Lydia Taft

Infobox Person
name= Lydia Chapin Taft
lived=February 2, 1712—November 8, 1778


caption=
nickname=
occupation = Suffragist,
birth_date = birth date|1712|2|02|mf=y
birth_place = Mendon, Massachusetts Colony, England
death_date = Death date and age|1778|11|09|1712|2|02
death_place = Uxbridge, Massachusetts, USA
occupation = Women's suffrage, America's First Woman Voter
spouse = Josiah Taft
parents = Seth and Bethia Chapin
children = Bazaleel Taft, Sr. and six other children

Lydia Chapin (Taft) (February 2, 1712 – November 9, 1778), was the first woman voter in colonial America.

Early life

Lydia Chapin was born in at Mendon, Suffolk County, Massachusetts on 2 February 1712.cite book |last= Crane |first = Ellery Bicknell|authorlink =|coauthors=|title= Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memories of Worcester County, MA with a history of Worcester Society of Antiquity;|pages=181-182|publisher=Lewis|date=1907|Location=Chicago and New York
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=86rbSq2FhdYC&pg=RA2-PA182&lpg=RA2-A182&dq=seth+chapin+jr+mendon+mass&source=web&ots=EaUkm6LhY0&sig=xziJGAh9SslCVpCdvAALxorFqnY] She was the daughter of Seth Chapin, and Bethia Thurston. Seth Chapin was a respected member of the community and a Captain in the militia. [Crane p.221] Young Lydia Chapin grew up in Mendon, in a large family with nine siblings.Crane p.182] Lydia's mother had had 13 children.Crane p.181] . Her father Seth owned much property in what is today Milford, south Hopedale and Posts Lane in Mendon.

The family lived on 45 acres near the Post's Lane bridge and Mill River. Posts Lane in Mendon was made famous for the first man killed in the King Phillip's War, who lived on this street, Richard Post.cite web |title= Indian History and Genealogy |publisher= RootsWeb |url= http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~massasoit/book20.htm |accessdate= 2007-09-28] . Lydia's family moved within the town of Mendon to another home circa 1715. This early community was already developing a sense of history from these pioneers. Young Lydia would grow up here and learn the trades that her mother Bethia, and her grandmother taught, which included the Yankee heritages of farming, flax weaving, childrearing, education, clothing, and home economics.

In 1727 the western part of Mendon became the newly incorporated town of Uxbridge. Mendon and Uxbridge were at that time rural, colonial, pioneer communities in central Massachusetts. The reference cited also mentions that she married a Taft. In 1731, these communities became part of the new county of Worcester County.

Marriage to Josiah Taft

Lydia Chapin was married to Josiah TaftCrane p.222] , on December 28 1731, (as recorded in Mendon vital records of Taft marriages), and she became known as Lydia Chapin Taft. They were married at the Congregational Church in Mendon. Josiah was born on April 2, 1709, the son of Daniel and Lydia (Chapin) Taft, and the grandson of the first American Taft, Robert Taft. Josiah's father Daniel, had been a local "squire" and Justice of the Peace. Lydia and Josiah then settled in Uxbridge. It is possible that when they settled in Uxbridge that they then joined the only Uxbridge church, a Congregational church, gathered in 1727, and mentioned first in a list of new Congregational parishes in the Great Awakening of 1731.cite book |last= Clarke, D.D. |first= Joseph S. |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= A Historical Sketch of the Congregational Churches in Massachusetts, from 1620 to 1858 |publisher= Congregational Board of Publication |date= 1858 |location= Boston (Digitized by Google books) |pages= p. 148 |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=L7yETClx8EUC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=great+awakening+uxbridge+mass&source=web&ots=Hb8cssL38Q&sig=h6xIX6g-iJXqsD6tLuFhTz6NiE0 |doi= |id= |isbn= ] Josiah was a prominent landowner. The famous Taft family in America had its origins in Uxbridge and Mendon, starting with Josiah's grandfather, an English immigrant, Robert Taft, who settled here in 1680. Josiah and Lydia went on to have a family of eight children between 1732 and 1753.cite web|title ="Taft descendents"|publisher= rootsweb|access date=2007-10-10|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~taft/Taftdes5.htm#id4586] Their children were: Josiah, born 10 May 1733, Ebenezer, born 20 August 1735, (died 16 October 1735), Caleb, born 15 January 1739, Asahel born 23 April 1740, Joel, born 15 August 1742, (died before 19 February 1747}, Joel born 19 February 1748; {died 30 August 1749} at age 1, Bazaleel, born 3 November 1750, and Chloe, born 7 June 1753.

