Celebrating Vermont History:
Lt. Governor Consuelo Northrop Bailey

Consuelo Northrop Bailey is sworn in as Speaker of the Vermont State House, 1953. SOURCE

Dear Fellow Vermonter, 

As someone who enjoys history, I am always amazed by the significant mark Vermonters have left on our country, and our world. It is really something to see how, despite our small size, Vermont has led the way on a number of historic fronts. 

This Women’s History Month, I wanted to share with you the story of a remarkable Vermont woman, Consuelo “Connie” Northrop Bailey. You may have never heard of Bailey before, but among many other things, she was the first woman in the country elected Lieutenant Governor. She was also the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and the first Vermont woman to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bailey is an example of a Vermonter who came from humble beginnings – born on her family’s farm in rural Fairfield and raised in Franklin County. During her time in office, she often reflected on how important her community was to her: “One of life's most comforting extras is love of the land…I see here the same land which the Northrop Family knew for nearly two centuries…I feel close to the America I knew in days gone by and because I feel free here…I feel the love of those whom I have known there which today still gives me a feeling of confidence, protection and peace".

Read on below to learn more about Consuelo Bailey and see some of the local resources where you can find out even more about her. Much of the information is available through the Vermont Historical Society, which is a treasure trove of information about everything Vermont. 

I look forward to bringing more stories about Vermont history to upcoming editions of the Bernie Buzz. Our history is what shapes our lives today. The more we know about it, the better off we will be.  

Sincerely, 

Consuelo Northrop Bailey

Consuelo “Connie” Northrup Bailey was born in 1899 to Bent and Katherine Northrop on the family’s farm in Fairfield. From an early age, her parents encouraged she and her sisters to explore opportunities beyond the farm.

Consuelo’s diary entries from 1914 show what life for a young girl was like in a small town. She describes her schoolwork and talks about the weather, going to church, and attending a basketball game. SOURCE

Despite the fact that women would not win the right to vote until she was 19, Bailey pursued and succeeded in a career in law and politics. After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1921, she went on to earn a law degree at Boston University in 1925. In 1926, she was only the seventh woman admitted to the Vermont Bar, allowing her to practice law. Bailey won her first election that same year, becoming the first woman to serve as Chittenden County State’s Attorney. From there, she went on to the Vermont State House, serving as a State Senator from 1931 to 1933.

University of Vermont yearbook entry.  SOURCE

Bailey also left her mark on the Washington, DC legal and political worlds. From 1931 to 1937, she worked in Congress as the personal secretary to Ernest W. Gibson. Hailing from Londonderry, Gibson represented Vermont in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. While in DC, Bailey was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the first Vermont woman to reach this milestone.

Vermont members of the Little Congress. Consuelo is the fourth from right. 
Consuelo joined this congressional staffer debating organization, which took on some of the same issues being debated by lawmakers at the time. SOURCE

After some time in private practice in Vermont in the 1940s, Bailey returned to the political spotlight in the 1950s. She served as a State Representative for South Burlington, and then she visited every Vermont state legislator to win their support for her bid to become Speaker of the Vermont House. In 1953, she did just that – becoming the first woman to hold this powerful position. However, the pinnacle of Bailey’s career came in 1954, when she ran for and won the office of Lieutenant Governor – the first woman in the nation elected to this position.

Bailey’s campaign flyer. SOURCE

Lt. Governor Consuelo Northrop Bailey in 1955. SOURCE

While Bailey decided not to run for Governor in 1956 as some expected, she continued to be active in party politics throughout the 1970s.

Local news coverage of Bailey’s decision not to run for Governor. SOURCE

If you want to learn more about Consuelo Northrup Bailey, you can read her autobiography, which she completed before her death in 1976. You can also check out some of the links below from the Vermont Historical Society, University of Vermont, and other sources.  

You can also explore Bailey’s mark on the state by visiting her birthplace in Fairfield and the Bent Northrup Memorial Library in town, to which she bequeathed funding upon her death. While in town, you can also check out President Chester Arthur’s birthplace – something Bailey was very proud to have helped preserve. Bailey’s portrait and desk are also on display at the Vermont State House. Her desk, seat number 146 in the Vermont House, happened to be the same as the first woman to ever serve in the House, Edna Beard. Bailey chose it not because of her predecessor, though, but because it had been her father's seat.

Bailey’s official portrait – one of few portraits of women in the Vermont State House. SOURCE

Additional Resources

The Vermont Historical Society's “This Place in History” feature on Consuelo Northrop Bailey

More background on Bailey from the Vermont Historical Society, including digitized documents and photographs 

The University of Vermont’s Profile of Consuelo Northrop Bailey

University of Vermont's Digital Exhibit featuring digitized copies of Bailey’s personal correspondence

Visit the site of Consuelo Northrop Bailey’s birth in Fairfield

Learn more about the Bent Northrop Memorial Library 

Learn more about the Northrups and Fairfield’s history at Fairfield Historical Society

Consuelo Northrop Bailey Papers, Silver Special Collections, University of Vermont

VT Digger: Then Again: A bootlegging gone bad launched career of Vermont’s first woman lieutenant governor 

Leaves before the Wind: The Autobiography of Vermont’s Own Daughter by Consuelo Northrop Bailey

To check out more Vermont history topics, visit the Vermont Historical Society's Vermont History Explorer