▁heads ▁of ▁household ▁could ▁vote ▁and ▁one - third ▁were ▁eth nic ▁African ▁women . ▁▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁The ▁female ▁descend ants ▁of ▁the ▁B ount y ▁mut ine ers ▁who ▁lived ▁on ▁Pit ca ir n ▁Islands ▁could ▁vote ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 8 . ▁This ▁right ▁was ▁transferred ▁after ▁they ▁res ett led ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁to ▁Nor folk ▁Island ▁( now ▁an ▁Australian ▁external ▁territory ). ▁ ▁The ▁seed ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁Woman ' s ▁Rights ▁Convention ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁Sen eca ▁F alls , ▁New ▁York ▁was ▁plant ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁when ▁Elizabeth ▁C ady ▁St anton ▁met ▁Lu cret ia ▁M ott ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Anti - S la very ▁Convention ▁in ▁London . ▁The ▁conference ▁refused ▁to ▁seat ▁M ott ▁and ▁other ▁women ▁deleg ates ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁sex . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁St anton ▁met ▁temper ance ▁worker ▁Susan ▁B . ▁Anthony , ▁and ▁shortly ▁the ▁two ▁would ▁be ▁joined ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁struggle ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁vote ▁for ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁Anthony ▁encourag ed ▁working ▁women ▁from ▁the ▁printing ▁and ▁se wing ▁tr ades ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁who ▁were ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁men ' s ▁trade ▁un ions , ▁to ▁form ▁Working ▁Women ' s ▁Associ ations . ▁As ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Labor ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 6