Frances Cleveland Axtell

American politician (1866–1953)

Frances Sevilla Cleveland Axtell
A middle-aged white woman with dark hair, in an oval frame
Frances Axtell, from a 1917 publication
Born
Frances Sevilla Cleveland

June 12, 1866
Sterling, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 27, 1953
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupation(s)Politician, state legislator, federal official

Frances Sevilla Cleveland Axtell (June 12, 1866 – May 27, 1953) was an American clubwoman, suffragist, politician, and federal official. She was one of the first two female legislators elected in Washington state, elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1912 from Whatcom County, Bellingham. President Woodrow Wilson appointed her as vice chair of the Federal Employees' Compensation Commission in 1917, the first woman to serve in such a capacity. The Federal Employees' Compensation Commission during the Wilson administration.

Early life and education

Cleveland was born in Sterling, Illinois, the daughter of William A. Cleveland and Mary Humaston Cleveland. Her father was a farmer and stock-raiser who supported her academic pursuits through a Ph.D. degree.[1] Axtell earned a bachelor's degree (Ph.B.) in 1889[2] and a master's degree in 1892,[3] both at DePauw University in Indiana,[4][5] where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.[6][7]

Career

Cleveland taught Latin and mathematics at Northwest Normal School as a young woman.[5] She moved to Bellingham, Washington, then known as New Whatcom, with her husband Dr. William H. Axtell and their 2-year-old daughter Ruth in 1894.[1] She helped her husband establish his medical practice and worked there for a time. She was the first president of the New Whatcom Ladies Cooperative Society, and a founding member of the city's Aftermath Club. She unsuccessfully ran for school district district in Bellingham in 1897, and campaigned for women's suffrage in Washington State, which passed in 1910.[1][4]

Running on the Republican ticket, with poet Ella Rhoads Higginson as her campaign manager,[4] Axtell was elected to the 54th District of the Washington House of Representatives representing Bellingham in 1912 and served during the 1913-1914 session.[1] Axtell advocated for a minimum wage, the banning of child labor, workers' compensation, and pensions for the elderly, disabled, and widows. She also helped change aspects of criminal law, especially violent assault.[8]

Axtell nearly became a U.S. senator in 1916, losing by about three thousand votes. Her relationship with her brother Frederick Cleveland, who worked in the administration of President William Howard Taft, coupled with the publicity surrounding her 1916 attempt as a senator, brought her to the attention of President Woodrow Wilson. On January 5, 1917, President Wilson appointed her to the Federal Employees' Compensation Commission.[8][9] She was one of the highest ranked women in the Wilson administration.[10] She served as chair of the Commission in 1918 to 1921.[1] "Her concern as a member and vice-chair was to improve Federal safety standards. Axtell accomplished her responsibilities with such devotion, newspapers referred to her as the "mother" of the 500,000 men and women working for the government."Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). again without success. From about 1930 to 1936, she was supervisor of Mothers' Pensions and a probation officer in Bellingham.[11] She moved to Seattle in 1944, where she was active in clubs and churchwork.[1][4]

Personal life and legacy

Cleveland married physician William Henry Axtell in 1891. The couple had two daughters, Ruth Axtell, born in 1892, and Helen Frances Axtell, born in 1901. She died on May 27, 1953, in Seattle.[1] The home she designed and supervised construction for in in Bellingham, known as the Axtell House, was divided into apartments in 1926, after her husband died. "The Axtell House at 413 E. Maple Street was originally built in 1902 as a clapboard-sided 2.5 story in the Classical Revival style, and was the Axtell home from 1902-1942, during which it served as a gathering place for a variety of politicians, suffragists, clubwomen and celebrated personalities. The Axtell House is significant for the period beginning in 1902 when the she designed and supervised its construction." <ref{{url=https://cob.org/services/planning/historic/buildings/axtell-house</ref>

The Dr. William H. & Frances C, House was listed in 2011 on the National Register of Historic Places.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Axtell, Frances (1866-1953)". History Link. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Doig, Frank C. (January 28, 1917). "Work in Behalf of Social Uplift Gets National Recognition". The Oregon Daily Journal. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Leonard, John William; Marquis, Albert Nelson (1928). Who's who in America. A.N. Marquis. p. 200.
  4. ^ a b c d Weatherford, Doris (January 20, 2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. SAGE. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.
  5. ^ a b DePauw University (1920). Alumnal Record. University. p. 113.
  6. ^ "Notable Thetas". Kappa Alpha Theta. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Thetas We Honor: Mrs. W. H. Axtell". Kappa Alpha Theta. 32 (1): 21–22. November 1917.
  8. ^ a b "Frances C. Axtell" Celebrating 100 Years of Women in the Legislature.
  9. ^ Harris, H. J. (1917). "Newer Federal Commissions". The American Political Science Review. 11 (2): 376–378. doi:10.2307/1944009. JSTOR 1944009. S2CID 145122351.
  10. ^ "Woman in High Federal Position". The St. Charles Herald. August 4, 1917. p. 6. Retrieved May 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Mrs. Axtell Wants New Automobile; Austin Chuckles". The Bellingham Herald. August 20, 1935. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Alden, Charlotte (August 17, 2022). "What's the Deal With: The Axtell House?". Cascadia Daily News. Retrieved May 6, 2024.

External links

  • "Minimum Wage Board (April 17, 1918)