Tilton, Elizabeth, 1869-1950

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Elizabeth (Hewes) Tilton, Unitarian feminist and temperance crusader, was born on March 13, 1869, in Salem, Massachusetts, the daughter of Eleanor Fox (Jewett) and James Tracy Hewes. She attended Radcliffe College in 1887-1888. On January 10, 1911 she married William F. Tilton of Cambridge. She died on March 17, 1950, after a long illness, at her winter home in Winter Park, Florida.

Beginning in 1911 and until failing health curtailed her activities in the mid-'30's, EHT devoted much of her time and energy to the causes of woman suffrage, peace, education, and prohibition. From 1911 to 1913 she and other volunteers of the Boston Associated Charities worked with a group of physicians led by Dr. Charles Putnam and Dr. John W. Elliott on a "poster campaign against alcohol." Until this time advertising had been little used by private organizations. As director of the Unitarian Temperance Society (1913-1914), EHT took part in a survey of various liquor experiments being tried in the United States and Europe; it was at this time that she became firmly committed to the cause of prohibition. Notable among the many positions EHT held were the following: organization chairman of the Massachusetts Woman's Suffrage Association (1916-1918); chairman, Women's Division of the Massachusetts Anti-Saloon League (1917); chairman of the legislation committee of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers (1921-1931); and organizer and chairman of the Women's National Committee for Education Against Alcohol. She was the author of Turning off the Spigot (1914) and Save America (1924); contributed to the Woman's Journal, Current History, and other publications; and was one of Boston's busiest writers of "letters to the editor."

EHT was a hard-hitting protagonist who never hesitated to engage an opponent; she opposed presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith in 1928 largely because of his views on the return of legalized liquor. Though she readily assumed leadership in temperance and other organizations, when Massachusetts religious and temperance leaders urged her to run for the United States Senate in 1930 she refused. Even after illness ended her active participation in the temperance movement, she continued to write letters and articles in favor of prohibition.

From the guide to the Papers, 1914-1949, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Putnam, James Jackson, 1846-1918. Papers of James Jackson Putnam, 1863-1965 (inclusive), 1878-1920 (bulk). Harvard University, Medical School, Countway Library
referencedIn Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. Papers, 1925-1969 (bulk: 1937-1969) Houghton Library
creatorOf Tilton, Elizabeth, 1869-1950. Papers, 1914-1949 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Hylton, T.M. Angel Belle Love de Spirite or La Mutual Friend, 1874. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn Woman's rights collection, 1853-1958 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Woman's rights collection, 1853-1958 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886-1960. Papers, 1894-1960 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Allen, Corinne Marie Tuckerman, 1856-1931. Papers, 1896-1927 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbott, Grace, 1878-1939 person
associatedWith Addams, Jane, 1860-1935 person
associatedWith Allen, Corinne Marie Tuckerman, 1856-1931. person
associatedWith Anti-Saloon League of America corporateBody
associatedWith Blackwell, Alice Stone, 1857-1950 person
associatedWith Brewer, Mary Grey person
associatedWith Brookings, Martha N. person
associatedWith Brown, Dorothy Kirchwey, 1888-1981. person
associatedWith Codman, Julian person
associatedWith Crane, Ruth M. person
associatedWith Family Welfare Society (Boston, Mass.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969 person
associatedWith Hocker, Mary B. person
associatedWith Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 person
associatedWith Houchins, Essie Mae person
associatedWith Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886- person
associatedWith Hylton, T.M. person
associatedWith King, Delcevare person
associatedWith Lindley, Laura person
associatedWith Lord, Alice B. person
associatedWith Marrs, Ina Caddell person
associatedWith McCormick, Katherine Raynolds person
associatedWith National Congress of Parents and Teachers corporateBody
associatedWith Nicholson, Mollie Davis person
associatedWith Park, Maud Wood, 1871-1955 person
associatedWith Peabody, Lucy Whitehead McGill Waterbury, 1861-1949. person
associatedWith Putnam, James Jackson, 1846-1918. person
associatedWith Sabin, Pauling Morton, 1887-1955 person
associatedWith Stoddard, Cora Frances, 1872-1936 person
associatedWith Unitarian Temperance Society corporateBody
associatedWith Urquhart, Augusta W. person
associatedWith Wald, Lillian D., 1867-1940 person
associatedWith Watkins, Florence J. person
associatedWith Women's National Committee for Law Enforcement corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Education
Child labor
Child welfare
Health education
Peace
Prohibition
Public health
Temperance
Women
Women
Occupation
Authors
Prohibitionists
Activity

Person

Birth 1869

Death 1950

Female

Americans

English

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