Marietta Lizzie Bell Stow, 1830? (New York State) – December 27, 1902 (Oakland, Calif.)
VP candidate for Equal Rights Party (aka National Equal Rights Party) (1884)
VP candidate for National Woman Suffragists' Party (1892)
Running mate with nominee 1884: Belva Ann Lockwood (1830-1917)
Running mate with nominee 1892: Victoria Woodhull-Martin (1838-1927)
Popular vote 1884: 4194 (0.04%)
Popular vote 1892: 0 (0%)
Electoral vote 1884: 0/401
Electoral vote 1892: 0/444
The campaign 1884:
This is the first presidential campaign in American history with two women on the ticket, and the first where a female is running for Vice-President.
The Equality Party Platform called for, among others things, equal rights for all Americans regardless of race, gender, or place of birth. The language was anti-alcohol but stopped short of prohibition. They called for an end to Indian reservations on humane grounds. And they urged a stronger civil service policy.
Stow was not exactly on board with the Party on a couple issues. She was caught up in the anti-Chinese racist hysteria of the 1880s and she took a libertarian view toward alcohol.
Groups of men would appear at Equality Party campaign events dressed in "Mother Hubbard" attire in order to mock the female candidates.
The Equality Party received over 4000 votes from eight states. Lockwood petitioned Congress after the election to look into what she charged was voter fraud in some jurisdictions and that her popular vote was actually much higher.
The campaign 1892:
The National Woman Suffragists' Nominating Convention selected Victoria Woodhull-Martin and Marietta Stow on Sept. 21, 1892. Since Woodhull-Martin was actually a resident of England by this time in her life, it is no wonder the 1892 campaign didn't really go anywhere.
Election history:
1880 - San Francisco School Director (Calif.) (Greenback Party) -
defeated
1882 - Governor of California (Women's Independent Political Party) -
defeated
Other occupations: teacher, President of San Francisco Women's Suffrage Association 1869, author, newspaper publisher, editor, lecturer.
Buried: ?
Notes:
Formed the Women's Independent Political Party in 1881.
Became an activist to revise probate law in favor of gender equality after the death of her husband
Joseph Washington Stow on Aug. 11, 1874.
"Bell" was the surname of her first (apparently divorced) husband, Ezekial F. Bell. Their son Frank
Arthur Bell died at age four May 18, 1855 from scarlet fever.
Born Marietta Lois Beers daughter of Wakeman Beers and Lois (Louise) Wood.
Died from breast cancer.
Stow convinced Lockwood to accept the nomination for President.
Was raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area.
Attended Oberlin College with her sisters Harriet and Salome where they were known as "The Three Graces."
Earliest person to run for third party Vice-President twice.
Massachusetts has also been given as her birthplace.
Co-editor of a quarterly entitled
Frolic. "Mrs. Marietta L. Stow, who has just started a paper in Oakland, Cal., is nearly sixty years old, and she gives this breezy sketch of herself: "She set every type in this number of
Frolic, took and corrected all the proof, and locked up the forms ready for the pressman. She never had but twenty minutes instruction in printing, and that after she was fifty years of age, and none in proof-reading, as the many typographical errors will bear witness. After celebrating her sixtieth birthday she will set type in the morning, swing on the gate, play games, and ride on her tricycle in the afternoon, and 'laugh and grow fat' in the evening. She only weighs 200 pounds now, and never had the toothache."
