Seraph Young Ford facts for kids
Seraph Young Ford (born November 6, 1846 – died June 22, 1938) made history as the first American woman to vote under a law that gave women the same voting rights as men. She cast her ballot in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 14, 1870. This made her the first woman in Utah Territory and the entire United States to vote under such a law.
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Seraph Young's Early Life
Seraph Cedenia Young was born on November 6, 1846. Her parents were Cedenia Clark and Brigham Hamilton Young. She was born in a place called Winter Quarters, Nebraska.
The Young family moved to the Great Basin area in 1847. They were part of a group of Mormon pioneers. They arrived in October 1847 and settled in Salt Lake City. Seraph was the oldest of nine children. She was also the grandniece of Brigham Young, a famous leader.
Seraph became a teacher at the University of Deseret. This was a special school that helped train new teachers. When she made her historic vote, she was 23 years old and teaching there.
Making History: The First Vote
In February 1870, Utah's leaders passed a new law. This law gave women citizens the right to vote. Everyone in the territorial legislature agreed on it. The acting governor, Stephen A. Mann, signed the bill into law on February 12, 1870.
Just two days later, Salt Lake City held its local election. Seraph Young was the first woman to cast her vote that day. This simple action made her famous. She became the first American woman to vote under a law that gave women equal voting rights.
It's interesting to note that Wyoming Territory had given women the right to vote before Utah. However, Utah held its elections first. Utah had two elections in 1870. One was on February 14, and another on August 1. Wyoming women voted later, on September 6.
Seraph Young did not become a leader in the women's rights movement. But women in Utah remembered her for many years. They knew her as the very first woman to vote.
Later Life and Family
In 1872, Seraph Young married Seth L. Ford in Salt Lake City. Seth was a printer from Buffalo, New York. He had also served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He later became ill due to injuries from the war.
Seraph and Seth had three children together. Two of their children lived to be adults. They spent most of their married life living in New York and Maryland. Seraph cared for Seth until he passed away in 1910.
Seraph Young Ford died on June 22, 1938. She was buried next to her husband at Arlington National Cemetery. For many years, her headstone had her name spelled wrong. It said "Serath" instead of "Seraph." This was corrected in 2020.
How Seraph Young Is Remembered
Seraph Young's historic vote is honored in several ways today.
Utah State Capitol Mural
Artist David Koch created a large painting (mural) about Seraph Young's vote. This mural is displayed in the House of Representatives chamber. This is a special room in the Utah State Capitol building.
Council Hall Sculpture
Seraph Young cast her vote at Council Hall. This building was once Salt Lake City's city hall. It also housed the territory's lawmakers. In 1961, the building was moved to the grounds of the Utah State Capitol.
In 2019, a plan was approved to create a sculpture. This sculpture will honor Seraph Young's first vote. It will also celebrate Utah's important role in women gaining the right to vote. The sculpture was designed by Utah artists Kelsey Harrison and Jason Manning. It was installed in the summer of 2020.
Women's Voter Registration Day
On February 14, 2020, people celebrated the 150th anniversary of Seraph Young's vote. A group called Better Days 2020 led a special walk to Council Hall. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall spoke there. She talked about how important Utah women were in the movement for voting rights. She also encouraged everyone to register and vote.
In 2019, the Utah Legislature officially recognized Seraph Young's vote. They passed a bill to make February 14 "Women's Voter Registration Day" in Utah. This day encourages women to sign up to vote.
