Levis, Rosa Marie Finnochietti, 1878-1959.

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Rosa Marie Finocchietti Levis was born March 17, 1878 on Hull Street in the North End of Boston. Her parents had emigrated from Genoa, Italy and would eventually have a family of nine children.

Even as a young girl Rosa felt the responsibility to civic service, volunteering to translate for doctors at Hull Street Medical Center, becoming intrinsically involved in the activities in her community.

In 1897 Rosa married Albert Warren Levis, a sculptor who had emigrated from Florence, principally to design a bronze door for the Chicago Exposition of 1893. The young couple settled in the North End where they raised their family of six children, three boys and three girls.

Despite the work of raising a large family Rosa began her suffrage activities in 1910. The headquarters for the Massachusetts Women’s Suffrage Association was located within easy reach of her home, so it was relatively easy for her to attend meetings and listen to speeches. During World War I the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) decided to continue their suffrage activities while helping with the war effort. Rosa joined with other members of the association to roll bandages and create kits for Italian-American soldiers fighting in the war. She took part in food conservation efforts and sold War Bonds. While she was proud of her Italian-American heritage she worked to better the lives of her fellow citizens through insuring that both men and women enjoyed political equality. After suffrage was attained she continued to be involved in the social, political, and religious women’s organizations of Boston’s Italian community, while taking pride in her belief that she was the very first Italian-American suffragist. She died in 1959 at the age of 82.

Hull Street in the North end of Boston is now recognized as an historic district on the Women’s Heritage Trail, a path through the city that highlights the lives and accomplishments of many of Boston’s remarkable women. Although she did not know them, Rosa might have been influenced by the fact that such forward-thinking activists as Lucy Stone, Abigail Adams and Sarah Josepha Hale had lived in the district near her home. The Paul Revere Pottery Center was located on Hull Street, and offered employment for local Italian and Jewish women. Even as a young girl Rosa felt the responsibility to civic service, volunteering to translate for doctors at Hull Street Medical Center, becoming intrinsically involved in the activities in her community.

In 1897 Rosa married Albert Warren Levis, a sculptor who had emigrated from Florence, principally to design a bronze door for the Chicago Exposition of 1893. The young couple settled in the North End where they raised their family of six children, three boys and three girls.

Despite the work of raising a large family Rosa began her suffrage activities in 1910. The headquarters for the Massachusetts Women’s Suffrage Association was located within easy reach of her home, so it was relatively easy for her to attend meetings and listen to speeches. During World War I the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) decided to continue their suffrage activities while helping with the war effort. Rosa joined with other members of the association to roll bandages and create kits for Italian-American soldiers fighting in the war. She took part in food conservation efforts and sold War Bonds. While she was proud of her Italian-American heritage she worked to better the lives of her fellow citizens through insuring that both men and women enjoyed political equality. After suffrage was attained she continued to be involved in the social, political, and religious women’s organizations of Boston’s Italian community, while taking pride in her belief that she was the very first Italian-American suffragist. She died in 1959 at the age of 82.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Levis, Rosa Marie Finnochietti, 1878-1959. Papers, 1890-1959 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Levis, Rosa Marie, 1878-1959. Papers, 1884-1994 (bulk: 1910-1959) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adkins, Bertha Sheppard, 1906-1970 person
associatedWith Adkins, Bertha Sheppard, 1906-1983. person
associatedWith Andrews, Fannie Fern (Phillips), 1867-1950 person
associatedWith Bagley, Grace Hodges, 1860-1944 person
associatedWith Chatterbox Club corporateBody
associatedWith Chatterbox Club. corporateBody
associatedWith Coe, Evelyn Peverley, 1881-1967 person
associatedWith Curley, James Michael, 1874-1958 person
associatedWith Eisenhower, Dwight David, 1890-1972 person
associatedWith Fuller, Alvan Tufts, 1878-1958 person
associatedWith Hancock School Parents Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Herter, Christian Archibald, 1895-1967 person
associatedWith Hoover, Lou Henry, 1874-1944 person
associatedWith Hosmer, Clara B person
associatedWith Hosmer, Clara B. person
associatedWith Hynes, John B -1970 person
associatedWith Hynes, John B., d.1970. person
associatedWith League of the Sacred Heart Italian Church of North Square, Boston corporateBody
associatedWith Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1902-1985. person
associatedWith Martin, Joseph William, Jr., 1884-1968 person
associatedWith Massachusetts State Federation of Women's Italian Clubs corporateBody
associatedWith McCormack, John William, 1891-1973 person
associatedWith Page, Mary Hutcheson, 1860-1940 person
associatedWith Park, Maud Wood, 1871-1955 person
associatedWith Peters, Andrew James, 1872-1938 person
associatedWith Republican Party corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) corporateBody
associatedWith Saltonstall, Leverett, 1892- person
associatedWith Saltonstall, Leverett, 1892-1979. person
associatedWith Stantial, Edna Lamprey, 1897-1985 person
associatedWith Storrow, Helen Osborne, 1864-1944 person
associatedWith Tillinghast, Anna Churchill (Moulton), 1874-1951 person
associatedWith Tobin, Maurice Joseph, 1901-1953 person
associatedWith Volpe, John, 1908- person
associatedWith Volpe, John Anthony, 1908- person
associatedWith Walsh, David Ignatius, 1872-1947 person
associatedWith Weeks, Sinclair, 1893-1972 person
associatedWith Willkie, Wendell Lewis, 1892-1944 person
associatedWith Women's Columbus Republican Club corporateBody
associatedWith Women's Italian Club corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Boston MA US
Subject
Religion
Clubs
Fund raising
Italian Americans
Politics, Practical
Social service
World War, 1914-1918
Women
Women
Women in war
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Suffragists
Activity

Person

Birth 1878-03-07

Death 1959

Female

Americans

English

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