Program

National Votes for Women Trail

Subject

People

Location

121 Sycamore Rd, Lexington, KY 40502, USA

Lat/Long

38.0297482, -84.4808959

Grant Recipient

National Collaborative for Women's History Sites

Just outside of Lexington, Kentucky lies the historic estate of Henry Clay, also known as Ashland. Henry Clay Sr. (1777-1852) had an extensive political career.  He serviced as a US representative and senator from the state of Kentucky and additionally as Secretary of State. Following Clay’s death, his home remained in the family and eventually became the childhood home of his great granddaughter, Madeline McDowell Breckinridge (1872-1920). The daughter of Henry Clay McDowell, Madeline grew up to be an active social reformer and an ardent supporter of woman’s suffrage, serving as the President of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. Ashland was not only Madeline’s childhood home, but was also the site of several suffrage conventions in 1915 and 1920 held by the Kentucky Equal Rights Association.