Sarah Platt Decker

Sarah Platt Decker (1855–1912) was known nationwide for her advocacy of women’s suffrage and social reform. Her influence was instrumental in the 1893 vote that gave Colorado women equal suffrage. She later became the founder and first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver. Then she served as president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which evolved under her leadership to become a national platform for women’s issues. In addition to working for social reform, she also championed conservation and successfully pushed for the establishment of Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in 1906.

Early Life

Sarah Sophia Chase was born on October 1, 1855, in McIndoe Falls, Vermont. She was the fifth of seven children born to Edwin and Lydia (Adams) Chase. The family moved to Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts, where her father owned a lumber and paper mill.

Sarah’s mother was a descendant of the famous Adams family of Massachusetts. Her father was a prominent antislavery and temperance advocate. He was a passionate orator known as “the fighting deacon.” Sarah, too, became involved in social reform. As a young woman, she was named a trustee of a fund for the poor of Mt. Holyoke. Helping the less fortunate became her lifelong passion.

Sarah’s formal schooling ended when she graduated from high school. In 1875, at age twenty, she married Charles B. Harris, a Mt. Holyoke merchant. When he died two years later, she experienced the lack of legal rights that women faced at the time. All her possessions were divided among members of her husband’s family. Many of the items were wedding gifts or things she had inherited from her own family. She was left with only one-third of her possessions, known as “a widow’s third.” She was so distressed and disgusted that she dropped her husband’s last name. The experience helped cement her lifelong beliefs in women’s suffrage and legal rights for women.

In 1884, at age twenty-eight, she met and married Colonel James H. Platt, a Civil War veteran, physician, and three-term US congressman from Virginia. They lived briefly in Queens, New York, where they worked at the Mineola Children’s Home and where Sarah became involved in the child-welfare movement. In 1885 their only child, Harriet Platt, was born.

Move to Denver

In 1887 the Platts moved to Denver, where James founded a paper mill and Sarah became involved in civic life. In 1893, for example, she led the relief efforts for Coloradans devastated by the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Mines across the state were closed. She helped the city provide a tent camp for the unemployed and relief for those affected.

She was a powerful campaigner for the referendum that won the vote for Colorado women in 1893. In her obituary many years later, the Rocky Mountain News assigned her “a great share of the credit” for the victory.

With suffrage achieved, Platt extended her influence into other areas of political and social reform. In 1896 she worked for presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and gained recognition as an organizer and speaker. She remained involved in local civic affairs throughout her life. She served on the Colorado State Board of Pardons, the State Board of Charities and Corrections, the Advisory Board of the Denver County Hospital, and the Child Labor League.

The Woman’s Club of Denver

Platt found her true calling when she became involved in the women’s club movement. Starting in the mid-1800s, women’s clubs had become a popular way for women to meet. The clubs provided them with an intellectual and social outlet.

 By the 1890s, these clubs were changing and becoming groups that worked on social issues. Platt played a key role in this transition, especially in Colorado. In 1894 she was elected the first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver, which united women’s clubs across Denver under a single organization.

Under Platt’s leadership, club members throughout Denver were asked to consider “women’s work” to be the improvement of society. She instituted standing committees on public service, city improvement, temperance, public health, civil service, and legislation.

Denver benefited from this new agenda as women’s clubs moved into the public realm. For example, women’s clubs opened libraries, set up playgrounds for children, established night classes and English-language classes for immigrant workers, opened free employment bureaus, sought to end child labor, offered medical care for the poor, and opened nursery schools.

In 1896 Platt won acclaim for her speech at the convention of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in Kentucky.  She emphasized the importance of social service work and cited the work being done in Colorado. Two years later, the Woman’s Club of Denver hosted the federation’s convention. Platt’s ability to manage the conference and an inspiring speech vaulted her to national attention. She was elected vice president of the General Federation that year.

During this time, Platt suffered significant losses at home. In 1894 James Platt died in a boating accident. Five years later, she married Judge Westbrook S. Decker, a friend of her late husband and the attorney for his estate. In 1902 she declined to run for president of the General Federation, perhaps out of concerns for her husband’s health. Judge Decker died in 1903. Thus, by the age of forty-eight, she had outlived all three of her husbands.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs

After Judge Decker’s death, Sarah Platt Decker accepted the presidency of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and served two terms, from 1904 to 1908. Established in 1890, the General Federation served as an umbrella group for thousands of women’s clubs that represented more than 1 million women by 1910. Decker expanded the organization into a national force and a voice for American women. She travelled extensively, visiting more than forty state federations. She delivered speeches lauded for their wit, wisdom, and common sense. She also reached beyond the federation by publishing articles that made her widely known and admired.

