Ada James

Ada Lois James (March 23, 1876 – September 29, 1952) was a suffragist, social worker, and reformer. Born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, she graduated from high school in 1894, taught school for several years, and soon became active in the woman's suffrage movement in which both her parents played prominent roles.

In 1911 she became president of the newly formed Political Equality League, holding this office until 1913 when the league was combined with the Wisconsin Woman's Suffrage Association under the leadership of Mrs. Henry Youmans (q.v.). Ada James was active in many of the reform movements of the 1920s including pacifism, the advocacy of birth control, and prohibition. In 1922 she was vice-chairman of the Republican state central committee, and in 1923 was president of the Wisconsin Woman's Progressive Association, but left the organization when Robert M. La Follette, Sr., insisted on supporting Governor John J. Blaine.

During the 1920s James was also engaged in a series of slander suits with Levi H. Bancroft (q.v.) growing out of her support of S. E. Smalley for the Republican nomination for a Wisconsin circuit judgeship. Active in social work, she administered the David G. James Memorial Fund established in 1922 for the relief of needy families in Richland County, Wisconsin. She was chairman of the county children's board for many years.

Ada James is remembered as Richland Center's and Richland County's most prominent suffragette and for her work with disadvantaged children and women. Ada came to the suffrage movement naturally because her mother, Laura, in 1882 was one of the founders of the Richland Center Woman's Club that worked tirelessly for women's suffrage. Indeed, the Woman's Club may have been the first suffrage organization formed in the state. Two years later the Woman's Club hosted the first regular convention of the Wisconsin Suffrage Association. In 1886, Susan B. Anthony spoke in favor of suffrage in Bailey's Opera House in Richland Center.

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