Burn Memorial

Burn Memorial. . , Burn Memorial , To Febb Ensminger Burn and her son, Harry, who made Tennessee the state whose ratification of the 19th Amendment enfranchised American women - a giant step toward a more perfect union., This memorial stands as a reminder: , Every vote counts , Every letter or phone call counts , One more person doing the right thing can make all the difference, Erected by the Suffrage Coalition, The Letter , Dear Son, , …Hurrah and vote for suffrage and don’t keep them in doubt. I have noticed Candler’s speech, it was very bitter. I’ve been watching to see how you stood, but have not seen anything yet…don’t forget to be a good boy and help Mrs. “Thomas Catt” with her “rats” as she is the one that put rat in ratification. Ha!... , With lots of love, , Mama, The Story , After reading the bitter anti-suffrage speeches and vicious attacks on the suffragists, Febb Burn was inspired to write a letter to her 24 year old son (legislator from Niota) urging him to “do the right thing” and vote for woman suffrage. Although he believed his constituents opposed woman suffrage, faced with a tie that would defeat his mother’s hope, he switched his vote, broke the tie and thereby cast the final, necessary vote to make women’s right to vote constitutionally protected and to make East Tennessee the place where woman suffrage came of age., Harry T. Burn , (1895-1977) , Born in Niota Tennessee, Harry served in the Tennessee House of Representatives (1918-1922) and in the Tennessee Senate (1948-1952). After his historic tie-breaking vote, Governor Roberts called in the National Guard to protect him. A grand jury was convened to investigate the motive for his last minute change of vote. When called to answer for his vote he explained: ,

I knew that a mother’s advice is always safest for a boy to follow and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification.

, Febb Ensminger Burn , (1873-1945) , A graduate of U.S. Grant University (now Tennessee Wesleyan), Febb was intensely interested in national and international issues. She taught before marrying James Lafayette Burn (stationmaster at Niota Depot) in 1894. Along with Harry Burn’s brother Jack, she ran the 120 acre Hathburn Farm. She had mixed feelings about Harry’s interest in a political career, but urged her son to to the right thing and vote for woman suffrage., Lists of donors not transcribed