One of Decker’s lasting contributions to the federation was the establishment of the Bureau of Information, which collected and distributed reports of club activities across the nation. The bureau facilitated communication between clubs and forged a closer link between the General Federation and individual clubs.

Decker also enlarged the federation’s range of interest and activism. Civil service reform, public education, child labor, juvenile justice, and public health were high on her agenda. Other issues tackled by the General Federation during Decker’s presidency centered on women’s lives at home. These concerns included promoting home economics classes in public schools; national lobbying to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act to protect the public from misrepresentation of food, drugs, and cosmetics; and dress reform to allow women to wear practical-yet-modest clothing that did not restrict their movement.

Finally, Decker believed in the conservation of national resources. She inspired women in the federation to advocate for new state and national parks. Her signature achievement was the establishment of Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in 1906. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt invited Decker to attend the Governors’ Conference on Conservation of Natural Resources at the White House where she was the only female delegate.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1908 Decker stepped down from the presidency of the General Federation but maintained her active involvement in the organization. She chaired committees, gave speeches, and advocated for a variety of issues. She also remained active in Colorado and Denver politics, and helped to establish the liberal Citizen’s Party.

In early 1912, some Coloradans suggested Decker as a candidate for the US Senate. A few even proposed her as a potential presidential candidate. At a time when only a handful of western states, including Colorado, allowed women the vote, it was extraordinary for a woman to be considered for national political office. She was seen as a strong contender for the Senate nomination, but it was not to be.

In July 1912, she was in San Francisco for the General Federation’s biennial convention when she collapsed from an abdominal obstruction. Despite emergency surgery, Decker died two days later at the age of fifty-six.

Decker’s death was front-page news in Colorado and across the nation. She was the first woman to be given the honor of lying in state in the Colorado State Capitol. Flags were lowered to half-mast and government offices closed for her funeral. Three Colorado governors—including the sitting governor, John Shafroth—served as her pallbearers. In a tribute to Decker, former governor Alva Adams declared, “She was the most popular and perhaps the greatest citizen of the state.” Women’s clubs across the country mourned her passing.

The Decker Branch of the Denver Public Library, which opened in 1913, was named in her honor. It is located at the corner of Platt Park, whose name honors her second husband. The University of Northern Colorado offers a Sarah Platt Decker Memorial Scholarship for female students interested in social justice. In 1990 Decker was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

Sarah Platt Decker (1855–1912) was known across America for her advocacy of women’s suffrage and social reform. She was an important leader in the 1893 vote that gave Colorado women the vote. This is called equal suffrage. She became the founder and first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver. Then she served as president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. Under her leadership it became a national platform for women’s issues and social reform. She championed conservation and helped to push for the establishment of Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in1906.

Early Life

Sarah Sophia Chase was born on October 1, 1855, in McIndoe Falls, Vermont. She was the fifth of seven children born to Edwin and Lydia (Adams) Chase. The family moved to Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts, where her father owned a lumber and paper mill.

Sarah’s mother was a descendant of the famous Adams family of Massachusetts. Her father was a prominent antislavery and temperance advocate. He was a passionate speaker known as “the fighting deacon.” Sarah, also, became involved in social reform. As a young woman, she was named a trustee of a fund for the poor of Mt. Holyoke. Helping the less fortunate became her lifelong passion.

Sarah’s schooling ended when she graduated from high school. In 1875, at age twenty, she married Charles B. Harris, a Mt. Holyoke merchant. When he died two years later, she experienced the lack of legal rights that women faced at the time. All her possessions were divided among members of her husband’s family. Many of the items were wedding gifts or things she had inherited from her own family. She was left with only one-third of her possessions, known as “a widow’s third.” She was so upset that she dropped her husband’s last name. The experience helped cement her lifelong beliefs in suffrage and legal rights for women.

In 1884, at age twenty-eight, she met and married Colonel James H. Platt. He was a Civil War veteran, physician, and US congressman from Virginia. They lived in Queens, New York, where they worked at a children’s home. In 1885, their only child, Harriet Platt, was born.

