PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WROC) While many people know Susan B. Anthony lived and worked in Rochester while fighting for womens rights, local historians recently discovered the role of Pittsford women in the suffrage movement. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment and theyre celebrating by sharing the stories of some of these women.

The purple signs scattered around the village of Pittsford are all part of the walking tour which tells all about the women who founded the Pittsford Political Equality Club back in 1902. Historians said theres a lot about Pittsford women that has never been uncovered until now.

Vicki Profitt is the deputy town historian in Pittsford. She said when she was transferring records from one office to another, she came across the clubs minute book from 1902, the year it was established. She said shes been studying Pittsford families for years but something was always missing from her findings.

I began to realize all these years Ive been researching so much has been about the men and so little about their wives or other women in the community who werent married, Profitt said.

After finding the firsthand accounts, she and other town leaders put together the tour which highlights the 14 women in the club. There are 14 stops including their homes, church, and the town hall where they would hold meetings. Theres also a cemetery tour where 10 of the members are buried.

It gave us more of an insight into these women, some of them had one child some of them had 10 children and they were able to set aside their personal life for just a little while so they could meet and talk about how important it was for women to have the right to vote and work together.

While suffrage was a main goal, many of the women were also involved in the abolition and temperance causes. Profitt said this project inspired her to dig deeper and highlight the accomplishments of women in her work.

Sadly some of these women never lived to see the 19th amendment ratified and they were working toward that goal and as we know 1920 when it was finally ratified across the country was just an amazing time for these ladies and Im sorry some of them didnt get the chance to see that.

The self-guided tour is open to everyone and the signs will stay up for at least a few more weeks. The tour takes about an hour and a half.

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Firsthand accounts of 1902 womens political equality club discovered by Pittsford historians - RochesterFirst