Imogen LaChance (, Hanscom; November 22, 1853 – August 1938) was an American social reformer active in the

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders emph ...

for 60 years. She served as president of the

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

State

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international Temperance movement, temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social ref ...

(W.C.T.U.). She was also an advocate of

woman suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

and gained a wide acquaintance throughout Arizona as a result of her activity in various movements.

Early life and education

Imogen (or Imogene) Florence Hanscom was born in

Sheboygan, Wisconsin Sheboygan () is a city in and the county seat of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 49,929 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...

, November 22, 1853. Her father, Dudley Marvin Hanscom (1821-1862), a prominent merchant of that city, died when she was seven years old. Four years later, her mother, Elizabeth (nee Pickering; 1830-1916), married Professor William Owen Butler (1829-1913), principal of one of the schools of Sheboygan at that time. Butler took charge of LaChance's education.

Career

LaChance became a teacher, serving in

Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, ...

during the period of 1870–72. On March 24, 1872, in Wausau, she married Leander LaChance (1842-1910), a merchant of Wausau. In that city, the couple joined the

Independent Order of Good Templars The International Organisation of Good Templars (IOGT; founded as the Independent Order of Good Templars), whose international body is known as Movendi International, is a fraternal organization which is part of the temperance movement, promotin ...

. In 1877, they moved to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, where she became interested in W.C.T.U. work. After uniting with the Chicago Central W.C.T.U., LaChance worked with

Frances Willard Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard (September 28, 1839 – February 17, 1898) was an American educator, temperance reformer, and women's suffragist. Willard became the national president of Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in 1879 ...

, assisting in the mission work at Bethel Home and at

Des Plaines Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after the ...

. In 1887, they moved to

Merrill, Wisconsin Merrill is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located to the south of and adjacent to the Town of Merrill. The population was 9,347, according to the 2020 census. Merrill is part of the United Sta ...

, and there she organized and superintended Senior and Junior

Loyal Temperance Legion The Loyal Temperance Legion was the children's branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Its slogan was "Tremble, King Alcohol, We Shall Grow Up". It published an English-language newspaper for children called ''The Young Crusader' ...

as well as serving as president of the local W.C.T.U. They came to the Arizona Territory in 1895, where LaChance worked in the interest of temperance. In 1900, she was elected to the office of Arizona territorial president, holding the office till 1912. In 1914, she was elected president of the Arizona state W.C.T.U., holding that office until she retired in 1923. Under her leadership, the work prospered, LaChance being a firm believer in the principles of temperance and the final prohibition of the liquor traffic. For many years, particularly while serving as State President, she gave to the work her attention, time and money. At retirement, she was given the title of president ''emeritus'' of the state's W.C.T.U. She was also an ardent advocate of women's suffrage, believing that all taxpayers should have the right to vote.

Personal life

Mr. and Mrs. LaChance had three children, Marie, Ethel and Leander. She lived in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the o ...

since 1895. In failing health the last two years of her life, Imogen LaChance died at her daughter's home in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

, August 1938.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:LaChance, Imogen 1853 births 1938 deaths Woman's Christian Temperance Union people American temperance activists People from Sheboygan, Wisconsin Activists from Arizona Arizona Territory officials