Philanthropist, lawyer and activist Marilla Marks Young Ricker brought attention to the cause of woman suffrage in 1870 when she attempted to register to vote in Dover.
Ricker argued that because she paid property taxes, she should be able to vote. Although her argument fell on deaf ears, Ricker continued to work for women’s rights throughout her life. She studied law and was admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C., where she often represented poor clients free of charge.
In 1889, she petitioned the state of New Hampshire to allow her to practice law. When she was denied, she successfully brought suit and opened the New Hampshire bar to female attorneys. To bring attention to women’s limited opportunities, Ricker also attempted to run for governor of New Hampshire and applied, unsuccessfully, for the ambassadorship to Colombia.
N.H. Historical Society