Lola Maverick Lloyd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lola Maverick Lloyd
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Lloyd in 1915
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| Born | November 24, 1875 Castroville, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 25, 1944 (aged 68) Winnetka, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation | Social and political activist, author |
Lola Maverick Lloyd (born November 24, 1875 – died July 25, 1944) was an important American activist. She was a pacifist, meaning she believed in peace and was against war. She was also a suffragist, working for women's right to vote. Lola was a feminist, which means she supported equal rights for women. She also believed in world federalism, the idea of countries working together under a global government.
Lola was born in Texas into the wealthy Maverick family. She married William Bross Lloyd, whose father was a famous journalist named Henry Demarest Lloyd. Together, Lola and William used their family's money and influence to support good causes during the Progressive Era. This was a time when many people worked to solve social problems.
After a difficult divorce, Lola Maverick Lloyd spent her life working for peace. In 1915, she helped create the Woman's Peace Party. She also helped start the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Later, in 1937, Lloyd co-founded the Campaign for World Government with her friend Rosika Schwimmer. This was one of the first groups to try and create a world government where countries would cooperate globally.
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Lola's Early Life and Family
Lola Maverick was born on November 24, 1875, in Castroville, Texas. Her parents were George Madison Maverick and Mary Elizabeth Vance. Lola was one of six children. Her sister, Rena Maverick Green, became a well-known citizen in San Antonio.
Lola's grandfather was Samuel Maverick. He was a politician and a very rich land owner. He signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. He was also the mayor of San Antonio. The word "maverick" – meaning an independent person – comes from his family name. His wife, Mary Maverick, was also an important early Texan.
Lola grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She went to the Mary Institute for school. After that, she attended Smith College, a college for women in Northampton, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1897. Lola then started working as a teacher. In 1901, she returned to Smith College to teach mathematics.
Meeting William Bross Lloyd
In 1898, Lola met William Bross Lloyd while visiting a friend in Rhode Island. William was the oldest son of Henry Demarest Lloyd, a famous journalist. William was studying law at Harvard University. He and Lola shared similar ideas about making society better. They met again in Rhode Island in 1899 and 1901.
Lola and William got married in San Antonio in 1902. After their wedding, they went on a camping trip from San Antonio to Winnetka, Illinois. In 1903, they built a small house called Half Wayside. It was across the street from William's father's house, The Wayside. William's parents passed away in 1903 and 1904. William then inherited The Wayside.
Lola and William had their first child, Jessie, in 1904. Their second daughter, Mary, was born in 1906. Their first son, Bill, was born in 1908. William practiced law in Chicago sometimes. He was also a director of the Chicago Tribune newspaper. But he spent most of his time at home with Lola and their children. They also built a small vacation home on Lola's family property in Bexar County, Texas.
Lola's Work for Peace and Women's Rights
When World War I began, Lola heard a lecture by Rosika Schwimmer. Schwimmer was a peace activist from Hungary. She was traveling to encourage Americans to find a peaceful way to end the war. Lola was very inspired and followed Schwimmer to many more events.
In January 1915, Lola was one of the people who helped create the Woman's Peace Party in Washington, D.C.. That April, Lola traveled to Europe with 47 other women. They went to a meeting called the International Congress of Women in The Hague. After this meeting, she returned to Chicago. She helped organize Henry Ford's Peace Ship. This was an attempt to get world leaders to hold a peace conference and end the war. She was part of a group that oversaw the Neutral Conference for Continuous Mediation.
Lola's marriage to William began to have problems around 1913. Lola had health issues after her fourth child, Georgia, was born. She also lost her father that year, which was very hard for her. Lola's strong interest in peace, especially her trip to The Hague, also caused problems in her marriage. William and Lola continued to argue. In 1916, William left the family for a month. Lola then filed for divorce. Divorces were rare at that time. Because both families were wealthy and well-known, the divorce became very public. Lola was given custody of her four children. She wanted to take them to Texas, but the court said she had to stay near Chicago. This was so William could still visit the children.
In March 1920, Lola bought land in downtown Winnetka. She had the Lola Maverick Lloyd House built there. In her free time, Lola enjoyed painting, drawing, and sculpture. These interests were shown in the Arts & Crafts style of her house.
Working for a World Government
After World War I ended, Lola continued to work for her ideals. In 1918, she rented an office in Chicago. This gave her activist friends a place to work and stay. Lola joined the National Woman's Party to help women get the right to vote. She was also a member of the Socialist Party of Illinois. In 1920, she joined the Women's Committee for the Recognition of Soviet Russia.
Lola often published writings and comments for the Woman's Peace Party. This group later became known as the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). In 1926, three of her four children had grown up and moved out. Lola then moved to Geneva, Switzerland. She wanted to work more closely with the WILPF there. In 1933, she was elected to the WILPF board.
In 1937, Lola co-founded the Campaign for World Government. She started this group with her children Mary, Bill, Georgia, and her friend Rosika Schwimmer. This organization was the first to call for world federalism and a world government. This idea came after the League of Nations (an earlier international organization) struggled. Lola believed a world government should be democratic, run by the people. She thought this would prevent wars started by world leaders. Later, the world federalist movement helped create the International Criminal Court. Lola's work helped lay the groundwork for this.
Lola's Final Years
By 1939, Lola's health was getting worse. She suffered from severe headaches that sometimes kept her in bed for days. She moved back to her house in Winnetka full-time with her daughter Mary. Lola Maverick Lloyd passed away on July 25, 1944, at age 68. Her daughter Jessie spoke at her memorial service. Jessie believed that the start of World War II had made her mother's health worse.
Images for kids
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William Bross and Lola Maverick Lloyd lived at The Wayside.
