NJ Suffragists – Marion Knight McKim Garrison (1874 – 1974)

Marion Knight McKim Garrison (1874 – 1974)

By Diane Getzinger, Independent Historian

This biographical sketch was first published on the Online Biographical Dictionary of the Woman Suffrage Movement in the United States and appears here by permission. That database is accessible at https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/VOTESforWOMEN

Member of the Women’s Political Union and the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association, Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee

Marion Knight was born on June 29, 1874 in East Orange, New Jersey to Azariah Lyman Knight (1837-1906) and Catherine Palen (1849-1918). They had three daughters – Jane, Marian and Grace.

On June 24, 1898, she married chemical manufacturer Philip McKim Garrison (October 1869-1935). Philip’s parents, Wendell Phillips Garrison (1840-1907) and Lucy McKim Garrison (1842-1877) of Massachusetts, had three children – Floyd, Philip and Catharine. Wendell was literary editor of the Nation, a weekly magazine founded by his father-in-law, James Miller McKim, a Presbyterian Minister active in the abolitionist movement. Lucy McKim was a renowned pianist and violinist who compiled and published a collection entitled Slave Songs of the United States with her husband.

Marion and Philip McKim Garrison had two children: Lydia K. Garrison (1908-unknown) and Katherine K. Garrison (1905-1977). The family lived in Llewellyn Park in West Orange, New Jersey.

Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison was a pivotal figure in the New Jersey suffrage movement and Democratic party politics. A long-time at-large member of the state’s electoral college, she was the first woman nominated for this position. She chaired the Joint Legislative Committee (1914 and 1915), which was comprised of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association, the Women’s Political Union, the Equal Franchise Society, and the Men’s League for Woman Suffrage. She often testified at legislative hearings and presented at statewide meetings.

On April 21, 1915, the State Assembly unanimously passed the Read bill, which called for a special election on the equal suffrage Constitutional amendment to be held on October 19. This was agreed to only on the condition that the date was approved by Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison and Linton Satterthwait, counsel for the Woman Suffrage Association. However, October 19th was the last day to register to vote, so the measure effectively barred women from voting that November. They reportedly agreed to it only because Senator Read conveyed that it was “that date or nothing.”

On October 5, 1916, delegates at the State Democratic Convention tabled a resolution to reaffirm the national suffrage plank, even though President Wilson believed it essential to the success of the party, and 37 other state conventions, as well as the national Republican party, had already affirmed support. Women attending the convention were blindsided, and as a result, announced that several prominent women, including Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison, would withdraw from further work on the Democratic campaign.

From 1929 to 1933, there are reports of her activity with the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform, whose mission was to unite the women of the country in the fight against the 18th amendment. The last newspaper reports of any activism by Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison are from 1937, when she was a vice president and member of the executive committee of the New Jersey Housing League.

Marian Garrison died in June 1974 and is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, New Jersey.

Other highlights of her political and suffragist work include:

