1869, she finished seminary school. She was the top student in her class at the Vermont Conference Female College in Montpelier. This school is now known as Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Marriage and Moving West
On January 9, 1871, Janette Hill married Martin Van Buren Knox in Craftsbury, Vermont. In 1873, they moved to Kansas. Janette and Martin both taught at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas for four years.
Janette continued her studies at Boston University in 1877. She focused on English literature and modern languages. In 1879, she earned her A.M. degree from the School of All Sciences, along with her husband. After this, they moved to New Hampshire for their church duties.
Later, Janette Knox earned a Ph.D. from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She taught for many years at Red River Valley University in Wahpeton, North Dakota. At this university, she was also the Vice-President and taught English, French, and German.
Work for Temperance and Women's Rights
In 1881, Janette Knox became the president of the New Hampshire State Woman's Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.). She led this group for eleven years. She was re-elected almost every year because everyone supported her. She also served as Vice-President-at-large for the North Dakota State W.C.T.U. for eight years. Later, she was the Corresponding Secretary for the Massachusetts State W.C.T.U. for another eight years.
Janette Knox was also a strong supporter of women's right to vote. In 1901, she was elected vice-president of the Equal Suffrage Association of North Dakota.
Author and Lecturer
Janette Knox wrote a book called Justa Hamlin's Vocation, which was published in 1902. This book shared stories about the life of a minister's wife in a small town. It showed the sad and funny moments faced by people doing good work in their communities.
From 1904, she worked as the managing editor for Our Message, which was the official newspaper of the W.C.T.U. She also wrote articles for other religious newspapers and magazines.
Janette Knox was a popular speaker. She gave talks at temperance meetings, supporting the cause of Prohibition. She also spoke at missionary meetings, Chautauqua Assemblies, and teachers' conventions. She was a member of several missionary societies and the Woman's Literary Club of Wahpeton. She enjoyed traveling and visited places like the Selkirk Mountains, the White Mountains, and the Great Plains.
Later Life and Death
Janette's husband, Rev. Knox, passed away in 1912. In her later years, Janette lived in Stoneham, Massachusetts with her niece, Nettie Miller, and grandniece, Olive Miller. Janette Knox died on July 28, 1920, at the home of another niece in Bradford, Vermont. She had gone there for a vacation with Nettie and Olive.
Selected Works
- Justa Hamlin's Vocation, 1902
