Abigail Scott Duniway (Part 2)
In 1865, Abigail sold their home and school and set up a new one in Albany, Oregon. Ben started a new freighting company. But she soon found herself pregnant again and teaching would be too difficult. She took her last $30 to Portland, hoping to obtain credit to open a millinery. To her great surprise, the wholesaler, Jacob Mayer, was so impressed with her ambition and tenacity that he sold her $1,200 worth of inventory. She repaid it within three weeks. The shop did very well, but she still longed to write. While running the shop, she heard many tales of unfair treatment of women. She did write the occasional letter to the editor to tell these stories.
She had two more children, with the last one being a very difficult birth. She was told by her doctor not to have any more children. She was constantly in pain and marital relations were going to have to come to an end. Ben accepted the news with good graces.
One day Abigail heard a story that changed the direction of her life. Her friend was going to court to contest the dispositioning of her husband's estate. Her husband had died, but nothing was being provided to her to even feed and clothe herself and her children. They were resorting to selling their excess vegetables and other products but it still wasn't enough. If she had died first, the husband would receive the entire estate, but since he had died first, she got nothing, since women had no rights. Abigail was furious and told her husband the story. He advised her that nothing would change until women got the vote and became lawmakers themselves. Abigail suddenly had a new cause.
The Duniways moved to Portland, where she began publishing a paper she called The New Northwest. Its motto was "free speech, free press, free people." She pressed reform issues and rights for women. She also was a champion of all human rights, including abolishing slavery. One day, Abigail invited Susan B. Anthony, who was on a lecture tour, to deliver a speech in Portland. At first most places refused to let Abigail rent a place. Finally she was able to find a place to hold the speech. Abigail's introductory speech was so eloquently given that soon she was being asked to give talks herself.
Abigail traveled to Washington State with Anthony and gave some speeches of her own. Many times speeches were given in seedy saloons and back rooms, but it didn't matter. Even though they were called immoral and alcoholic, they continued their tour. When Abigail returned to Portland, she wanted to continue the crusade for Oregon women. She began lecturing all over the country.
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