  • 1911 – Participated in an effort led by Mrs. Thomas A. Edison, wife of the inventor, to support an appropriation of $70,000 for a building to take the place of St. Mark’s School. The women were influential in getting the measure on a second ballot after inclement weather derailed the original vote.
  • 1912 – Involved in forming a Women’s Political Union chapter in West Orange to advance the women’s suffrage cause.
  • 1913 – Arranged a mass meeting in a theater in Orange in support of the suffrage movement.
  • February 1915 – Appointed to oversee nominations to the County Board of Elections for ballot watchers in Essex County.
  • 1915 – Helped plan “the greatest suffrage demonstration which has ever occurred in New Jersey” to take place at the home of Lucy Stone, pioneer New Jersey suffragist and founder of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association.
  • 1917 – Served on a committee of women from the New Jersey State Suffrage Association who visited Governor Edge “to place at his disposal the services of the entire membership of the Association in case of war with Germany.”
  • 1918 – Attended a meeting of the Legislative Committee of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association, where a resolution was adopted denouncing the National Woman’s party’s picketing of the White House, believing that President Wilson was doing his best to convince some twenty southern Democrats who were “opposing the measure because they do not wish colored women to vote.”
  • 1919 – Named to the newly formed New Jersey Women’s Suffrage Ratification Committee of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association, which was to hold a rally in Asbury Park in August that was billed as “the most representative gathering of suffragists ever held in New Jersey.”
  • August 1920 – Named to a committee of five men and five women to oversee the state presidential campaign to elect Cox and Roosevelt.
  • October 1920 – Empaneled on the first “jury of women” by District Judge Daniel A. Dugan, from the registration lists of Orange women who voted in a general election for the first time. It was a civil case involvingthe McCall Pattern company of New York.
  • 1922 – Questioned Democratic candidate for Governor George Slizer during a campaign meeting, asking him “to explain the plank in the Democratic platform which advocates better treatment for first offenders and wayward youth.”
  • June 5, 1924 – Participated at a statewide meeting of women Democratic leaders, where the group decided to not organize the State Women’s Democratic Club until after the next general election, focusing instead on engaging the work of their counties on the national ticket.
  • July 1924 – Offered to arrange the itinerary of Presidential candidate John W. Davis, so that he could campaign in municipalities outside of Newark to attract independent voters to the Democratic ticket.
  • 1928 – Supported an appeal by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs to raise $25,000 for the New Jersey Audubon Society to support conservation for the protection of wild birds.

Sources:

The History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 6, 1900-1920 on http://chswg.binghamton.edu/WASM-US/crowdsourcing/NAWSA_description.html – pages  418, 432.

Ware, ‎Susan, Notable American Women, 1607-1950, Volume 22: G-O, (Cambridge, MA: The Belnap Press of Harvard University Press, 2004), https://books.google.com/books?isbn=067401488X

Ancestry.com:

  • Ancestry.com. New Jersey, Marriage Records, 1670-1965 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
  • Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
  • Book Title: Palmer Groups; John Melvin of Charlestown and Concord, Mass , and his descendants
  • Episcopal Diocese of Newark; Newark, New Jersey; New Jersey, Episcopal Diocese of Newark Church Records, 1800 – 1970; Reference Number: 3
  • New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, NJ, USA; State Census of New Jersey, 1915; Reference Number: L-12; Film Number: 25
  • Year: 1870; Census Place: West Orange, Essex, New Jersey; Roll: M593_861; Page: 473B; Family History Library Film: 552360
  • Year: 1880; Census Place: West Orange, Essex, New Jersey; Roll: 781; Page: 262A; Enumeration District: 113

