Clay, Laura (1849–1941)
Clay, Laura (1849–1941)
American suffragist. Born Feb 9, 1849, in White Hall estate near Lexington, Kentucky; died June 29, 1941, in Lexington, Kentucky; dau. of Cassius Marcellus Clay (antislavery advocate and minister to Russia) and Mary Jane (Warfield) Clay (suffragist); attended University of Michigan and State College of Kentucky; never married; no children.
Served as president (1881–1912) of Kentucky Woman Suffrage Association which was reorganized in 1888 as Kentucky Equal Rights Association; was active in numerous reforms, including property rights for married women; elected 1st auditor of National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA, 1895); as strong supporter of states' rights and white political dominance, was opposed to woman suffrage amendment to federal constitution; increasingly isolated in her positions, resigned from NAWSA and Equal Rights Association (1919); supported Democratic Party and ran unsuccessfully for state senate (1923); active in work with Episcopal church in later years, fought for women's admission to diocesan councils and University of the South.
See also Paul E. Fuller, Laura Clay and the Women's Rights Movement (U. of Kentucky Press).