Hazle Buck Ewing was born on December 25, 1880 in Cleveland, Ohio to O.J. and Lillian Brewer Buck. A few weeks after her birth the family moved to the Auburn Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Hazle’s father was a partner of Wrigley Gum Company. Hazle attended the University of Chicago, graduating in 1902 with a degree in philosophy. After her marriage to Davis Ewing in 1907, Hazle moved to Bloomington, Illinois to be close to family and her husband’s business, The Davis Ewing Concrete Company.
Hazle passionately supported many causes over her lifetime. She joined the women’s suffrage movement in 1915 and devoted the next four years to working with local, state, and national leaders to help secure voting rights for women by writing letters and articles, organizing and attending conferences, and providing financial support. Hazle was a lifelong member of the Bloomington League of Women Voters, encouraging women to be informed and active citizens in government. This digital collection brings together materials created and collected by Hazle during her fight for women’s rights. It reflects the wider social context of the period and provides a valuable window into the networks and tactics of early 20th century suffrage activists.
Hazle Buck Ewing died on August 29, 1969 at the age of 88. She voted in every election from 1920 until she was too ill to leave her home.