Move to Denver

In 1887 the Platts moved to Denver, where James founded a paper mill. Sarah became involved in Denver’s civic life. In 1893, she helped Coloradans devastated by the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Mines across the state were closed. She helped the city provide a tent camp and relief for the unemployed.

She became an influential voice for suffrage for women in Colorado. In 1893, women got the vote in Colorado. In her obituary, the Rocky Mountain News said that Platt had “a great share of the credit” for the victory.

Platt extended her influence into other areas of political and social reform. In 1896 she worked for presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and gained recognition as an organizer and speaker. She remained involved in local affairs throughout her life. She served on the Colorado State Board of Pardons, the State Board of Charities and Corrections, the Advisory Board of the Denver County Hospital, and the Child Labor League.

The Woman’s Club of Denver

Platt found her true calling when she became involved in the women’s club movement. Starting in the mid-1800s, women’s clubs were a popular way for women to have intellectual and social interactions.

By the 1890s, these clubs were changing. They began to work on social issues. Platt played a key role in this transition, especially in Colorado. In 1894 she was elected the first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver. This group united women’s clubs across Denver under a single organization.

Under Platt’s leadership, club members worked toward the improvement of society. She created committees on public service, city improvement, temperance, public health, civil service, and legislation.

Women’s clubs worked to improve the Denver community. For example, they opened libraries, set up playgrounds for children, established night classes and English-language classes for immigrant workers. They opened employment bureaus, sought to end child labor, offered medical care for the poor, and opened nursery schools.

In 1896 Platt gave a speech at the convention of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in Kentucky. The speech emphasized the importance of clubs’ social service work and cited the work being done in Colorado. Two years later, the Woman’s Club of Denver hosted the convention. Platt’s ability to manage the conference and another inspiring speech vaulted her to national attention. She was elected vice president of the General Federation that year.

During this time, Platt suffered personal losses at home. In 1894 James Platt died in a boating accident. Five years later, she married Judge Westbrook S. Decker. In 1902, Sarah Platt Decker declined to run for president of the General Federation, perhaps out of concerns for her husband’s health. Judge Decker died in 1903. Thus, by the age of forty-eight, she had outlived all three of her husbands.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs

After Judge Decker’s death, Sarah Platt Decker became the president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She served two terms, from 1904 to 1908. The General Federation was a group of thousands of women’s clubs that represented more than 1 million women by 1910. Decker expanded the organization to become a voice for American women. She travelled extensively, visiting more than forty state federations. She delivered speeches known for their wit, wisdom, and common sense. She also published articles that made her widely known and admired.

Decker enlarged the federation’s range of interest and activism. Civil service reform, public education, child labor, juvenile justice, and public health were high on her agenda. The organization promoted home economics classes in public schools. She also championed dress reform to allow women to wear practical-yet-modest clothing that did not restrict their movement.

Finally, Decker believed in the preservation of national resources. She inspired women in the federation to advocate for new state and national parks. Her largest achievement was the establishment of Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in 1906. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt invited Decker to attend the Governors’ Conference on Conservation of Natural Resources at the White House. She was the only female delegate.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1908 Decker stepped down from the presidency of the General Federation. She remained active in the organization. She chaired committees, gave speeches, and supported a variety of issues. She stayed active in Colorado and Denver politics, and helped to establish the liberal Citizen’s Party.

In early 1912, some Coloradans suggested Decker as a candidate for the US Senate. Some even proposed her as a potential presidential candidate. This was at a time when only a handful of western states, including Colorado, allowed women the vote. It was extraordinary for a woman to be considered for national political office. She was a strong candidate for the Senate nomination, but it was not to be.

In July 1912, she was in San Francisco for the General Federation’s biennial convention. She collapsed from an abdominal obstruction. Despite emergency surgery, Decker died two days later at the age of fifty-six.

Decker’s death was front-page news in Colorado and across the nation. She was the first woman to be given the honor of lying in state in the Colorado State Capitol. Flags were lowered to half-mast and government offices closed for her funeral. Three Colorado governors—including the current governor, John Shafroth—served as her pallbearers. In a tribute to Decker, former governor Alva Adams declared, “She was the most popular and perhaps the greatest citizen of the state.” Women’s clubs across the country mourned her passing.