Newspapers.com

  • “Women Voters Out in Force.” Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey), December 6, 1911, Page 4.
  • “To Aid Suffrage Cause.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), March 2, 1912, Page 1.
  • “Will Offer Bill for Suffragists: Senator J. Warren Davis of Salem County Will be Its Sponsor This Winter.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), January 4, 1913, Page 3.
  • “Fielder is Questioned by Mrs. Everett Colby.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), August 28, 1913, Page 2.
  • “New Jersey Women to Advocate Peace.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), August 24, 1914, Page 14.
  • “Suffragists Divide Canvass of Candidates.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), September 4, 1914, Page 14.
  • “Suffragists to Meet in Camden.” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 7, 1914, Wed · Page 3.
  • “Woman Suffrage State Convention: It Will be Held in Camden November 6 and 7, Day and Evening.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), October 23, 1914, Page 6.
  • “Suffragists Plan for Legislature: Joint Committee of Four New Jersey Organizations Held Meeting in Newark.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), December 19, 1914, Page 11
  • “Suffragists in Trenton Today.” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), January 25, 1915, Page 3.
  • “Suffrage and Anti-Suffrage,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), January 26, 1915, Page 13.
  • “Suffragists to Have Meeting,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), February 1, 1915, Page 10.
  • “Preparing for the Suffrage Campaign: Women Watchers Will be Appointed to Watch the Balloting,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), February 26, 1915, Page 6.
  • “Suffrage Special Election October 19: Date Changed from Sept. 21 – May Prevent Women Voting This Year,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), April 21, 1915, Page 1.
  • “Suffrage Election Date Bars Women,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), April 21, 1915, Page 7.
  • “Governor Asked by Suffragists to Call Solons: Wants Legislature to Pass Election Bill  That Will Not be Clouded – Up to Attorney General,” Trenton Evening Times (Trenton, New Jersey), April 27, 1915, Page 1.
  • “Official Canvass of Suffrage Election to Take Place in November,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), July 19, 1915, Page 4.
  • “’Suffs’ from All Over State Will Meet in Orange,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), July 21, 1915, Page 7.
  • “Suffragists to Gather at Elizabeth This Week,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), January 19, 1916, Page 7.
  • “Suffragists Meet for Public Hearing: Discussion of Bill to Provide for Presidential Suffrage for Women,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), February 21, 1916, Page 3.
  • “Suffragists are Aroused: President of New Jersey Association Rakes Democrats for Tabling Resolution,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey)October 5, 1916, Pages 1, 13.
  • “Women of New Jersey Resent Nugent’s Use Of the  Steam Roller: Mrs. Feickert Tells of Disloyalty by Jersey Democrats to National Democratic Platform – Has Praise for Scully,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 5, 1916, Page 7.
  • “N.J. Women for Fed. Amendments: Will Take Active Part in Congress For Passage of Bill,” Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey), December 9, 1916, Page 2.
  • “Suffrage Bill for New Jersey: Women to Ask Vote in Presidential Elections,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), January 17, 1917, Page 11.
  • “Suffragists to Offer Services to Gov. Edge,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), February 13, 1917, Page 9.
  • “New Jersey ‘Suffs’ Opposed to Picketing at White House,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), August 9, 1918, Page 11.
  • “Will Entertain Legislators,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), January 27, 1919, Page 9.
  • “Women Unite for Suffrage Fight,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), July 9, 1919, Page 9.
  • “Big Suffrage Rally in Asbury Park,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), August 4, 1919, Page 3.
  • “Women to Help Run Campaign for Democrats,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), August 24, 1920, Page 1.
  • “Franklin Roosevelt to Speak in New Jersey,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), September 9, 1920, Page 4.
  • “Democrats of State to Name Women Among Presidential Electors,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), September 15, 1920, Page 5.
  • “Nugent’s Wet Plank Rejected by N.J. Democrats,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 6, 1920, Page 3.
  • “New Jersey Women Called for a Jury,” Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey), October 12, 1920, Page 10.
  • “Orange Women First in State as Jurors,” Trenton Evening Times (Trenton, New Jersey), October 12, 1920, Page 15.
  • “Middlesex Experience Recalled by Silzer,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 30, 1922, Page 2.
  • “Democratic Women to Meet at Asbury Park, July 11-12,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), May 16, 1923, Page 13.
  • “Mrs. Garrison on Democratic Ticket,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), March 25, 1924, Tue · Page 3
  • “Abandon Women’s Democratic Rule: Not to Create State Organization Until After Next General Election,” Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey)June 5, 1924, Page 11.
  • “Delegates Want Silzer to Attend Convention So They Can Have a Look at Him,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), June 261924, Page 1.
  • “Will Ask Davis to Address Woman’s State Convention,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), July 23, 1924, Page 3.
  • “Democrats Urge Repeal of Hobart Prohibition Act,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), October 1, 1924, Page 2.
  • “Women Too Active to Suit the Men,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), June 1, 1925, Page 4.
  • “Women of Jersey are Interested in Conservation,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), February 2, 1928, Page 12.
  • “Women Organize to Fight the Dry Law,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), May 29, 1929, Page 1.
  • “Women’s Prohibition Reform Organization to Meet Monday,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), October 2, 1931, Page 7.
  • “N.J. Dry Reform Group Plans to Continue Efforts,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), April 10, 1933, Page 7.
  • “1,000 Expected at Housing League Dinner,” The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), May 26, 1937, Page 7.
  • “Housing League Warns Federal Enterprises,” Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey), June 4, 1937, Page 19.