Morse, Hannah B.

Hannah P. Morse was elected in 1888 to the Oskaloosa, Kansas town council. This was an historic election as the mayor and all of the town council members were women. By one account, after the success of Susanna Salter's term as mayor of Argonia, Kansas (including positive news reports about Salter), Dr. J.W. Balsley of Oskaloosa came up with the idea of "petticoat government" in his town. He believed that women would be more committed to improving his community and convinced local leaders that he was correct and that they should elect the all-women slate. His wife, Sadie Balsley was elected as one of the city council members. Morse was the wife of a local attorney. The women came to be seen as "heroes of decency." [Gehring, "WomenOfficeholders in Kansas," Kansas History (Summer 1986), p. 53]. Morse was re-elected the following year.