Josephine Kirby Williamson Henry
(Source: American Women, by Frances Elizabeth Willard,
Mary Ashton Rice Livermore, Volume 1, 1897. Transcribed by Marla Snow)
HENRY, Mrs. Josephine Kirby Williamson, woman suffragist, born in Newport, Ky., 22nd February, 1846. After receiving a liberal education she became the wife, in 1868, of Captain William Henry, a Confederate soldier, a distinguished scholar and one of the most noted educators in the South. Their only child, Frederick Williamson Henry, who was killed in the terrible railroad disaster in Crete, Ill., inherited the genius of his mother and the talent of his father.
Mrs. Henry enjoys the distinction of being the leader in her State of the most advanced political and social reform party in the country, the Equal Rights or Woman Suffrage party. She knows human nature and history well enough to realize that "human virtue demands her champions and martyrs." With courage, zeal and industry Mrs. Henry has for years been struggling with "supreme prejudice and sublime mediocrity" in her efforts to awaken in the breasts of her countrymen a sentiment of justice toward women, and in her countrywomen a sense of the dignity of true womanhood. What she has already accomplished marks an advance in the political and social history, not only of Kentucky, but of the Southern States.
She is the only woman in the South who ever ran for a State office. She was a candidate of the Prohibition party of Kentucky, in 1890, for clerk of the Court of Appeals, receiving nearly five-thousand votes, and that in a State where, perhaps, the popular prejudice is stronger against "Woman's Rights" than in any other in the Union. She has spoken before the legislature and the constitutional convention and has addressed large audiences all over the State on woman's suffrage. Although she is physically frail and delicate, she can address a public meeting for an hour or more with the force of true eloquence and with happy touches of humor and quiet sarcasm.
She is a woman of literary talent. She has written several poems of merit, and her prose is clear, bold and incisive. Over three hundred articles of hers on the subject of " Married Women's Property Rights " have been published. Her leaflet on " Kentucky Women and the Constitution " and her editorials in the "Clarion," published in Versailles, attracted general attention and were copied into papers all over the country. She is superintendent of legislative and petition work of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. She is an accomplished musician and pianist. As a vocalist she has achieved success. Her home is in Versailles, Ky.
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Newport born Josephine W Henry, the niece of John A Williamson, was part of the wealthy Williamson family. In 1888 she was lobbying for women's voting rights in Frankfort before the legislature, and later she lobbied for women's property rights. She was an active member of Kentucky Equal Rights Association and a strong supporter of Laura Clay, President of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. At meetings she often spoke before Clay on the program.
In 1890 she became the first woman to run for a state office in Kentucky, although at the time her sister suffragettes could not cast their votes for her. In 1920 Henry was given a national award as "a pioneers of the women's rights movement."
In the 1890 KERA minutes, Josephine is listed as the Petitions and Legislative Work Chair.
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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 10 July 1895, page 4
Now with four parties in Kentucky with full tickets in the field Mrs. Josephine K Henry is the only woman candidate. She is out for Secretary of State, and is making vigorous campaign speeches and holding political conferences. Mrs. H is perhaps today the most active candidate in Kentucky.
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 17 October 1896, page 3
WOMEN'S VOICE
Versailles, Ky. Oct 16. People here in the home of Mrs. Josephine K Henry, no matter what their politics, are much interest in her efforts upon the stump for Bryan. Mrs. Henry for many years has been the leader in Kentucky in the movement for women suffrage. In this cause she has learned the eloquence which she will use from now on in the cause of Bryan and free silver.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 26 October 1896, page 3
HUSBAND JOINS WIFE
Versailles Ky. Oct 24. Mrs. Josephine Henry, the woman silver orator of Versailles, whose tongue lashing of Breckinridge has caused a sensation through the State, will speak Monday night at Lancaster. Mrs. Henry's husband, Captain Henry of the Henry Academy, has also taken to the stump. He spoke last night at Pisgah for silver. Mrs. Henry will speak in Lexington Oct 29.
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Kentucky Post, 10 August 1899, page 1
PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITY
Lexington Ky. Aug 10. Mrs. Josephine K Henry, who was mentioned as the Women's Rights candidate for President, has announced her intention of taking the stump against Goebel. She has registered at the headquarters of the anti-Goebel committee and asked for dates, which will be assigned her after next week's convention.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 26 January 1903, page 4
Lexington Ky. Jan 26. St Louis was selected as the next meeting of the National Liberal Party, the first annual congress of which adjourned last night. Among the new officers elected are: President, Dr. J B Wilson, Cincinnati; First Vice President, Mrs. Josephine Henry, Versailles; Secretary, Morris Sachs, Cincinnati; Treasurer, Morgan Warmsley, Cleves O.
The resolutions among other things, oppose Government protection of missionaries, condemn the liquor traffic and race prejudice, advocate women suffrage and denounce the Comstock agency as against freedom of the press and of speech.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 8 April 1927, page 8
KENTUCKY FIRST
Versailles Ky. When Mrs. Ida Clyde Clark, widely known suffragist leader, remarked recently that a woman president of the United States is "within the range of possibility" she gave the editor of the Woodford Sun a golden chance to reminisce.
The editor at once recalled that Mrs. Josephine Henry, a resident of Versailles, county seat of Woodford co. had once been urged for the prohibition nomination for the presidency. "Daily newspapers thruout the country," he writes, "printed pictures of Mrs. Henry and wrote articles about her possible entry into the national political field.
"Mrs. Henry was the first woman in Kentucky who ever ran for a state office, she having been a prohibition party candidate for clerk of the Court of Appeals in 1890 and 1894. She made a spirited campaign on the stump and in her first race pulled over 5000 votes"
Mrs. Henry now 80 years old, is living in seclusion. She first came into national prominence in the brilliant and successful battle that she waged for equitable property rights for the married women of Kentucky.
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Josephine Kirby Williamson Henry died 8 Jan 1928 in Versailles Ky. and was buried in the Versailles Cemetery.