Biographical Sketch of Ada (Ida) Superior

Biographical Database of Militant Woman Suffragists, 1913-1920

Biography of Ada (Ida) Superior, 1896-1931

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By Delia Tash, librarian, Penn State Abington

Ada Superior, also known as Ida Superior, was the daughter of a Polish mother and Russian father. In the 1920 census she is listed as Russian and her language Hebrew. In the 1930 census she is listed as Polish and her language English. Her mother and father, Joseph Superior and Rose (Rosie) Boyaner, immigrated to Montreal, Canada, then Quebec and from there went to Newark and then Elizabeth, New Jersey. Ada arrived with her family in the United States circa 1909. She was the oldest daughter and had four brothers (one older), and two sisters, both younger.

Her parents were both twenty-two when Ada was born; they married in Montreal in 1894. The 1910 United States Census record listed her as Ida St. Superior. She was born in Quebec City, Canada circa 1896. The 1920 census finds her at twenty-two, single, still living in her parents' household in Elizabeth, the second of six children still living at home.

Her father is listed as Dr. Joseph H. Superior in some records and filled out a draft card for World War I found in the 1917-18 registration. In 1930 she continued to live with her parents, with now four unmarried children still at home. Her occupation is listed as "none" in both censuses.

There is a death record indicating that she died at a very young age in New York on September 4, 1931. Her age in the death record is listed as thirty-four years old.

The Suffragist, Aug 10, 1918, p. 6 notes Ada, said to be from Elizabeth, was planning to participate in the Aug. 6 National Woman's Party demonstration in front of the White House. There is no other record of her activism in the movement.

Sources:

All information was gathered from Ancestry.com and The Suffragist.

 

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