Dr. Martha Cannon of Utah : the unexpected Victorian life of America's first female state senator / Joan Jacobson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jacobson, Joan (Joan M.), 1959- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cannon, Martha Hughes.

Latter Day Saint women--Utah--Biography.

Latter Day Saint women.

Women legislators--United States--Biography.

Women legislators.

Suffragists--Utah--Biography.

Suffragists.

Physicians--Utah--Biography.

Physicians.

Welsh Americans--Utah--Biography.

Welsh Americans.

Polygamy--Utah.

Polygamy.

Utah--History--19th century.

Utah.

Utah--History--20th century.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

174 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 23 cm

Other Title:

Doctor Martha Cannon of Utah

Place of Publication:

Charleston, SC : The History Press, 2023.

Summary:

"Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon was no hands-on-the-plow pioneer. She was no stereotypical polygamous wife. Nor was she a prim lady who blushed at the word legs. Victorian Mormons were proud to lead the way in empowering women. 'Verily the world progresseth,' exclaimed the Deseret Evening News on March 17, 1869, celebrating a Congressional bill to give Utah women the vote. But the federal intention to have female suffrage in Utah destroy polygamy failed. The 1882 Edmunds Act made 'cohabitation' a felony. To protect her polygamous husband, she fled to England with their infant daughter. Upon her return, she reestablished her medical practice and opened Utah's first training school for nurses. Nominated by local Democrats, Mattie ran against her husband for state senate in 1896, beating him by four thousand votes. Author Joan Jacobson chronicles an extraordinary life remarkably relevant for today."--Back cover.

Contents:

Preface: The Victorian era, kookier than corsets and crochet

The poor and putrid Victorian world: it's just plain gross

Crazy cult: true woman and piano pants

Holy matrimony in the haymow: Joseph Smith and secret polygamy

Utter destitution to happy delusions: getting the hell out of Wales

Down and dirty: Victorian prostitution and adultery

Little wanderers, baby farms and the ragamuffin railroad

Polygamy, hypocrisy and presidential promiscuity

Get to work, ladies! Build businesses! Birth babies!

Go east, young woman!: Mattie learns medicine 'in the world'

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby

One feather in the bird: Mormon polygamy evolves, splinters, molts

Happify your wives: after the honeymoon, before the divorce

Polls, pregnancy and persecution: Mattie flees to Europe

Marriage? Bah humbug!: the Victorian free lovers and non-lovers

Mattie multitasks, freak state feminists fight for the vote

All's fair in love and politics: the 1896 race for Utah state senate

A big battle, bills and baby brouhaha: Senator Mattie goes to the capitols

Twentieth-century coda: after two steps forward, it's one step back.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9781467155076

1467155071

OCLC:

1394890578