Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Alice (Maude) Grover, 1887-1964
By Bethany Montgomery, student: Saint Martin's University, Lacey, WA
Washington Equal Suffrage Vice President and Spokane Leader
Alice Maude Curts (Grover) was born on February 22, 1887 to Michael and Mary Alice Curts from Ontario, Canada. Known as Maude, Alice had 4 siblings, an older brother Henry (born in 1879) and three younger sisters, Myrtle (1896), Reta (1898), and Mildred (1899). The Curts family moved to Walla Walla at the turn of the century, investing in farming property near College Place.
In 1908, Maude married Arthur Lee Grover, a successful young agriculturalist from Helix, Oregon. Arthur is noted for gaining his agricultural experience on his father's farm and maintaining a 1000 acres of wheat. He was known to the community as a man of integrity and respect, having met success in his business and social endeavors, as well as in his family and his marriage.
In 1912, Maude and Arthur had a daughter, Gwendolyn, followed shortly by their second daughter Regina in 1915. In 1927, they had a baby boy, Arthur L Grover Jr. who passed away at three days old.
Her involvement in the suffrage movement is traced back as early as 1908. In 1909, she is noted for being a co-vice president of the Washington Equal Suffrage Association alongside Betsy Savage and Jennie Jewett. The vice-presidency of the association tended to be split between various leaders in different parts of the state and changed from year to year, hers remaining in the Spokane area. Alice remained closely involved as suffrage movements began in Spokane and the surrounding area, attending events for the Spokane Equal Suffrage association, in which notable speakers like Emma Smith DeVoe spoke.
Alice Maude Grover stayed in Walla Walla until her death in June of 1964.
SOURCES:
Gaston, Joseph. The centennial history of Oregon: 1811-1912. "Arthur Lee Grover". Vol. 2, p. 308 https://archive.org/details/centennialhistor02gast/page/308
"Find a Grave" https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45475034/arthur-lewis-grover
"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKR-4MV9 : 11 July 2016), Alice Maude Curts Grover, 1964; Burial, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, United States of America, Mountain View Cemetery; citing record ID 45476292, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
"Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3PF-N8B : 10 March 2018), Maude Curts in entry for Arthur Grover Jr., 24 Dec 1927; citing Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, reference cn 216, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Olympia; FHL microfilm 2,022,419.
"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHN6-DP9 : accessed 26 October 2018), Arthur L Grover, Walla Walla Ward 3, Walla Walla, Washington, United States; citing ED 136, sheet 8A, line 28, family 151, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1943; FHL microfilm 1,821,943.
"Page 105 : Suffragists Plan Campaign," PRIMARILY WASHINGTON, accessed October 31, 2018, http://primarilywashington.org/items/show/23064.
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 October 2018), memorial page for Mary Alice Edwards Curts (2 Sep 1862–11 Jun 1942), Find A Grave Memorial no. 77728130, citing Mountain View Cemetery, Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, Washington, USA ;
The Evening Statesman, "Vital to College Place." Walla Walla, Washington. 25 May, 1905. p. 2 https://www.newspapers.com/image/146624736/?terms=Alice%2Bcurts
Page 157: "Women Applaud Mrs. May Hutton," PRIMARILY WASHINGTON, accessed October 31, 2018, http://primarilywashington.org/items/show/18397.