New Status and Political Aspirations
May Arkwright Hutton in Wallace Society
With the success of the Hercules mine May and Levi Hutton rocketed up the social ladder in Wallace. They were too rich to ignore and doors of residents that had been offended by the rough, boisterous May Hutton began to inch open. The couple bought themselves a comfortable house and May decorated it with the expectation of much entertaining.
The rough edges of May were only dulled by her rise in society, they were not eliminated. Some were offended by her shocking language. Her choice of dress was usually the style with the most embellishment, verging on tacky. She possessed a formal education that ended at a fourth grade level, but she was well read and could be eloquent. She had passionate convictions about women’s place in society, the plight of the underdog, and the abuses of those who had the most power. She did not fit the mold of the Victorian woman at the time, she defied convention.
Her activities to support others had often included scathing attacks on those who were the most rich and powerful. Now she was one of those rich and powerful and some wondered if she would be as devoted to her causes and friends now that she was rich. If anything May became more active, working at a fever pitch to get things done. She wrote letters, editorials, and letters to the editor. She gave speeches and held meetings, often in her own home. She met those in need and continued her friendships with those considered to be in the bottom of Wallace society.
Local groups began to invite her to their gatherings. Then a progression of famous people made their way to her house in Wallace. The famous lawyer Clarence Darrow, Carrie Chapman Catt President of the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA), she even had dinner for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 when he was in Idaho campaigning. It was impossible to ignore the Huttons after such an event.
May was more than a reformer she was a political force. Her ambitions and natural leadership abilities led many to her door, she was a magnet for those seeking change and she relished the opportunity. In 1904 she was nominated by the Democratic Party for a position in the state legislature. She had many supporters during the election and when the votes were cast she was only eighty votes short, an impressive showing at any time even more so given the time period and persistent attitudes about women in politics.
Sources:
Arksey, Laura. “Hutton, May Arkwright (1860-1915).” History Link: The Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7547 (accessed March 8, 2009).
Horner, Patricia Voeller. “May Arkwright Hutton: Suffragist and politician.” in Women in Pacific Northwest History: An Anthology, ed. Karen J. Blair, 25-42. Seattle: University of Wasington Press, 1990.
Leinberger, Lisa. “Gravesite monument memorializes Huttons.” Spokesman Review, April 17, 2008.
Montgomery, James. Liberated Woman. Fairfield: Ye Galleon Press, 1985.
Schwantes, Carlos Arnaldo. The Pacific Northwest: An Interpretive History. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996.
Washington State Historical Society: Digital Collection. “May Arkwright Hutton Collection”. http://digitum.washingtonhistory.org/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/hutton (accessed March 8, 2009).
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