Lydia Taft - Women's Suffrage

Women's Suffrage

Given the important nature of the vote, the landowner and taxpayer status of Josiah's estate, and the fact that young Bazaleel, Caleb's younger brother, was just a minor, the townspeople voted to allow Lydia, "the widow Josiah Taft", to vote in this important meeting. Lydia then received Josiah's proxy to vote in this important town meeting. Lydia Chapin Taft then became the first recorded legal woman voter in America. Lydia Chapin Taft, now simply known as Lydia Taft, voted in an official New England Open Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, Massachusetts, on October 30, 1756. This is recorded in the records of the Uxbridge Town Meeting. Lydia Taft of Uxbridge became the first woman to ever vote in the nation. Judge Henry Chapin records in his 1864 address to the Unitarian church, that, "Uxbridge may yet become famous as the pioneer in the cause of Women's suffrage". This was written 56 years before women's suffrage became legal in all of America. Lydia Taft's historic vote would precede the constitutional amendment for women's suffrage, which was in 1920, by 164 years. In 2007, Uxbridge may still become famous in the history of women's suffrage. According to Judge Chapin, the vote to allow Lydia to vote in 1756, was following the tradition of "no taxation without representation".

The early town records demonstrate at least two other occasions when Lydia voted in official Uxbridge Town meetings, both in 1758 and again in 1765. This occurred while Massachusetts, was a colony of Great Britain. Lydia Chapin Taft's historic vote and her role in the history of women's suffrage is recognized by the Massachusetts legislature since 2004, which named Massachusetts Route 146A from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island border in her honor. Margaret Brent of Maryland Colony tried to assert property rights and to vote in 1647 on behalf of herself and Lord Calvert's estate. It is reported that this was denied by the Governor. She is the only other known claimant to the title. The record shows that Lydia Chapin Taft was America's first legal woman voter. Lydia Taft died at Uxbridge in 1778, shortly after U.S. independence.