The Scarsdale Matriarchs You’ve Never Heard Of

Written By Leslie Chang, Trustee, Scarsdale Historical Society and Associate Scarsdale Village Historian • Scarsdale Business Beat, March 2025 • VOL. 2, No. 2

The Scarsdale Matriarchs You’ve Never Heard Of

Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the extraordinary women who have helped shape Scarsdale’s history— From civic leaders to philanthropists, educators to entrepreneurs, these matriarchs played a pivotal role in shaping the town’s character and progress. This month, we celebrate four of the Scarsdale women who established the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club, trailblazers whose impact continues to resonate today.

It’s hard to imagine that only men were allowed to vote in Scarsdale’s first election for a “president” (before mayors). Frank H. Bethell of Heathcote won the election, but his wife Florence wouldn’t accept New York State’s discriminatory voting system without a fight. In fact, she had already established the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club with a tight circle of formidable friends. The club was only the beginning of their vast contributions to the Village. Thanks to recent research at the Scarsdale Historical Society, we can now give these trailblazers proper recognition by sharing their stories.

The Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club began in 1914, with a mission to further the interests of women’s voting rights, overcome indifference and win male votes on the upcoming 1915 New York State suffrage referendum. According to the club minutes, there was local resistance to women’s suffrage. They conducted a poll via mail to everyone in Scarsdale, and just over half of respondents were in favor of suffrage. The remaining respondents were either uncertain or against suffrage, and they expressed fears of: “overburdening” women, dissolving the “traditional” household, and “increasing the unintelligent vote.”

The women formulated a strategic plan to accomplish their mission. By canvassing the streets, passing out literature and hosting fundraising events, they worked tirelessly to educate locals and overcome indifference. The suffrage amendment was voted down that year, but the women continued their campaign.

The Scarsdale suffragists’ cause was closely tied to community service. When the U.S entered World War I in 1917, the club adopted the motto “Suffrage Through Service.” By making sacrifices and massive contributions to the war effort, suffragists demonstrated their capacity and reliability as citizens. The club helped conduct the state military census for the county, fundraised for the Red Cross, and even started a community farm to bolster the wartime food supply. The Scarsdale Community Farm was on 25 acres around Wayside Cottage, thanks to Emily Butler who loaned the land from her estate. The farm inspired the nation and earned recognition from U.S. President Wilson.

Women’s contributions to the war effort accelerated the progress of the suffrage movement. Scarsdale women like Florence, Josephine and Bella campaigned far beyond the borders of this Village. They fundraised, worked with state and national leaders (like New Rochelle’s Carrie Chapman Catt), traveled to conventions, and marched in parades. Their activism paid off, as New York State was one of the first states to pass a statewide suffrage referendum in 1917.

The women had achieved their suffrage goal, and weren’t ready to give up their momentum as change-makers. In 1918, the women pivoted to form the Scarsdale Woman’s Club. One of their first causes was resurrecting the defunct Scarsdale Inquirer. The club operated the newspaper for 40 years, often as the only newspaper in the United States solely staffed by women.

The suffragists and members of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club sparked or expanded many of Scarsdale’s most prominent civic and community organizations, many of which are thriving today. The organizations include: the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale, the Scarsdale Nursing Association, the Scarsdale Foundation, the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Services, the Girl Scouts, the Scarsdale Women’s Exchange, Friends of the Scarsdale Library, and the Scarsdale Art Association.

Until now, these village matriarchs have been virtually “faceless” in the Village record. There were very few photos of them, and we often had trouble finding their first names (based on the convention of using husbands’ names). In producing our new documentary Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists, we used some creative research strategies to uncover all new photographs and stories. We tracked down long-lost relatives all over the country in search of details and photos about our documentary subjects. Today, we can celebrate a few of the women with newly uncovered details about their lives.

