Lucy Switzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Switzer
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"A Woman of the Century"
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| Born | Lucy Ann Robbins March 28, 1844 Lowell, Massachusetts, US |
| Died | May 24, 1922 (aged 78) Spokane, Washington |
| Occupation | activist; writer |
| Subject | temperance |
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Lucy Switzer (born Lucy Ann Robbins) was an important American activist. She worked to stop people from drinking alcohol. This was part of the temperance movement. She also fought for women's right to vote. This is called women's suffrage. Lucy wrote many articles for newspapers. She was also a columnist in Cheney, Washington. She helped start the women's suffrage movement in eastern Washington Territory.
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Early Life and Beliefs
Lucy Ann Robbins was born on March 28, 1844, in Lowell, Massachusetts. Her parents were John and Jane Robbins. Her mother, Jane, was a teacher. She was also a pioneer who moved to Wisconsin in 1855 and Minnesota in 1856. Later, in 1878, she moved to Washington Territory.
Jane Robbins was very active in her community. She taught Sunday school and worked with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). She also supported women's right to vote. She even voted in Washington Territory between 1881 and 1887.
Lucy's family moved to Wisconsin in 1855. The next year, they moved to a farm in Minnesota. When Lucy was thirteen, she started thinking about fairness. She believed that women should be equal to men in society, politics, and religion. She also became a strong supporter of not drinking alcohol. She saw how alcohol affected a young man who worked for her father. This made her believe in total abstinence.
Activism and Family
In September 1864, Lucy married Frederick Messer. They joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Minnesota in 1869. Frederick had health problems from serving in the American Civil War. They moved often for his health. Sadly, he passed away in 1880.
After Frederick died, Lucy moved to Cheney, Washington. Her parents had already moved there. In 1880, she spent some time in Colfax, Washington. There, she helped start a local WCTU group.
On June 15, 1881, Lucy married W. D. Switzer. He was a druggist in Cheney. Lucy continued her important work. She helped organize a WCTU group in Cheney in 1881. She also started "Bands of Hope" for children. These groups taught kids about the dangers of alcohol.
Leading the Temperance Movement
In 1882, Lucy Switzer became the vice-president of the WCTU for Washington Territory. She worked hard to create new WCTU groups. Before Frances Willard, a famous temperance leader, visited in 1883, Lucy had already started groups in many towns. These included Spokane Falls, Waitsburg, Washington, Dayton, Washington, Olympia, Washington, and Tacoma, Washington.
Lucy also organized a big WCTU meeting in Cheney in July 1883. That same year, women in Washington Territory gained full voting rights.
Writing and Travel
Lucy Switzer was a newspaper columnist in Cheney. She wrote many articles for the Pacific Christian Advocate and the Christian Herald. Her articles focused on the WCTU's work. They helped spread the temperance message across the Pacific Coast of the northern United States.
Since 1884, Lucy served as president of the Eastern Washington State Union. She traveled thousands of miles for her work. She attended national conventions in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Chicago. She also went to the National Prohibition Convention in Indianapolis in 1888. She was one of two delegates from the Prohibition Party in Washington.
Women's Voting Rights
Lucy was very active when women had the right to vote in Washington, from 1883 to 1888. She voted twice in territorial elections. She also voted several times in local elections. In 1884 and 1885, she even served on a jury in Cheney. She was chosen as the foreman for some cases.
Later Life
Lucy Switzer passed away on May 24, 1922. She was living at the Samaritan home in Spokane, Washington.
