Lydia Taft facts for kids

Lydia Taft (born Lydia Chapin; February 2, 1712 – November 9, 1778) was the first woman known to legally vote in colonial America. This important event happened at a town meeting in Uxbridge, Massachusetts Colony, on October 30, 1756. Her vote was a big step for women's suffrage, which is the right for women to vote.

Early Life

Lydia Chapin was born in Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts, on February 2, 1712. Her parents were Seth Chapin and Bethia Thurston. Seth Chapin was a respected leader in the community and a captain in the local army.

Lydia grew up in Mendon in a large family. She had nine brothers and sisters. Her family lived on a farm near the Mill River. In 1727, the western part of Mendon became a new town called Uxbridge. Both Mendon and Uxbridge were small farming towns in central Massachusetts at that time.

Marriage and Family

Lydia Chapin married Josiah Taft on December 28, 1731. Josiah was also from a well-known family. His father, Daniel, was a local judge. Lydia and Josiah made their home in Uxbridge.

They had eight children together between 1732 and 1753. Their children included Josiah, Ebenezer, Caleb, Asahel, Joel, Bazaleel, and Chloe.

Josiah Taft became a very important person in Uxbridge. He was a successful farmer and held many public jobs. He served on the town's Board of Selectmen, was the town clerk, and even represented Uxbridge in the Massachusetts government in 1753.

A Historic Vote

Josiah Taft was a captain in the local army during the French and Indian War. He was also the biggest taxpayer in Uxbridge in 1756. This meant he paid the most taxes to the town.

In the fall of 1756, a sad event happened. Lydia and Josiah's 18-year-old son, Caleb, became sick and died. Soon after, Josiah himself became ill and died on September 30, at age 47. This left Lydia in charge of their large family and important property.

At this time, women in colonial America were generally not allowed to vote. For example, Margaret Brent tried to vote in Maryland in 1647, but she was not allowed. Over 100 years passed before another woman would vote legally.

The people of Uxbridge made a special decision for Lydia. They allowed her, "the widow Josiah Taft," to vote. This was because Josiah's property was very important to the town. Also, their son Bazaleel, who would inherit the property, was still too young to vote.

So, on October 30, 1756, Lydia Taft cast her vote at an official Open Town Meeting in Uxbridge. She became the first recorded legal woman voter in colonial America. Her vote was to approve money for the soldiers fighting in the French and Indian War. This happened 164 years before women gained the right to vote across the entire United States. Lydia may have also voted in two other town meetings in 1758 and 1765.

Lydia Taft died in Uxbridge on November 9, 1778, when she was 66 years old. This was during the American Revolution.

Her Legacy

Many years later, in 1864, a judge named Henry Chapin spoke about Lydia Taft. He said that Uxbridge might become famous for being a leader in the cause of women's suffrage. Chapin believed that allowing Lydia to vote followed the idea of "no taxation without representation". This means that if you pay taxes, you should have a say in how the government is run.

Some modern historians have looked at the old records and questioned if the story happened exactly as Judge Chapin described it. However, Lydia Taft's role in the history of women's voting rights is still recognized. Since 2004, the state of Massachusetts has honored her. They named a part of Massachusetts Route 146A, from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island border, after her.