Born: 24 October 1830, United States
Died: 19 May 1917
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Belva Ann Lockwood (1830-1917), an American lawyer and reformer, born at Royalton, N. Y. She studied law at Washington, and was admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia in 1873. Before that time she had secured the passage of a bill giving women employees of the government equal pay for equal work. She became prominent as a woman practitioner, and obtained congressional action in favor of the admission of members of her sex to the U. S. Supreme Court, and was herself admitted to practice in that court in 1879. Her activity in temperance and woman suffrage caused her nomination in 1884 and 1888 as presidential candidate of the Equal Rights party, and she held numerous official positions. Mrs. Lockwood frequently wrote and lectured on the reforms which she advocated, and she gave much attention and personal service to the rights of Native Americans.
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
Mrs. Lockwood is one of America’s most remarkable women, and has achieved marked success in her chosen profession, that of law. In this she is the pioneer of our country. Her career is the story of struggle as well as earned victories.
Her maiden name was Burnett and her birthplace Royalton, N.Y. She began teaching school when but fourteen years old and with the money thus earned attended the academy in her native town. She was married to Mr. McNall, a farmer in the town. One daughter was born to them. Her husband died four years after their marriage, and the following year she entered Genesee College and graduated in the regular course. She was at once called to become principal of the Lockwood Union School, where she continued for four years. Subsequently she taught at Gainsville Seminary, and later was proprietor of the McNall Seminary at Oswego, N.Y.
In 1868 she removed to Washington D.C., and opened a school. Soon after this she married Rev. Ezekiel Lockwood. About the same time she began the study of law and sought admission to the law school of Columbia College, but was refused on the ground that her presence in the classes “would distract the attention of the young men.”
Two years later she receive the degree of A.M. from Syracuse University, and the following year was admitted to the National University Law School, from which she graduated, receiving the degree of B.L.
After a long and spirited controversy she was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, where she practiced with marked success. In 1975 she sought admission to the Court of Claims. She was rejected on the ground, first, that she was a woman, and, second, that she was a married woman. A year later she sought, but was refused, admission to the U.S. Supreme Court. She then drafted a bill admitting women to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, and after three years of work secured its passage through both branches of Congress. She was then admitted and stands as the first woman to be granted that honor.