Known Activities
Masters is recorded as having driven women voters to the polls during the local option election held in Carpentersville on July 22, 1913. The election, which put the question of prohibition to a village-wide vote, resulted in a "dry" victory of 172 to 155 — the most decisive margin across four such local option tests in the village's history. (Source: east-st-louis-daily-journal-1913-07-23)
A total of 151 women cast ballots in that election, and dry women voters reportedly outnumbered wet women voters approximately two to one. Masters's use of her automobile to facilitate women's participation placed her among a recognizable type of Progressive Era civic organizer — individuals who mobilized community members through practical means rather than formal political office. Whether her efforts were coordinated with a larger temperance organization is not currently known.
No other documentation of Masters has been located in the wiki's current sources. Her full name, dates of birth and death, family connections, and later activities remain unconfirmed.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 22, 1913 | Transported women voters to polls by automobile during the Local Option Election at Carpentersville |
| July 23, 1913 | Her role noted in the East St. Louis Daily Journal coverage of the election results |
Sources
- East St. Louis Daily Journal, July 23, 1913, Image 7. Library of Congress, Chronicling America.