About Lydia Turner Harrington (1838–1926)
On September 5, 1893, Lydia Turner Harrington ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Grand Rapids Board of Education, polling 120 votes to E.J. Crossman’s 280. Little is known about Harrington beyond her choice to run for the school board. She is listed in the 1898 Daughters of the American Revolution directory. Her husband, Eli Forbes Harrington, was involved in the operation of the Grand Rapids Eagle, the local Republican Party’s newspaper, during the 1860s and 1870s; the paper was founded by Lydia Turner Harrington’s brother, Aaron B. Turner, in 1844.
Sources
“End of the Fight School Election Gains Five New Members.” Grand Rapids Herald, September 6, 1893.
Campaign Information
Political Office: Board of Education
Election Year: 1893
Party Affiliation: Nonpartisan race
Elected: No
Biographical Information
Full Name: Lydia Turner Harrington
Life Dates: April 30, 1838–February 20, 1926
Birthplace: Michigan
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: No formal occupation
Party Affiliation: Unknown
Social Reform Activism: Women’s Clubs