Photos: Celebration of history in Owego

The Broome-Tioga Suffrage Anniversary Committee welcomed the public on Aug. 19 to one of their premier events this year, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote in New York State.  

The historic Tioga County Courthouse, adorned for the occasion with bunting in the suffrage colors of purple, yellow and white, was open for tours. Visitors also enjoyed Suffrage-themed activities such as historic exhibits, an antique car, live music, artwork displays, refreshments, and a fun cutout photo board.

Upon completion of tours, speeches by local dignitaries including Broome County Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, Chair of the Tioga County Legislature Marte Sauerbrey, and Tioga County Historian Emma Sedore honored the history of the suffragist movement.   

State Senator Fred Akshar was also in attendance, and presented a proclamation which recognized the anniversary of women’s right to vote in New York.

Portraying Susan B. Anthony at the event was Pattii Yoder-Clark. Yoder-Clark has been telling the stories of historical women for over 18 years, especially the rarely heard stories. One of her main goals, to ensure the listener feels that the visitor from the past stands before them hit the mark at the Tioga County Courthouse.    

As Anthony, and amongst a full audience inside the Courthouse, she shared, “What I want you to go away with today is, you don’t have to be popular, you just have to be certain that you are involved in the right thing. And, human rights can never be the wrong thing,” and continued, “When you leave here, leave here knowing that no person in this world is less than another.”

Anthony paved the way for social reform in women’s rights, along with her good friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, among other well-known Suffragists. What was known as the “Anthony Amendment” and introduced to Congress in 1878 later became the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.  On Nov. 6, 1917, New York State women won the right to vote, three years before the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified.  

Often outspoken about the institution of marriage, Yoder-Clark as Anthony explained how she would not say “I Do” to marriage because of its inequality, and shared, “I will not marry, because I am married to the cause.  The moment I’m married, whatever I own will then be owned by him. I do not, and I will not say, ‘I Do’.”

Anthony was thankful for men who were sympathetic to the cause, because without them the amendment would not have succeeded.

Anthony traveled extensively in support of women’s suffrage, giving upwards of 100 speeches per year, including her 1894 speech in Owego. While in Owego, Anthony was the overnight guest of Elizabeth Browne Chatfield, a suffragist and private secretary to Anthony who lived at 18 Front St. in the village. In conjunction with the women’s right to vote anniversary, a historic marker was dedicated at the 18 Front St. property last month, and which Patricia Grant now owns.  

Anthony passed away in March 1906 and did not live long enough to vote, but will always be remembered for her resolve and commitment for women’s rights.

Future celebrations in the area include a Suffragist tea at the Waverly Historical Society museum on Sept. 17 and Suffrage activities at the Newark Valley Apple Festival on Oct. 7 and 8.  On Oct. 7, neighboring Broome County will recreate the 1913 Suffrage parade that took place in Binghamton, and will be joined by participants from Tioga County.  

For more information, visit the Facebook page, Broome-Tioga Suffrage Anniversary Committee, or email btsuffrage@gmail.com.