Josephine Anderson Pearson

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157175573/josephine-anderson-pe...

Educated at Gallatin Female College ca. 1880 Graduated with B.A. degree from Irving College in McMinnville, Tennessee 1886 Graduated with M.A. degree from Cumberland College in Lebanon, Tennessee Studied at Vanderbilt and the University of Missouri 1890-1894 Principal of High School in McMinnville, Tennessee 1895-1897 Principal of Nashville College for Young Ladies in Nashville, Tennessee 1896 Appointed Commissioner from Warren County to the Woman’s Board of the Tennessee Centennial 1897-1899 Held Chair of English at Winthrop State Normal College for Women in Rock Hill, South Carolina 1901-1908 Held an executive position in the Woman’s Congress at the Monteagle Assembly (Chatauqua) 1902-1908 Held Chair of History and English at Higbee School in Memphis, Tennessee 1909-1914 Dean and held Chair of Philosophy of Christian College, affiliated with the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri 1917-1920 President of the Tennessee State Association Opposed to Women’s Suffrage 1920 President of the Southern Woman’s League for Rejection of the Susan B. Anthony Amendment 1917-1922 Dean and held Chair of Philosophy and History at Southern Seminary in Buena Vista, Virginia 1923 June – Organized the course of study for the novices of the Anglican Convent at Fon du Lac, Wisconsin Dean and held Chair of Philosophy and History at March College in Staunton, Virginia 1931-1932 Taught English and Philosophy at St. Agnes College for Women and the Memphis Conservatory of Music in Memphis, Tennessee

https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/josephine-anderson-pearson/

Josephine A. Pearson, leader of the anti-suffrage movement in Tennessee during the 1920 fight for ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, was born in Gallatin. Pearson grew up in McMinnville, where she graduated from Irving College in 1890. She received her master’s degree in 1896 from Cumberland College and held several teaching and administrative positions across the state. In 1895 she was appointed as a commissioner to the Woman’s Board of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Pearson in the early twentieth century participated in the organization of the Dixie Highway Council of the Cumberland Divide. As president of its women’s auxiliary, Pearson lobbied for federal funds to be used for the building of the highway.

Pearson received her greatest recognition as president of and speaker for the Tennessee State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage and the Southern Woman’s League for the Rejection of the Susan B. Anthony Amendment. When Governor Albert Roberts called a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly to ratify the amendment in 1920, Pearson came to Nashville and worked actively during July and August to defeat the amendment. Pearson established her headquarters at the Hermitage Hotel and lobbied legislators to vote against ratification.

When the amendment was ratified, Pearson accepted the deanship of the Southern Seminary of Virginia where she also taught history and philosophy. Pearson lectured throughout the South and wrote numerous articles and books until her death in 1944. She is buried in the Monteagle Cemetery.