Frances Munds
Encyclopedia
Frances Lillian Willard "Fannie" Munds (June 10, 1866 – December 16, 1948) was an American
suffragist and leader of the suffrage movement within Arizona
. After achieving her goal of statewide women's suffrage, she went on to become a member of the Arizona Senate
more than five years before ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted the vote to all American women.
. Her family were ranchers who moved to Nevada
before moving on to the Arizona Territory
. Willard was educated at the Central Institute
in Pittsfield, Maine, graduating in 1885.
After graduation, Willard joined her family in the Arizona Territory
, where her four brothers operated a ranch in the Verde Valley
with her father's former business partner, Willard Munds (Joel Willard had died in 1879). She worked as a school teacher in the communities of Pine
, Payson
, and Mayer
before marrying John Lee Munds, youngest son of Willard Munds, in 1890. The couple moved to Prescott
in 1893 where John Munds was elected Yavapai County sheriff for two terms beginning in 1899. The couple had one son and two daughters.
, she reached out to Mormon
women within the territory. This marked a change from the practices of earlier suffrage leaders, such as Josephine Brawley Hughes
, who had shunned the Mormon community. This outreach enabled the organization to lobby Mormon members of the territorial legislature to support legislation supporting women. Munds also attended legislative sessions personally to lobby for women's issues. After several years' effort, the 1903 territorial legislature passed a bill granting women the vote. This legislation was later vetoed by Territorial Governor Alexander Brodie
. A similar bill would later be vetoed by Governor Kibbey
.
In 1909, with statehood appearing imminent, Munds struck a deal with the Western Federation of Miners
in which the labor union would support women's suffrage in exchange for the women's organization's support in labor issues.
The next year, during Arizona's constitutional convention
, a proposal granting women's suffrage was introduced. The proposed plank was defeated before it could be added to the constitution.
Following Arizona's admission to the Union on February 14, 1912, a meeting of the State of Arizona Women Suffrage Organization unanimously elected Munds the organization's president. She initially refused to accept the position, but acquiesced on the condition the position be renamed chairman, and that she be allowed to reorganize the state organization. During the summer of 1912, Munds helped organize a petition
drive to collect the 3,342 signatures needed for a ballot initiative. After gathering the needed signatures, Munds then proceeded to get the support of 95% of the state's labor unions. When the Progressive party
came out in favor of the suffrage issue, Munds was able to force the Democratic and Republican parties to reevaluate their positions by threatening to throw support from women to the third party. When the election results were counted, the suffrage initiative had passed by a three-to-one margin in every county except Mohave
.
Upon her entry to the state legislature in 1915, Munds said, "true blue conservatives will be shocked to think of a grandmother sitting in the State Senate." During her time in office, she chaired the Committee on Education and Public Institutions, and also served on the Land Committee. Sen. Munds also introduced legislation doubling the widow's tax exemption
. She chose not to run for a second term in the legislature, but in 1918 was persuaded to run for Secretary of State, a run which was unsuccessful.
After leaving office, Munds remained active in politics for the rest of her life. She died at home on December 16, 1948, and was buried at the Mountain View cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. In 1982, she was inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
suffragist and leader of the suffrage movement within Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. After achieving her goal of statewide women's suffrage, she went on to become a member of the Arizona Senate
Arizona Senate
The Arizona Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members representing an equal amount of constituencies across the state, with each district having average populations of 219,859 . Members serve two-year terms with...
more than five years before ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted the vote to all American women.
Early life
Munds was born Frances Lillian Willard in Franklin, California, on June 10, 1866, the eighth child of Joel and Mary Grace Vinyard Willard and a granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton WillardAlexander Hamilton Willard
Alexander Hamilton Willard was a blacksmith who joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition.-Origin:Alexander Hamilton Willard Sr. was born in July 1777 in the town Charlestown, New Hampshire, he was the oldest son of Lt Jonathan Willard and the only child of Betty Caswell...
. Her family were ranchers who moved to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
before moving on to the Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
. Willard was educated at the Central Institute
Maine Central Institute
The Maine Central Institute , is an independent high school, founded in 1866, located in Pittsfield, Maine, in the United States. The school enrolls approximately 500 students. MCI is a nonsectarian institution. The school has both boarding students and day students.-History:The Maine Central...
in Pittsfield, Maine, graduating in 1885.