The Decker Branch of the Denver Public Library, which opened in 1913, is named in her honor. It is located at the corner of Platt Park, whose name honors her second husband. The University of Northern Colorado offers a Sarah Platt Decker Memorial Scholarship for female students interested in social justice. In 1990 Decker was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

Sarah Platt Decker (1855–1912) was an important leader in the 1893 vote that gave Colorado women the vote. This is called equal suffrage. She was the first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver. Then she served as president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She helped to establish Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in 1906.

Early Life

Sarah Sophia Chase was born on October 1, 1855, in McIndoe Falls, Vermont. She was the fifth of seven children. Her parents were Edwin and Lydia (Adams) Chase. The family moved to Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts, where her father owned a lumber and paper mill.

Her father spoke against slavery. He was known as “the fighting deacon.” Sarah became involved in helping others. As a young woman, she helped with a fund for the poor. Helping the less fortunate became her lifelong passion.

Sarah’s schooling ended when she graduated from high school. In 1875, at age twenty, she married Charles B. Harris. When he died two years later, she experienced unfairness of the law. According to the law, most of what she owned was given to her husband’s family. Many of the items were wedding gifts or things she had inherited from her own family. She was so upset that she dropped her husband’s last name. This helped Sarah form her lifelong beliefs in voting and legal rights for women.

In 1884, at age twenty-eight, she met and married Colonel James H. Platt. He was a Civil War veteran and a physician. They lived in Queens, New York, where they worked at a children’s home. In 1885, their only child, Harriet Platt, was born.

Move to Denver

In 1887 the Platts moved to Denver. James founded a paper mill. Sarah became involved in Denver’s community life.

Sarah was an important voice for suffrage for women in Colorado. In 1893, women got the vote in Colorado. The Rocky Mountain News said that Platt had “a great share of the credit” for the victory.

The Woman’s Club of Denver

Platt became involved with women’s clubs. These were a popular way for women to get together. In the 1890s, these clubs started working on social issues. In 1894 Platt was elected the first president of the Woman’s Club of Denver. This group united women’s clubs across Denver under a single organization.

Under Platt’s leadership, club members worked to improve society. For example, they opened libraries, set up playgrounds for children, and started English-language classes. They opened job centers, offered medical care for the poor, and started preschools.

In 1896 Platt gave a speech at the meeting of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in Kentucky. The speech told about the kind of work being done in Colorado. Two years later, the Woman’s Club of Denver hosted the next meeting. Platt’s gave another inspiring speech. As a result, she was elected vice president of the General Federation.

During this time, some sad things happened in her life. In 1894 James Platt died in a boating accident. Five years later, she married Judge Westbrook S. Decker who died in 1903. By the time she was forty-eight, she had outlived all three of her husbands.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs

After Judge Decker’s death, Sarah Platt Decker became the president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She served from 1904 to 1908. The General Federation was a group of thousands of women’s clubs. It  represented more than 1 million women by 1910. She visited more than forty states. She gave speeches filled with wisdom and common sense. She wrote articles that made her known and admired.

Decker inspired women to advocate for new state and national parks. She helped to establish of Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in 1906.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1908 her term with the General Federation ended. She was still involved in the organization. She chaired committees, gave speeches, and supported different issues. She remained active in Colorado and Denver politics.

In 1912, some Coloradans wanted Decker to be a candidate for the US Senate. This was at a time when only a handful of states, including Colorado, allowed women the vote. It was extraordinary for a woman to be considered for national political office. But sadly, it was not to be.

In July 1912, she was in San Francisco for the General Federation’s meeting. She collapsed from stomach pains. Despite emergency surgery, Decker died two days later. She was fifty-six years old.

Decker’s death was front-page news in Colorado and across the nation. She lay in state in the Colorado State Capitol. Flags were lowered to half-mast. Government offices closed for her funeral. Three Colorado governors carried her casket. Governor Alva Adams declared, “She was the most popular and perhaps the greatest citizen of the state.” Women’s clubs across the country mourned her passing.

The Decker Branch of the Denver Public Library was named in her honor. It opened in 1913. It is located at the corner of Platt Park, whose name honors her second husband. The University of Northern Colorado offers a Sarah Platt Decker Memorial Scholarship. It is for female students interested in social justice. In 1990 Decker was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.