Virginia Adaline "Jennie" Rugg
Virginia Amelia "Jennie" Rugg, who came from a wealthy family, was born in 1841 in
Newport Ky. daughter of Lyman H Rugg and Amelia Baxter. In the early 1880s, she
demanded the franchise for women. She was a delegate to the 1884 Kentucky Equal
Rights Association Convention.
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 3 October 1908, page 8
GIVE ME VOTE
Taxation without representation is tyranny" declared the fathers. So declares Miss Jennie Rugg, 523 York st. Newport Ky. Miss Rugg, who owns considerable property in Newport, is an active member of the Equal Rights Association, Covington, and has made several lecture tours throughout the country.
Thursday she appeared before the County Assessor of Newport to protest against an increase in the assessment of her property. She says that the increase was an arbitrary one. This has aroused her indignation to the point of testing the right of mere man to collect taxes of any character on property owned by a woman, when the woman is denied the right of voting. She will probably soon test the matter in the courts.
Miss Rugg's lecture, "Women and the Ballot," has attracted much attention. In it she arraigns man for saying that the ballot is unsafe in the hands of omen. She also says that the patriotism of the country depends almost entirely upon the teachings of the mothers and the so-called old maid school teachers.
In her earlier life, she says, her friends told her she should speak very sparingly of her hobby if she cared to win a husband. She replied that was not on the man hunt and that, while her name was Rugg, she was not the king to be walked on. Miss Rugg lives alone in her Newport home, remaining true to the promise she made her mother, also a suffragist, as she was dying, that she would never marry until the laws of Kentucky recognized the woman, in all respects, as being the equal of man.
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Kentucky Post, Tuesday, 6 October 1908, page 8
WOMEN MEET TO FIX TAXATION
All women property owners of Cincinnati are invited to attend a meeting of the Susan B Anthony Club, to be held at the Gibson House, Tuesday, 2:30 pm at which a formal protest against unjust taxation of women will be the special subject of discussion.
The action of Miss Jennie Rugg, 523 York st. Newport, in resisting what she declares to be excessive taxation of her property, has aroused her sister suffragists to action. Just what form this will take will be decided at Tuesday's meeting. "I believe that women should refuse to pay taxes where they are not allowed representation." said Dr. Sarah Siewers, President of the Susan B Anthony Club. "It is time we took a strong stand in the matter. Just what we will do will be decided Tuesday."
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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 7 October 1908, page 3
WOMEN ORGANIZE
The "Woman Taxpayers' League" is to be the name of the new organization, which is desired to be not only local, but national in its scope. Miss Jennie Rugg, Newport, led the crusade with a strong appeal to her sister suffragists to resist not only unduly high assessments, but also all payments of taxes until they secure their rights. "I am a Colonial Dame and a Daughter of the Revolution," declared Miss Rugg.
"My grandfathers fought King George rather than pay unjust taxes, and I too, will resist this injustice with all my strength."
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 20 March 1909, page 5
WOMEN TO PETITION CONGRESS
Miss Jennie Rugg of of the most active of suffragettes, is circulation a petition in Campbell co. which is to be presented to Congress asking that body to pass a bill granting women the right to vote. The petition avers that all citizens over 21 years of age should be given the opportunity to exercise the right of suffrage. It is her purpose to secure a million signatures to the petition.
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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 30 Nov 1911, page 2
Miss Virginia A Rugg of Newport, one of the most ardent suffragists in Kentucky, and one of the leaders of the movement in this country, has composed a "suffragist song" entitled, "The New Dixie Land" and sung to the tune of Dixie. Miss Rugg is a well known resident of Newport, hving lived there for many years. She is a sister of Lieut. Charles Rugg, former well known resident of Newport, who gained distinction in the Civil War.
Miss Rugg is a Kentuckian by birth and has been an ardent suffragist all her life. She is a member of the Covington Equal Rights Association, the Franchise Club of New York City, and the Susan B Anthony Club of Cincinnati. She has contributed other songs to the cause. Miss Rugg gained national reputation by her answer to one of the last statements made by Susan B Anthony. Miss Anthony said; "If I have lived to any purpose, carry on the work I have to lay down."
Miss Rugg's answer was; "The work that you have laid down, my friend, we'll carry on to the end."
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Virginia Amelia "Jennie" Rugg 1923 Obituary