Florence Belle Brotherton (nee Swickard) was born in Westerville, Ohio, on October 1, 1857. She remained in that community unitl just before the close of the Civil War, when her family moved to Columbus, Ohio. After finishing high school, she taught for nearly four years and then enrolled at Ohio State University. She majored in Latin and Greek, and continued her studies into her sophomore year, when she met and married Wilbur Brotherton. The couple made their home in Columbus until 1888, when they moved with their family to Detroit. As her 7 children grew up and moved out, she devoted more of her time to outside activities. She headed the Wayne County Suffrage Association, helped found the Women's City Club, became an officer of the Women's Committee on World Disarmament, gained membership in the Wayne County Woman's Republican Club, and joined the Women's Press Association of Michigan. She worked in the state's suffrage campaigns and had much to do with the ratification of the 19th amendment by the Michigan Legislature. She was made first president of the Michigan League of Voters. She died on January 18, 1934 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.
From the description of Florence Belle Brotherton collection. (State Archive of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 40427109
