Wyoming was the first territory (and eventual state) in the Union to grant women the right to vote in 1869. William Bright, who held a seat in the 20-member territorial legislature, sponsored a bill that all citizens should have suffrage — or equal rights — including the right to vote.

The story of why Bright actually sponsored the bill is far more in-depth than this, of course. While there was no organized suffrage movement in Wyoming – no rallies or parades — a group of women marched outside of territorial Governor John Campbell’s office until he signed the bill into law.

Wyoming is known as the “Equality State” and boasts a number of “firsts” for women along with the right to vote. Esther Hobart Morris was the nation’s first woman justice of the peace; the first jury to include women was seated in Laramie in 1870; and Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first woman governor, elected to complete her husband William’s term when he died in office in 1924. She also went on to become the first female director of the United States Mint appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.

Learn more about the Western suffrage movement and many other Wyoming “firsts.”

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Amalia Post was the first woman to serve as a jury foreman on the world’s first jury to include women, which convened in March of 1870. The women on the grand jury and trial jury were selected less than six months after Wyoming’s first territorial legislature granted women the right to vote.

Post was originally the kind of woman who believed that a “woman’s place was in the home.” It took a few of life’s hard knocks to reveal to her the strengths she possessed. A philandering husband left Post alone and destitute in Denver, yet she discovered she had a real knack for negotiating and became quite adept at taking care of herself financially. She raised chickens and loaned out her proceeds to men, collecting interest on the loans.

In October 1864, she married one of her business partners, Morton E. Post. This marriage would lead her to a new life in Wyoming Territory, where women were granted the right to vote in 1869. She became not only one of the first women to ever serve on a jury, but also the first woman foreman of a jury.  Post would later become a leader in the national women’s suffrage movement.

In 1871, the Wyoming Territorial Legislature tried to repeal a woman’s right to vote. Amalia Post is said to have personally lobbied Governor John A. Campbell to veto the bill, which he did.

Wyoming has long enjoyed a series of “firsts.” In February 1870, Esther Hobart Morris of South Pass City was appointed as the nation’s first female justice of the peace. In 1924, Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected as the first woman governor to complete the term of her husband who died in office.

Learn more about Amalia Post.

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Agnes Chase Baker of Laramie was among a select group of women called upon to serve on the world’s first jury to include women, which convened in March of 1870. However, she was dismissed upon her request.

The women on the grand jury and trial jury were selected less than six months after Wyoming’s first territorial legislature granted women equal political rights. Eliza Stewart Boyd’s name was the first female’s to be drawn from the voter’s roll to serve on the Laramie grand jury. The other five women included Mrs. Amelia Hatcher, Mrs. G.F. Hilton, Mrs. Mary Mackell and Mrs. Sarah W. Pease.

Wyoming has long enjoyed a series of “firsts.” In February 1870, Esther Hobart Morris of South Pass City was appointed as the nation’s first female justice of the peace. In 1924, Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected as the first woman governor to complete the term of her husband who died in office.

Learn more about Agnes Chase Baker

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Sarah W. Pease of Laramie served on the first grand jury to include women, which convened in March 1870.

The women on the grand jury and trial jury were selected less than six months after Wyoming’s first territorial legislature granted women equal political rights. Eliza Stewart Boyd’s name was the first female’s to be drawn from the voter’s roll to serve on the Laramie grand jury. The other five women included Mrs. Amelia Hatcher, Mrs. G.F. Hilton, Mrs. Mary Mackell and Agnes Chase Baker, who was dismissed at her request.

Wyoming has long enjoyed a series of “firsts.” In February of 1870, Esther Hobart Morris of South Pass City, Wyoming was appointed as the nation’s first female justice of the peace. In 1924, Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected as the first woman governor to complete the term of her husband who died in office.

Learn more about Sarah Pease

I.M. Hartsough was one of the first women to be called to serve on a criminal or “petit” jury in Wyoming to try Andrew Howie for the murder of John Hoctor. The jury voted unanimously to convict Howie.

Wyoming has long enjoyed a series of “firsts.”  In early 1870, Laramie’s judges called for female jurors.  The women who served on the grand jury and trial jury were selected less than six months after Wyoming’s first territorial legislature granted women equal political rights.

In March of 1870, Eliza Stewart Boyd’s name was the first female’s to be drawn from the voters’ roll to serve on the grand jury that would convene later that month. Soon after, five other Laramie women made history, becoming the first women in the world to serve on a trial jur. They  included Mrs. Amelia Hatcher, Mrs. G.F. Hilton, Mrs. Mary Mackell and Agnes Chase Baker.

There was quite an uproar against female juries as they tended to be very conservative and sentenced men to long incarcerations and even hangings.

Learn more about I.M Hartsough

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