tle, Mrs. M. T.
Corner, Mrs. H. Brewster, and myself, were all the women that I
knew in that region, even favorable to a movement for the help of
women. Two of these only asked for more just laws for married
women. One hesitated about the right of suffrage. I alone in the
beginning asked for the ballot,[17] and equality before the law
for all adult citizens of sound minds, without regard to sex or
color. The Freemasons gave their hall for our meeting, but no men
were admitted. I drew up a memorial for signatures, praying that
the words "white" and "male" be omitted in the new Constitution.
I also drew up a paper copying the unequal laws on our statute
books with regard to women. We met, Mrs. Harriet Brewster
presiding. Some seventy ladies of our place fell in through the
day. I read my paper, and Mrs. M. T. Corner gave a historical
account of noted women of the past. It was a new thing. At the
close, forty names were placed on the memorial For years I had
been talking and writing, and people were used to my "craziness."
But who expected Mrs. Corner and others to take such a stand! Of
course, we were heartily abused.

This led to the calling of a county meeting at Chesterfield,
Morgan County. It was advertised to be held in the M. E. Church.
There were only present some eight ladies, including the four
above mentioned We four "scoffers" hired a hack and rode sixteen
miles over the hill, before 10 A.M., to be denied admittance to
church or school-house Rev. Philo Matthews had found us shelter
on the threshing-floor of a fine barn, and we found about three
or four hundred of the farmers, and their wives, sons, and
daughters, assembled. They were nearly all "Quakers" and
Abolitionists, but then not much inclined to "woman's rights." I
had enlarged my argument, and there the "ox-sled" speech was
made, the last part of May, 1850, date of day not remembered.

A genuine "Quaker Preacher" said to me at the close, "Frances,
thee had great Freedom. The ox-cart inspired thee." The farmers'
wives brought huge boxes and pans of provisions. Men and women
made speeches, and many names were added to our memorial. On the
whole, we had a delightful day. It was no uncommon thing in those
days for Abolitionist, or Methodist, or other meetings, to be
held un