Hamilton, Margaret Porch, 1867-1946

Woman's rights activist and civic leader; active in social service and charitable organizations; of Leonia, N.J.; also resided in Chicago, Ill., and New York, N.Y. Wife of Francis Marion Hamilton. Active in civic organizations in Leonia where she purchased a house in 1916 and was a member of the Leonia Public Library book committee, the Homemakers' Association, and the Leonia unit of the Red Cross. She campaigned for the passage of the 19th Amendment for women's suffrage and organized a women's forum within the Leonia Women's Club; she was also one of the founders of the New Jersey League of Women Voters and once ran as a Democratic for the New Jersey State Legislature. In 1909 she visited Hartley House, a tenement on the upper west side of New York City, joined the visiting committee of Harlem Hospital in 1912 and by the following year was made its chairman; in 1913 joined the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York and her work for them visiting city hospitals is described in the diaries. She was also engaged in writing letters to the New York State legislators regarding the tenement bill and factory law; b. in Kirkwood, Mo., to Isaac Newton and Sarah Hinchman Porch.

From the description of Margaret Porch Hamilton diaries, 1905-1922. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 419296534