Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920
Biography of Mrs Annie R Wood, 1834-1906
By Alice Symington, History Major, University of California Santa Barbra.
A director of The Woman's Remedial Institute of Oakland, President of Alameda Suffrage Club, President of the California Suffrage Association, Leader of the National American Women's Suffrage Association California, a director of the California Equal Suffrage Association.
Annie R. Wood was born in Pennsylvania, August 1834 (maiden name probably Rogers). In 1855 she married Charles L. Wood, from Ohio. Shortly after their marriage, the couple would move to Alameda, California where they would have three children and live for the rest of their known lives.
Before Annie R Wood became involved in suffrage, she was a fourth grade schoolteacher. After receiving her educational diploma in 1887 Annie R Wood taught at local schools around Alameda County such as Prescott Grammar School, Durrant School (1888) and Garfield school (1890).
Annie R Wood's introduction to political activism was with the temperance movement in northern California. In 1894, Annie R. Wood became a director of The Woman's Remedial Institute of Oakland. The institution aimed to assist women who had problems with alcohol and drugs and encouraged abstinence and recovery. Working on the committee, Annie R Wood was introduced to contemporary female political activists, whom she followed into the suffrage movement over the course of the next decade.
Already familiar with prominent suffrage figures, Annie R. Wood transitioned quickly into the political movement. At Shattuck Hall, 1896, the Woman's Suffrage Association hosted its convention for the prominent ladies of Berkeley. Wood represented Alameda Suffrage Club as its president and spoke at the convention.
In the 1900 State convention at Golden Gate Hall, San Francisco, Wood was elected president of the California Suffrage Association. She remained in office for the next four years, based on annual re-elections. Wood reported an increase of suffrage membership during her time as president. Annie R Wood presided over the 1901 State convention of the California Woman's Suffrage Association (CWSA), attended by more than 200 women, including delegates from all over the state and as well as numerous suffrage sympathisers.
Working alongside Susan B. Anthony, Annie R. Wood was involved with the petitioning for a federal sixteenth amendment. During the Women's Tax protest in June 1901, Wood headed the organization as the leader of the National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in California. The movement encouraged its members to file a protest when paying taxes because women had no legal representation.
Annie R Wood's dedication to suffrage was centred on equal rights. In 1904, she continued her suffrage campaign as a director with the California Equal Suffrage Association where she also worked alongside notable leaders like Ellen C. Sargent and Alice L. Park, demanding equal rights.
The last suffrage-related activity for which we have a surviving record is Annie Wood's participation in securing incorporation for the California Woman Suffrage Association in 1904. Consistent with that absence, Annie Rogers Wood died in February 1906, with a residence noted in Alameda and her husband and daughter named. She was 73 at the time and did not live to see California women enfranchised in 1911. Still her decade of activism contributed to the ultimate success of woman suffrage.
Sources:
1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Accessed April 15, 2020.
'Berkeley's Word for the Women," The San Francisco Call, (21 May, 1896) Retrieved (CDNC.com)
"California Women Talk Over Plans to Secure the Full Rights of Citizenship," The San Francisco Examiner (19 October 1901) p.8 (Newspapers.com)
"Californian Women Pay Their Taxes Under Protest," Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXVIII, Number 245, 2 June 1901. Retrieved (cdnc.ucr.edu)
"Campaign for Equal Rights Commenced," The Oakland Graphic (23 Oct., 1901), p. 2
"DECIDE: Select a Favourite School Teacher," Oakland Tribune, (05 October 1891) p. 1 (Newspapers.com)
"Educational Matters," The Record-Union, (11 Aug. 1887) p. 3 (Newspapers.com)
"Equal Suffragists Prepare for Campaign," The San Francisco Examiner, (17 March 104), p. 12 Newspapers.com)
"For Women's Rights," San Francisco Chronicle (18 October 1902), p.5 (Newspapers.com)
"Garfield School" Oakland Tribune, (30 May 1890), p. 6 (Newspapers.com)
Harper, Ida Husted. "Chapter IV: California," History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. 6: 1900-1920, New York: National American Woman Suffrage Association, (1922) [LINK]d
"Officers Submit Encouraging Reports and Clever Women Read Papers That Are Barren of Usual Dry-as-Dust Detail," The San Francisco Examiner, (25 October 1902), p. 2 (Newspapers.com)
"Report of Superintendent of public instruction, Educational Diplomas-" continued (p219) signed by Annie R. Wood (Aug, 08/ 1893), Journals of the Legislature of the State of California, Volume 1, By California. Legislature. 1889.
"Suffragists Denounce Superior Judge Sloss," The Evening Mail, (19 Oct. 1901), p. 6 (Newspapers.com)
"The Teachers: Sessions of Institute of Alameda County," (28 March., 1888) Oakland Tribune p. 1. (Newspapers.com)
"Twenty Years Ago, Today," Oakland Tribune, (15 April 1914), p. 6 (Newspapers.com)
"Twenty Years Ago," San Francisco Examiner, (15 May 1924), p. 7 (Newspapers.com)
"Want Equal Suffrage," San Francisco Call, Volume 95, Number 169, 17 May 1904 (CDNC)
"Woman's Remedial Institute," The Weekly Bee, (18 April 1894), p. 3 (Newspapers.com)
"Woman's Suffrages," San Diego Union and Daily Bee (20 October 1901) (CDNC.ucr.edu)
U.S City Directories and obituary for Annie Rogers Wood, Feb. 14, 1906 (Ancestry.com)