Dictionary of
Unitarian &
Universalist
Biography
Between 1895 and 1901 Wilkes made yearly trips to Sioux Falls to check on her congregations. Finally, in 1901, she moved to Santa Ana, California. There, she once again assisted in the founding of a new congregation. In 1905 she shared the pulpit with Eleanor Elizabeth Gordon and Anna Howard Shaw at the national suffrage convention in Portland, Oregon. In 1913, at the Governor's request, she represented California at the International Women Suffrage Congress in Budapest. She twice traveled to England to assist with suffrage campaigns. In 1916 she took part in the successful women's suffrage campaign in California.
Although she formally retired from the ministry in 1909, Wilkes served as Chaplain for the Cumnock School in Los Angeles, California until her death in 1917. Her sister, Kate Tupper Galpin, was head of the Cumnock School Academy. In 1917 Eliza visited her daughter Queenie in Northampton, Massachusetts. She died while on a short holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She was buried without a marker in the family plot at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
Between 1895 and 1901 Wilkes made yearly trips to Sioux Falls to check on her congregations. Finally, in 1901, she moved to Santa Ana, California. There, she once again assisted in the founding of a new congregation. William joined her a couple of years later. In 1905 she shared the pulpit with Eleanor Elizabeth Gordon and Anna Howard Shaw at the national suffrage convention in Portland, Oregon. Wilkes was also active in the Woman's Congress Association of the Pacific Coast and the California Equal Suffrage Association. In 1911 she took part in the successful women's suffrage campaign in California. In 1913, at the Governor's request, she represented California at the International Women Suffrage Congress in Budapest. She twice traveled to England to assist with suffrage campaigns.
Her husband died in 1909. Although she formally retired from the ministry that year, Wilkes served as Chaplain for the Cumnock School in Los Angeles, California until her death in 1917. Her sister, Kate Tupper Galpin, was head of the Cumnock School Academy. In 1917 Eliza visited her daughter Queenie in Northampton, Massachusetts. She died while on a short holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She was buried without a marker in the family plot at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
