Harriet "Hattie" Fitch Noble (December 1848 – August 21, 1930) was an American educator and politician. She represented Boise County in the Idaho House of Representatives from 1898 to 1899. [1] She was an advocate for women's suffrage and education.
She was born Harriet Fitch Luckett in December 1848 in Columbus City, Iowa, to Maria and Joseph A. Luckett who ran a saloon. [2] [3] She is sometimes referred to as Harriet "Hattie" Luckett Noble, [4] as Luckett was her maiden-name. [2]
She moved with her family at the age of two to join the California Gold Rush and her father opened a saloon and bowling alley in Bestville, California. [2] She was sent with her grandmother to attended school at St. Helen’s Hall in Portland, Oregon. [5] [1] Her family moved in 1865 to Idaho City and she joined them in 1867 and became a schoolteacher at the age of nineteen. [2] Her father, who died in 1872, was one of the founding members of the Idaho City Mason Lodge. [2]
She married the gold prospector William B. Noble in 1875, he had moved to Idaho in 1861 and was originally from Kentucky. [2] Being born in 1823 he was around 25 years older than her. [2] He suffered a head injury causing brain damage and became disabled and died in 1898 just before she held office. [2] They had four children: Gertrude (born 1876), William (born 1877), May (born 1880), and Harry (born 1883). [2]
After his death she continued to run his businesses and she started to become involved with the Democratic Party, temperance movement, and suffrage. [2]
Her first political position was when she was elected as the Engrossment Clerk for the 1875 legislative session. [2]
After Idaho gave voting rights to women in 1896 she was elected as a Democrat in 1898 to the Idaho House of Representatives with two other women Mary A. Wright, a Populist of Kootenai County and Clara Campbell, a Republican of Ada County, Idaho. [6] She represented Boise County along with representative E. T. Morgan and Senator Gilbert F. Smith, both Democrats. [7] She served on the Committee for Enrolment and Public Health. [2]
During her term she helped, along with Burton L. French, defeat a concerted effort to close the University of Idaho. [1]
She did not seek re-election. [4]
Noble died August 21, 1930, at her home 920 Hays Street, Boise, Idaho; she had been ill for two weeks. [1] She was survived by her two daughters May and Gertrude, both teachers, and two sons William and Harry. [1] She is buried in Boise at the Morris Hill Cemetery. [2]
Harriet "Hattie" Fitch Noble (December 1848 – August 21, 1930) was an American educator and politician. She represented Boise County in the Idaho House of Representatives from 1898 to 1899. [1] She was an advocate for women's suffrage and education.
She was born Harriet Fitch Luckett in December 1848 in Columbus City, Iowa, to Maria and Joseph A. Luckett who ran a saloon. [2] [3] She is sometimes referred to as Harriet "Hattie" Luckett Noble, [4] as Luckett was her maiden-name. [2]
She moved with her family at the age of two to join the California Gold Rush and her father opened a saloon and bowling alley in Bestville, California. [2] She was sent with her grandmother to attended school at St. Helen’s Hall in Portland, Oregon. [5] [1] Her family moved in 1865 to Idaho City and she joined them in 1867 and became a schoolteacher at the age of nineteen. [2] Her father, who died in 1872, was one of the founding members of the Idaho City Mason Lodge. [2]
She married the gold prospector William B. Noble in 1875, he had moved to Idaho in 1861 and was originally from Kentucky. [2] Being born in 1823 he was around 25 years older than her. [2] He suffered a head injury causing brain damage and became disabled and died in 1898 just before she held office. [2] They had four children: Gertrude (born 1876), William (born 1877), May (born 1880), and Harry (born 1883). [2]
After his death she continued to run his businesses and she started to become involved with the Democratic Party, temperance movement, and suffrage. [2]
Her first political position was when she was elected as the Engrossment Clerk for the 1875 legislative session. [2]
After Idaho gave voting rights to women in 1896 she was elected as a Democrat in 1898 to the Idaho House of Representatives with two other women Mary A. Wright, a Populist of Kootenai County and Clara Campbell, a Republican of Ada County, Idaho. [6] She represented Boise County along with representative E. T. Morgan and Senator Gilbert F. Smith, both Democrats. [7] She served on the Committee for Enrolment and Public Health. [2]
During her term she helped, along with Burton L. French, defeat a concerted effort to close the University of Idaho. [1]
She did not seek re-election. [4]
Noble died August 21, 1930, at her home 920 Hays Street, Boise, Idaho; she had been ill for two weeks. [1] She was survived by her two daughters May and Gertrude, both teachers, and two sons William and Harry. [1] She is buried in Boise at the Morris Hill Cemetery. [2]