Josiah was a farmer, and soldier, and Lydia was a colonial mother and homemaker. Josiah became a prominent citizen in early Uxbridge. He was a farmer, local official, and Massachusetts legislator.Josiah served several terms as a member of the Board of Selectmen, as town clerk, as town moderator, and in the Massachusetts General Court. HR, 1753.cite book|last=Schultz|first=John|middle=A|coauthor=|authorlink=|title=Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court 1691-1780: A Biographical Dictionary|pages =p. 353|date=1997|publisher= UPNE|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=eKPU-Drsc_UC&pg=PA353&lpg=PA353&dq=josiah+taft+massachusetts+general+court&source=web&ots=VlyRvONK4I&sig=rXHox497cckDFtwgcX0WnShGhew] Lydia and Josiah were among the wealthiest families in Uxbridge.

Place in early American history

Josiah Taft was originally known as Ensign Josiah Taft in the Uxbridge Militia, and later as Lieutenant, and then Captain Josiah Taft in the French and Indian War. He presided over the proceedings of the New England style open town meeting. It is later reported, that Josiah Taft became the largest taxpayer in the town of Uxbridge in 1756.cite book|last= Chapin |first= Judge Henry|authorlink=|coauthors=|title="Address Delivered at the Unitarian Church in Uxbridge, 1864"|pages= p.172|publisher=Charles Hamilton Press (Harvard Library; from Google Books)|date= 1881|location=Worcester, MA|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ua-pgcKRY2QC&pg=RA1-PA172&lpg=RA1-PA172&dq=address+delivered+at+unitarian+church+chapin+henry+first+woman+voter&source=web&ots=7ee5DY_fWW&sig=zwP9Z01uzpEadUVGB_b9XeA0QTw] In the fall of 1756, Josiah and Lydia's 18 year old son, Caleb, became ill, while studying at Harvard, and died on September 19. Josiah went to Boston and Cambridge to bury Caleb. Josiah himself became ill after returning home, and died on September 30, at age 47. It was reported that he left a good estate with bonds and a will. This was immediately prior to an important vote on the town's support for the war effort in the French and Indian Wars. Josiah's untimely death opened the door for Lydia's giant step into America's history of 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.cite book|last= Chapin |first= Judge Henry|authorlink=|coauthors=|title="Address Delivered at the Unitarian Church in Uxbridge, 1864"|pages= p.172|publisher=Charles Hamilton Press (Harvard Library; from Google Books)|date= 1881|location=Worcester, MA|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ua-pgcKRY2QC&pg=RA1-PA172&lpg=RA1-PA172&dq=address+delivered+at+unitarian+church+chapin+henry+first+woman+voter&source=web&ots=7ee5DY_fWW&sig=zwP9Z01uzpEadUVGB_b9XeA0QTw] [http://books.google.com/books?id=ua-pgcKRY2QC&pg=RA1-PA172&lpg=RA1-PA172&dq=address+delivered+at+unitarian+church+chapin+henry+first+woman+voter&source=web&ots=7ee5DY_fWW&sig=zwP9Z01uzpEadUVGB_b9XeA0QTw] 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.cite web|title= "Oldest/Firsts Within the Blackstone Valley"|publisher=The Blackstone Daily|url= http://www.blackstonedaily.com/History&Heritage/firsts.htm|accessdate=2007-09-29] Judge 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".cite book |last= Chapin |first= Judge Henry |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Address Delivered at the Unitarian Church in Uxbridge; 1864 |publisher= Charles Hamilton Press (Harvard Library; from Google Books)|page=172 |date= 1881 |location= Worcester, Mass. |pages= |url= |doi= |id= |isbn= ] This was written 56 years before women's suffrage became legal in 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".cite book |last= Chapin |first= Judge Henry |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Address Delivered at the Unitarian Church in Uxbridge; 1864 |publisher= Charles Hamilton Press (Harvard Library; from Google Books)|page=172 |date= 1881 |location= Worcester, Mass. |pages= |url= |doi= |id= |isbn= ]

