After more than 50 years working to attain suffrage, beginning locally with the Seneca Falls 1848 Women’s Convention, women were finally able to vote in their first election in November 1918. Meetings were held in communities around the state, teaching women “how to vote.” Soon – very soon – women across the New York State took on new political leadership roles, taking active roles in voter registration, political party advancement, and committee leadership.
One such woman was Olive R. Jones of Huron, NY. Olive Penoyer was born in Rose. June 15, 1898, Olive married Dr. Gay A. Jones, a Huron born gentleman who received his medical training in New York City and returned to Huron to establish his practice. Olive was trained as a nurse and worked closely with her husband. Following the Suffrage vote, Olive took on a strong leadership role in politics, building a brief but important service career.
Standing left, Olive Jones; seated, Olive’s mother Cloris Penoyer; standing right, Olive’s daughter, Maude Jones Devole.
Women’s votes in 1918 brought much success to the Republican party. Prior to election day in 1919, a meeting of the Wayne County Republican Committee was held at the courthouse in Lyons. One woman from each town was included to participate in an executive committee meeting held prior to the main meeting. Olive R. Jones represented Huron. By August of 1920, Olive had become chairperson of the Wayne County Women’s Republican Committee.
In 1921, Olive was listed as an alternate delegate to the NYS Republican Convention. In 1922, Olive became Vice-Chairperson of the Wayne County Republican Committee. In July of 1924, Olive was chosen to attend the NYS Republican Convention as a delegate– one of two women and seven men. In 1925, Olive was again elected Vice-Chair of the Republican Committee. Due to health issue, she resigned from in the spring of 1926.
Olive died at her home in Huron on December 11, 1931, following a long illness. In addition to her service to the Wayne County Republican Committee, Olive “was a member of the Utopia Rebekah lodge No. 400, in which she held several prominent offices . . . chaplin, noble grand, and district deputy. Olive was predeceased by her late husband, Gay, who died in 1924.