Emma Gillett Oglesby
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February 11, 1845
Emma Susan Gillett Oglesby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lady of Illinois | |
| In office January 16, 1865 – January 11, 1869 | |
| Governor | Richard J. Oglesby |
| Succeeded by | Malinda Ann Neely Palmer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Emma Susan Gillett February 11, 1845 Cornland, Illinois, US |
| Died | January 14, 1928 (aged 82) Elkhart, Logan County, Illinois, US |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Richard J. Oglesby |
| Children | Hiram Gillett Keays, John G. Oglesby, Richard James Oglesby Jr., Jasper Oglesby, Felicite Oglesby, Olive Oglesby, Robert Oglesby, Emma Oglesby |
| Parent(s) | John Dean Gillett and Lemira Parke Gillett |
| Relatives | William Barnes, Isabelle P. Vennigerholz |
| Occupation | Socialite, activist |
Emma Susan Gillett Oglesby (February 11, 1845 – January 14, 1928) was an American social leader, anti-suffragist activist, and the wife of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby.
As the First Lady of Illinois, Oglesby was a prominent figure in state and national social circles, known for her extensive hospitality and involvement in various civic activities, including the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
She was also a vocal opponent of women's suffrage, serving as the 2nd vice-president of the Illinois Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. Oglesby married twice and had eight children.
Early life
Emma Susan Gillett was born on February 11, 1845, in Cornland, Illinois. She was the daughter of John Dean Gillett (1819–1888), a prominent cattle baron, and Lemira Parke Gillett (1821–1901).[1]
She received a well-rounded education. Until the age of sixteen, she attended public schools. Her father then arranged for her to be tutored by his cousin, a scholar of the classics, who guided her through a rigorous course of reading that included works by Shakespeare, Plutarch, Rollin, Gibbon, Guizot, Motley, Bancroft, and others. This early exposure to classical literature fostered a lifelong love of reading.[2]
Later life
She married Governor Richard J. Oglesby, and the couple lived in Washington, D.C., during his terms as governor and U.S. senator before returning to Illinois in 1884.[3]
As the state's First Lady, Oglesby was a prominent figure both in Illinois and nationally. She was a social leader, a board director for the World's Columbian Exposition, and gained further recognition through her international travels.[3]
She was renowned for her extensive hospitality at Oglehurst, the family estate near Elkhart, particularly her annual Christmas dinners for the estate's tenants. The estate was also known for its impressive collection of artworks from around the world and for hosting numerous high-profile guests.[2]
Oglesby actively participated in social and state activities, including serving on the National Woman's Committee for the 1893 World's Fair.[2]
Anti-suffragist activism
In 1897, Caroline Fairfield Corbin, a Chicago homemaker, founded the Illinois Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women (IAOESW). Her organization contended that women should remain in their traditional domestic roles, allowing men to legislate on their behalf.[4]
On April 1, 1898, Oglesby attended an IAOESW meeting at her former residence at Decatur, alongside Corbin. The residence is now owned by Mary Elizabeth (Morrison) Bering. Corbin argued against women's suffrage, asserting that men were uniquely suited to fight for freedom and that women, when protected from temptations, had not proven morally superior. She believed women's involvement in politics would lead to increased immorality and intrigue.[4]
Emma Oglesby served as the 2nd vice-president of the organization. In April 1909, they sent a broadside to the Illinois General Assembly.[5]