After graduation, Willard joined her family in the Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, where her four brothers operated a ranch in the Verde Valley
Verde Valley
The Verde Valley is a valley in central Arizona in the United States of America. The Verde River runs through it. It is overlooked by Mingus Mountain and the Mogollon Rim.- History :The first notice of this region appears in the report of one Espejo,...
with her father's former business partner, Willard Munds (Joel Willard had died in 1879). She worked as a school teacher in the communities of Pine
Pine, Arizona
Pine is a census-designated place in Gila County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,931 at the 2000 census. Pine was established by four Mormon families in 1879....
, Payson
Payson, Arizona
- History :Payson considers its founding year as 1882, at which time it was known as Green Valley or Union Park. On March 3, 1884, the town officially established a post office. Postmaster Frank C. Hise recommended that the town be named after a man named Levi Joseph Payson. Senator Payson was very...
, and Mayer
Mayer, Arizona
Mayer is a census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,408 at the 2000 census. Mayer includes three sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Mayer Apartments, Mayer Business Block, and Mayer Red Brick Schoolhouse.The 1993-1994 CBS...
before marrying John Lee Munds, youngest son of Willard Munds, in 1890. The couple moved to Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
in 1893 where John Munds was elected Yavapai County sheriff for two terms beginning in 1899. The couple had one son and two daughters.
Suffrage efforts
In 1898, Munds was elected secretary for the Territory of Arizona Women Suffrage Organization. Together with organization president Pauline O'NeillPauline O'Neill (suffrage leader)
Pauline Marie O'Neill was an American suffragist and legislator. In addition to her personal accomplishments, she is remembered as the widow of William Owen "Buckey" O'Neill.-Biography:...
, she reached out to Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
women within the territory. This marked a change from the practices of earlier suffrage leaders, such as Josephine Brawley Hughes
Josephine Brawley Hughes
Elizabeth Josephine Brawley Hughes was an advocate of women's rights in the United States West region.-Biography:...
, who had shunned the Mormon community. This outreach enabled the organization to lobby Mormon members of the territorial legislature to support legislation supporting women. Munds also attended legislative sessions personally to lobby for women's issues. After several years' effort, the 1903 territorial legislature passed a bill granting women the vote. This legislation was later vetoed by Territorial Governor Alexander Brodie
Alexander Oswald Brodie
Alexander Oswald Brodie was an American military officer and engineer. Earning his initial reputation during the Indian wars, he came to prominence for his service with the Rough Riders during the Spanish–American War...
. A similar bill would later be vetoed by Governor Kibbey
Joseph Henry Kibbey
Joseph Henry Kibbey was an American politician, who most notably served as Governor of Arizona Territory from 1905 to 1909.-Early life:...
.
In 1909, with statehood appearing imminent, Munds struck a deal with the Western Federation of Miners
Western Federation of Miners
The Western Federation of Miners was a radical labor union that gained a reputation for militancy in the mines of the western United States and British Columbia. Its efforts to organize both hard rock miners and smelter workers brought it into sharp conflicts – and often pitched battles...
in which the labor union would support women's suffrage in exchange for the women's organization's support in labor issues.
The next year, during Arizona's constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
, a proposal granting women's suffrage was introduced. The proposed plank was defeated before it could be added to the constitution.
Following Arizona's admission to the Union on February 14, 1912, a meeting of the State of Arizona Women Suffrage Organization unanimously elected Munds the organization's president. She initially refused to accept the position, but acquiesced on the condition the position be renamed chairman, and that she be allowed to reorganize the state organization. During the summer of 1912, Munds helped organize a petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
drive to collect the 3,342 signatures needed for a ballot initiative. After gathering the needed signatures, Munds then proceeded to get the support of 95% of the state's labor unions. When the Progressive party
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
came out in favor of the suffrage issue, Munds was able to force the Democratic and Republican parties to reevaluate their positions by threatening to throw support from women to the third party. When the election results were counted, the suffrage initiative had passed by a three-to-one margin in every county except Mohave
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
.
Political career
In 1913, Governor George Hunt appointed Munds to represent Arizona at the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in Budapest, Hungary. The next year, she became the first woman elected to the Arizona Legislature (representing Yavapai County), and the second woman to be elected to any state legislature in the United States.Upon her entry to the state legislature in 1915, Munds said, "true blue conservatives will be shocked to think of a grandmother sitting in the State Senate." During her time in office, she chaired the Committee on Education and Public Institutions, and also served on the Land Committee. Sen. Munds also introduced legislation doubling the widow's tax exemption
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
. She chose not to run for a second term in the legislature, but in 1918 was persuaded to run for Secretary of State, a run which was unsuccessful.
After leaving office, Munds remained active in politics for the rest of her life. She died at home on December 16, 1948, and was buried at the Mountain View cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. In 1982, she was inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.
External links
- Frances Lillian Willard Munds, Arizona Women's Hall of Fame