Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Agnes Bevan Slosson Lewis, 1878-1960
By Despina Valsamides, undergraduate student, St. John's University
Agnes Bevan Slosson Lewis, also known as Mrs. Alfred George Lewis, was born May 27, 1878. She died on January 31, 1960 in Geneva. Her parents were Henry Lawrence Slosson and Agnes Stacy Slosson. She was born and raised in Geneva, New York. She married Alfred George Lewis in September of 1903. He was originally from Buffalo, New York but settled in Geneva. They had four children together, three girls and one boy.
Agnes Slosson Lewis and her husband both believed in equality for women. In 1909 Mr. Alfred Lewis wrote a letter to the Judiciary Committee of the Assembly and Senate in favor of woman suffrage. Mrs. H.L. Slosson, also known as Agnes Stacy Slosson, held a meeting for Geneva political equality club at her home on 603 main Street and her daughter Agnes Slosson Lewis was the hostess. Not only was Agnes Slosson Lewis involved in the suffrage movement, but her family supported and believed in women's equality as well.
She was part of the Geneva political equality club that was formed in 1897. She was the chairman of the school suffrage committee. She was named the chairman after Mrs. George Shell resigned from the position. The Geneva Political equality club ended in 1917. When the club ended she helped found the Geneva Women's Club and was president of the club for the first four years. She was one of the co-founders of the League of Women Voters. She made such a big impact in the suffrage movement and on the League of Women Voters that the league has an award named after her. It is now possible for a woman to receive the Slosson Lewis award; the award symbolizes the hard work and dedication for fighting inequality.
Agnes Slosson Lewis was not just involved in the political and women club. She took part in different kinds of committees. She was involved in many different committees and boards, including the Board of Trustees of the Women's Free Rest Room, Board of Trustees of the Geneva General Hospital, Labor Committee of the New York Women, committee for Law enforcement, Geneva Free Library, trustee for District School No. 8 of Geneva, National and State Consumers' League, American Association for Labor Legislation, Federal Council of Churches, Ontario County Home Bureau, and the mental hygiene and after care committee for the Willard Hospital.
Sources:
Western New York Suffragists: Winning the Vote website "Agnes Slosson Lewis" https://rrlc.org/winningthevote/biographies/agnes-slosson-lewis/
"Women's rights advocate to be honored: Local attorney, former city councilor will receive Agnes Slosson Lewis Award," Finger Lakes Times, June 14, 2012.
Miller NAWSA suffrage scrapbooks, 1897-1911, at Library of Congress website, accessed online at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbcmil.scrp6003801
Haight- Eckert, Mary Jane, "Agnes Bevan Slosson Lewis," accessed online at https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=76623299