In 1978 I found a voter registration receipt for my great-grandmother, Emma Bauer Schuetz. At the time, I made a copy for my files and then never really looked it again. As I was going through a folder today, I ran across the copy and read it and noticed the date was 5 July 1918. Whoa, I thought 1920 was the date women started voting. I immediately went to my go-to site about Texas, The Texas Handbook Online. I learned in March 1918 a bill was introduced that would allow women to vote in the Texas primary. It passed in the House, the Senate and was signed by Governor William P. Hobby. Emma, a 50-year-old housewife from Kendalia, Texas, and daughter of immigrant parents stepped right up and registered to vote. She was in tune with her times. You go, girl! The first Democratic primary was held on 26 July 1918. I wonder who she voted for…
Registration Receipt
State of Texas, County of Kendall No. 16
I, Emma Schuetz, of Kendall County, Texas, am 50 years of age; Color White, Race American Occupation Housewife
Residence no. Kendalia, Voting Precinct No. 3, P.O. Address Kendalia, Have lived at said place 9 years.
Signed Emma Schuetz
Sworn to and subscribed before me this day 5 day of July 1918
Joe Saunders, Tax Collector, Kendall County
I, Joe Saunders, Tax Collector aforesaid, hereby certify that the foregoing registrant personally signed and swore to the facts set out in the above receipt before me, showing her to be a qualified voter in primary election in said county, state and precinct for the year 1918.
Joe Saunders, Tax Collector, Kendall County
Emma is the daughter of Philipp and Marie Peters Bauer.
A. Elizabeth Taylor, “WOMAN SUFFRAGE,” Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/viw01), accessed March 05, 2014. Uploaded on August 31, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
“Emma Schuetz” Kendall County Texas Voter Registration Receipt. No. 16, 5 July 1918.
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