Suffragist Rosalie Jones Thanks You for Voting

Her nickname was, "The General."

It stuck because Rosalie Jones was fond of leading aggressive maneuvers in the 1910s on behalf of the franchise for women, including a 150-mile march from New York to Albany to dump a pile of petitions on the desk of Governor Sulzer, raising a ruckus along the way. Also, just look at the photo above: She did it while sporting a stylized version of George Washington's greatcoat and the hat that an officer in the Continental Army might wear into battle.

Of course, Jones and countless other suffragists were ultimately successful. Women in New York State earned the vote a hundred years ago today — three full years before Congress made it a Constitutional right. That's a nice accomplishment, though it's useful to remember that thirteen states beat us to it.

To honor the anniversary, and Jones' accomplishment, election workers throughout the state are handing out stickers with her image. (They may be in short supply at your polling site — if you want one, better ask for it.)

Jones grew up in Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island. An heiress, she joined with other wealthy socialites to add money and cultural clout to the suffragist movement, as this book makes clear. On Monday, New York Governor Cuomo announced that a statue of Rosalie Jones would be erected in her hometown.