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.cite web |title= "AN ACT DESIGNATING STATE HIGHWAY ROUTE 146A IN THE TOWN OF UXBRIDGE AS THE LYDIA TAFT HIGHWAY"; "Chapter 56 of the Acts of 2004"| url= http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw04/sl040056.htm |publisher= Massachusetts State Government; the state legislature; |accessdate=2007-09-29] [http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw04/sl040056.htm] 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.

Footnote of historic vote

The complete footnote cite web| title = "Uxbridge Breaks Tradition and Makes History: Lydia Chapin Taft by Carol Masiello"| publisher= The Blackstone Daily| url = http://blackstonedaily.com/Journeys/cm-lt.htm|accessdate=2007-09-29] of local history is as follows: "The October 25th town meeting records simply say that on account of Josiah's death a new moderator will be chosen. With the death of Josiah, Lydia is left to care for 16-year-old Asahael, 6-year-old Bezaleel and 3-year-old Cloa. As seems to be her fate, her life and the life of her town are again intertwined. The French and Indian war is being waged and towns must vote as to whether to increase the amount they will contribute to the cost of the war. The only individuals allowed to vote were freeholders, (free male property holders), and Josiah's estate was valued as one of the largest in the town. Out of respect for his large contribution to the town, the town fathers allowed Lydia to vote as Josiah's proxy. She cast a vote to increase the town's contribution, thereby giving herself the distinction of being the first woman to vote in this country. She is mentioned in town records a few times more, once in 1758 to reduce her highway rates and another in 1765 was to change her school district." Her vote was in favor of appropriating funds for the regiments engaged in the French and Indian War.

Afterwards

On April 18, 1775, Lydia and Josiah's son, Bezaleel Taft, Sr., answered the "alarm" at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Bezaleel served in the Continental Army, first as a Sergeant, and later as a Captain in the Worcester 9th Company. Lydia watched her son as he served the new nation. Lydia Chapin Taft, a colonial champion of women's suffrage, died at Uxbridge on November 9 1778, at the age of 65, after the United States had officially declared its independence and was engaged in the American Revolutionary War. [http://blackstonedaily.com/Journeys/cm-lt.htm] Bezaleel Taft, Sr. and his son Bezaleel Taft, Jr, followed Josiah's footsteps to become Massachusetts state legislators serving in the Massachusetts General Court and in the Massachusetts Senate. Five generations of Tafts served Massachusetts from this branch of the Taft family. Bezaleel Sr. and Bezaleel Jr. also served on the state Executive Council. It would be many years before another American woman would become the next pioneer in the history of women's suffrage. Over half a century later, another Blackstone Valley woman, Abby Kelley Foster, who belonged to the Quaker Meeting at Uxbridge, would lead two later famous suffragists, into the anti-slavery movement, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone.

At least five generations of Massachusetts Taft's were descendents of Lydia and Josiah Taft, and served in public careers including their son Bezaleel Taft, Sr. Her grandson, Bezaleel Taft, Jr, lived in an historic home known as Elmshade, which is now on the National Historic Register and was also deeply involved in public service.

4 years after Lydia's death, America's first woman solder Deborah Sampson enlisted in the Continental Army, disguised as Robert Shurtlief of Uxbridge.

References