Biographical Sketch of Anna Belle (Mrs. W.H.) Games

Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920

Biography of Anna Belle (Mrs. W.H.) Games, 1862-1950

By Keely Miller, Student, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

Anna Belle Games, known in the historical record as Mrs. W.H. Games, was born on January 31, 1862 in Oregon. She was born as Anna Belle Castleman to father P.F. Castleman and mother I.J. Castleman. Her father was from Oakland, California. In 1886 at age 24, she married William Henry Games. The couple lived in Portland for the remainder of their marriage. William died in 1945, and Anna Belle died in Alameda, California on March 25, 1950.

Mr. and Mrs. Games had three children, but only one survived beyond infancy. Their surviving child was their daughter, Dagmar A. Games. In 1904, Dagmar was selected as one of the most beautiful children in America by Ladies' Home Journal. She was fourteen at this time, just beginning high school in San Francisco. Though Mrs. Games primarily lived in Portland, she spent a few years living in San Francisco with Dagmar, who was suffering from some health problems. It appears that the two were in California from about 1904 to 1906.

In 1898, Mrs. Games was elected as recording secretary of the State Equal Suffrage Association of Oregon. She remained in this position for two years. Abigail Scott Duniway served as president of the association at this time. She was also recorded in the History of Woman Suffrage as the treasure of the Association for 1901-1904. On January 31, 1902, an annual reception for the Portland woman's club was held. At that time, Games was a part of the club's social committee that helped to arrange the reception. A meeting of the State Federation of Women's Clubs was held in Portland from April 24th to 26th of 1902. Here, Games was elected an officer of the federation's Bureau of Information. Throughout April and May of the same year, Games delivered presentations on “Patriotic April.” In these speeches, she recounted the significant historic events that occurred in the month of April. She gave one of the lectures in Portland and one in Oregon City. In June of 1902, Games was elected treasurer of the Portland Woman's Club; Duniway was elected as president of this organization as well.

Sources:

“Amusements Tonight.” The Morning Oregonian, Aug 27, 1904, 7. University of Oregon Libraries.

“City News in Brief.” The Morning Oregonian, Apr 10, 1902, 7. University of Oregon Libraries.

Duniway, Abigail Scott. Path Breaking. 1914.

Harper, Ida Husted, et al., eds., History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 6 (1922) [LINK].

“To Meet This Week.” The Sunday Oregonian, Apr 20, 1902. University of Oregon Libraries.

“Oregon City.” The Sunday Oregonian, May 11, 1902, 21. University of Oregon Libraries.

“Portland Girl's Beauty Is Ideal.” The Oregon Daily Journal, Aug 26, 1904. University of regon Libraries.

“Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910-Population.” Department of Commerce and Labor Bureau of the Census. Ancestry.com.

“Woman's Club at Home.” The Morning Oregonian, Feb 1, 1902, 12. University of Oregon Libraries.

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