Funk, Antoinette, 1873-1942

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Antoinette Funk (May 30, 1873 – March 26, 1942) was a lawyer and women's rights advocate during the 20th century. She served as the executive secretary of the Congressional Committee of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

She was born on May 30, 1873 in Dwight, Illinois as Marie Antoinette Leland. In 1892 she married Charles Thurber Watrous, who died shortly after the marriage.

In 1893, she married Isaac Lincoln Funk. Five years later, she attended Illinois Wesleyan University Law School, where she received J.D.. In 1902, she moved to Chicago, where her work for women's rights would begin.

As part of her women's rights advocacy, Funk gave speeches to women's rights groups.

In 1914, Funk rode stagecoaches across South Dakota and Nevada. She gave speeches several times a day, speaking at sits ranging from mines to the homes of butchers to organized dinner dances. Funk particularly enjoyed speaking outdoors because it exposed passersby to her message. On October 2, 1914, Funk was jailed in Minot, North Dakota for making an unauthorized street speech.

In 1915, she addressed the College Equal Suffrage League of Bryn Mawr College in a speech entitled "The Best Arguments for Woman Suffrage."

In 1917, she also supported the United States war effort during World War I along with other women's rights advocates as a member of the Women's Committee of the Council of Defense. In 1918, Funk was the vice chairman woman's liberty loan Committee at the Treasury Department.

During Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration, Funk served as Assistant Commissioner of the Land Office.

She retired from the NAWSA in 1939. In 1942, she died in San Diego, California.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, 1862-1945. Papers in the Mary Earhart Dillon Collection, 1869-1945 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, 1862-1945. Papers in the Mary Earhart Dillon collection, 1869-1945 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947. Papers: Series II, 1894-1948 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of Helen Brewster Owens, 1867-1948 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Blackwell Family Papers, 1759-1960, (bulk 1845-1890) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Papers, 1867, 1895, 1902-1948 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Breckinridge Family Papers, 1752-1965 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Papers of Mary Ware Dennett Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Blackwell family family
correspondedWith Breckinridge family family
associatedWith Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947 person
associatedWith McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, 1862-1945 person
associatedWith Owens, Helen Brewster, 1881-1968. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago IL US
Dwight IL US
San Diego CA US
Subject
Suffrage
Lawyers
Women lawyers
Women's rights
Occupation
Activist
Attorney
Lawyer
Suffragists
Women's rights activists
Activity

Person

Birth 1873-05-30

Death 1942-03-26

Female

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 85620004