Florence Belle Swickard's Obituary

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THE DETROIT NEWS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1934

Honored In Death

WOMEN MOURN MEMORY OF MRS. BROTHERTON.

By ESTHER BECK McINTYRE.

Although only the members of her family will follow the body of Mrs. Florence Belle Brotherton to the grave in Woodlawn cemetery today, the memory of thousands of Michigan women will do her affectionate honor. Mrs. Brotherton died Thursday at her home, 628 Pingree avenue.

Her name, together with that of Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Michigan's pioneer suffragist, is inscribed on the roll of honor which perpetuates the names of American women who have done most to advance the cause of suffrage. The bronze tablet hangs in headquarters of the National League of Women Voters in Washington, where it was dedicated three years ago.

Married to Wilber Brotherton 52 years ago in Columbus, O., her deep interest in women's rights, governmental activities and world peace were second only to her devotion to her home and family.

TOOK HER BABIES.

At a time when gently bred women shrank from appearance unescorted in public places, Mrs. Brotherton on one memorable occasion rolled two of her babies in their "pram" to the corner voting booth near her home to cast her ballot. She was then the only woman in her precinct who cast a vote.

In 1922, when Mrs. Brotherton was president of the Michigan League of Women Voters, she spurred Detroit women on in a bread war to bring down the price of bakers' bread. Sponsored by The News, Detroit women put on a bread baking campaign, and baked bread from Mrs. Brotherton's recipe printed in the paper, for 30 days in their own homes.

Mrs. Brotherton headed the

Photo by Bachrach.
Mrs. Florence Belle
Brotherton.

Wayne County Suffrage Association before it became the League of Women Voters on the advent of the Nineteenth Amendment. She was a founder of the Women's City Club, an officer of the Women's Committee on World Disarmament, Wayne County Woman's Republican Club, Women's Press Association of Michigan, a member of Ohio State University Alumnae Association, an officer of Clio Club, and as an official of the Browning Club of Ohio State University she helped raise funds for the Browning Theater, in Columbus.

JOINED PROTEST.

Mrs. Brotherton joined a vehement protestation against huge appropriations for the Naval bill in 1921, which took the form of an automobile parade and street meeting at the steps of the County Building one June evening.

Prominent Detroit women who joined the demonstration, whose names appear again and again with hers in the history of women's achievements in the city, included Mrs. George T. Hendrie, Mrs. W.A. McGraw, Mrs. Katherine Atkinson, Mrs. Myron B. Vorce, Mrs. W. Nelson Whittemore, Miss Caroline Parker, Mrs. Frederick T. Holt, Miss Agnes Parker, and others.

Mrs. Brotherton was born in Westerville, O., in 1858. With the exception of a daughter, Mrs. S. Arthur Huston, of Seattle, all the members of her family will attend private funeral services today at 2 p.m. at the Pingree avenue residence. They include Mr. Brotherton, a resident of California; a sister, Mrs. E.B. Smith, of Detroit, a sister and brother, Mrs. B.F. Whipps and Charles Swickard of Columbus, O. Children include Norton T. Brotherton and Mrs. Francis F. McKinney, Detroit; Lawrence Brotherton of Mt. Vernon, Wash., and Wilber Brotherton, Jr., of Bozeman, Mont.