Estelle Turrell Smith (born October 30, 1854) was an American social reformer.

Early life

Estelle Turrell Smith was born in Forest Lake Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, on October 30, 1854. Her father's people were among the first settlers of Pennsylvania, emigrating at an early day from Connecticut. Her mother's family were Quakers. Her mother's maiden name was Gurney, and she was a descendant of

Joseph John Gurney Joseph John Gurney (2 August 1788 – 4 January 1847) was a banker in Norwich, England, and a member of the Gurney family of that city. He became an evangelical minister of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), whose views and actions le ...

and

Elizabeth Fry Elizabeth Fry (née Gurney; 21 May 1780 – 12 October 1845), sometimes referred to as Betsy Fry, was an English prison reformer, social reformer, philanthropist and Quaker. Fry was a major driving force behind new legislation to improve the tr ...

. In childhood Smith was thought old for her years, was fond of poetry and music, and delighted in the studies of natural science. She became early acquainted with the fauna and flora about her country home. Her studies commenced at home and were pursued in the

Montrose Academy Montrose Academy is a Mixed-sex education, coeducational secondary school in Montrose Angus. The School now teaches people from ages 11–18. It became a comprehensive school in the mid-fifties and was one of a pair of Scottish schools which for ...

Montrose, Pennsylvania Montrose is a borough in and the county seat of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The land is elevated approximately above sea level. History Montrose was laid out in 1812 in an area of Pennsylvania historically associated wi ...

Career

She started to teach when seventeen years of age, at the same time continuing her special studies, then among the masters of art and song. In 1875 she moved with her parents to

Longmont, Colorado Longmont is a home rule municipality located in Boulder and Weld counties, Colorado, United States. Its population was 98,885 . Longmont is located northeast of the county seat of Boulder. It is named after Longs Peak, a prominent mountain th ...

. She taught two years in the State Agricultural College in

Fort Collins, Colorado Fort Collins is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The population was 169,810 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an i ...

. After the death of her husband, she became more deeply interested in the problems of woman's progress. Having means and leisure at her command, she devoted much time to the study and support of social reforms. Her devotion to the work of reform and her frequent contributions to the press soon won for her a place as a leader. Soon after her second marriage, she was elected president of the Polk County Woman Suffrage Society. She was an efficient member of the State executive committee for four years, and president of the State Woman Suffrage Association of Iowa. At her instigation a series of mothers' mass meetings was held in Des Moines. The large City Hall was filled again and again, hundreds of women taking active part. Smith was chosen president of the meetings. Through those meetings a bill regulating the property rights of women was presented to the State legislature. In November 1896, she addressed the twenty-fifth annual convention of the association."Woman Suffrage Association", ''Sioux City Journal'' (November 19, 1896), p. 1.

Personal life

In 1875 she became the wife of P. M. Hinman, secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, who died a few years later. In 1884 she became the wife of Dr. A. B. Smith, of

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Estelle Turrell People from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania 1854 births Suffragists from Iowa Year of death missing Educators from Pennsylvania 19th-century American educators 19th-century American women educators