Partner Harriet May Mills
Queer Places:
Cornell University (Ivy League), 410 Thurston Ave, Ithaca, NY 14850
Opendore, 2978 State Route 34B, Aurora, NY 13026
Howland Cemetery, 2415 Dog Corners Rd, Aurora, NY 13026, United States
Isabel Howland (May 21, 1859 - December 4, 1942) was born on May 21, 1859, in Sherwood, New York, into a prominent and prosperous family deeply rooted in the abolition and
women's rights movements. Her grandfather was Slocum Howland, a patriarch whose home and store served as a station on the Underground Railroad, and she was the niece of the
notable abolitionist, suffragist, and educator Emily Howland. Growing up in this progressive environment, Isabel received a privileged upbringing and attended Cornell
University from 1877 to 1881, where she earned her B.A.
During her time at Cornell, Isabel met fellow student Harriet May Mills, marking the beginning of a profound personal and
professional relationship. Harriet May Mills, born in 1857, was the daughter of the Syracuse abolitionist and freethinker C. D. B. Mills. Over the course of their lives,
Isabel and Harriet became lifelong partners, companions, and colleagues who worked side-by-side to advance women's rights.
Following her graduation, Isabel quickly immersed herself in social reform. In the 1880s, she served as the corresponding secretary for the Association for the
Advancement of Women and began communicating and collaborating with major figures of the era, such as
Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Carrie Chapman Catt, and Lucy Stone. She was heavily involved in the New York State
Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA), frequently acting as treasurer for its annual conventions. Locally, Isabel helped establish Sherwood's first library and museum,
co-founded the Sherwood Equal Rights Association in 1891, and assisted in launching the Sherwood Political Equality Club.
Isabel and Harriet's partnership extended seamlessly into their activism. They collaborated on numerous suffrage initiatives throughout New York State, with Isabel
serving as an officer of the NYSWSA during the years Harriet held the organization's presidency. Their shared life reflected the close-knit networks of reform-minded women
of the era, whose partnerships provided mutual personal support alongside public political leadership.
In 1905, Isabel and her brother Herbert jointly inherited their family property, Shade Lawn, which Isabel expanded in 1910 into a gabled mansion renamed Opendore.
Opendore served as a vibrant center for community activities and reform work in Sherwood. During the 1930s, Isabel spent a significant amount of time living in Paris to care
for her ailing brother, Herbert. Isabel Howland passed away on December 4, 1942, leaving behind a substantial estate and an enduring legacy as a steadfast pillar of the
American women's suffrage movement alongside her longtime partner, Harriet May Mills.
References:
- Isabel Howland Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
- Isabel Howland Collection, New York Heritage / Howland Stone Store Museum.
- Freethought Trail (New York) – Profile on Isabel Howland.
- Alexander Street Documents / Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890–1920 – Biographical Sketch of Isabel Howland (1859–1942) by Donna Greene, independent historian.
- WomenAndTheVoteNYS.com – Historical profile and documentation on Isabel Howland.
- The New York Times – Contemporary convention reports (e.g., November 8, 1895) and obituary notices.
- outhern Cayuga Tribune – Posthumous tribute and memorial service reports (December 11, 1942).
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