Florence Bethell (1873-1956)

Florence Hartstuff was born in Nebraska, and moved to Scarsdale around 1912 with her husband Frank. He was one of the pioneers of the American telephone system and worked with Alexander Graham Bell. Florence was at the forefront of all of Scarsdale’s suffrage activities in the 1910s, and the first President of the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club. At her home at 16 Heathcote Road, she hosted teas, bridge parties, and even a suffrage convention for 125 people. Guests included many prominent suffragist leaders, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s daughter, Mrs. T. H. Lawrence.

• President of the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club
• Suffrage leader of the Second Assembly District of Westchester
• A founder and President of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club
• Leader of Club’s project to take over the Scarsdale Inquirer in 1919
• Founder of League of Women Voters of Scarsdale and a founder of the Westchester County branch

Josephine Winslow (1871-1926)

Josephine Valentine Winslow, aka Mrs. Willard Winslow of Scarsdale was the son of a New York City merchant and woolen manufacturer. She moved to Scarsdale in 1903 with her husband, a lumber importer and wholesaler Their home at 16 School Lane became today’s 3 Winslow Place after the street was named after them.

In comparison to her dear friend Florence who thrived in the spotlight, Josephine was the business backbone of many of Scarsdale’s early enterprises.

• Secretary of the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club
• One of first female commissioners of the Westchester County Park Commission
• Trustee of the Scarsdale School District, 1919-1922
• A charter member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club
• Secretary, Supreme Council of the Girl Scouts of Westchester County
• Office manager of the Scarsdale Community Farm during WWI
• Purchasing agent of supplies for Westchester County Government during WWI

Sadly, Josephine passed away suddenly at 55 of pneumonia. Florence Bethell was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “Much of all the glory that is ours in Scarsdale is due to her quiet, modest, self-effacing work.” Thirty-one crabapple trees at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club were planted in memory of her untimely death. We hear that some are still thriving on the club grounds by Drake Road, and will watch for them to blossom this spring.

Bella Montgomery (1865 – 1939)

Born in New York City, Bella Immen was the daughter of a civil war veteran and wife of C. William, a real estate broker. They moved to 34 Drake Road in 1902. As a finance-minded leader, one of her biggest roles was serving as the longtime treasurer of the League of Women Voters of Westchester. This newspaper quote from a Suffrage Club thrift sale gives us a glimpse of her no-nonsense attitude: “If three of you want that $1.50 bargain, the price is $2.50.”

If this list of leadership roles is any indication, we can see why the Scarsdale Inquirer called her one of Scarsdale’s “most prominent women.”

• A founding member of the Scarsdale Equal Suffrage Club
• A charter member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club
• Treasurer of the League of Women Voters of Westchester County for 13+ years
• Chair of the Club’s Scarsdale Inquirer Reporters Committee
• Member of the Westchester County Democratic Committee for 50 years
• Vice-Chair of the Scarsdale Democratic Committee
• Member of the American committee for the League of Nations Exhibit at the New York World’s Fair

Edna Walker (1876-1964)

Edna Morse Walker Jackson, aka “Mona”, was related to the same Morse that invented Morse Code and the telegraph (Samuel F. B. Morse). She was married to Roberts Walker (a prominent railroad lawyer and dear friend of President Hoover) until his death at age 52. In 1906, they purchased a large estate at today’s 100 Old Army Road in Edgemont. Also known as “Four-Way Lodge,” it once stretched across 6 acres. She married Percy Jackson in 1932. Some of her leadership roles include:

• Delegate to the National Republican Convention in June 1924
• Uniformed driver for the Red Cross Motor Corps
• Professional artist with proceeds donated to the Red Cross
• One of earliest female commissioners of the Westchester County Park Commission
• A charter member of the Scarsdale Woman’s Club
• Hosted many fundraisers at her home for causes related to the Red Cross, suffrage, and politics

Want to see more?

Our new documentary Women Rising: The Scarsdale Suffragists can be viewed here. A Scarsdale Suffragists exhibit is on display through February in the local history center of Scarsdale Public Library. For more Scarsdale history, visit our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

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Special Thanks To:

Pamela Coker
Andres Calandria
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
Lisa and Michael MacKenty
The Montgomery Family
Robert and Jim Newsom
Scarsdale Public Library
Scarsdale Woman’s Club