Although Ada Kepley is most notably known as the first woman to graduate from law school in 1870, this was not an easy task to accomplish. Born as Ada Harriet Miser in 1847, to Henry and Ann M. Miser, she grew up in in Somerset, Ohio and eventually moved with her family to Louis, Missouri 1860. Seven years later, she married her husband, Henry B. Kepley, who had an established law practice in Illinois. Soon after their marriage, Ada began studying in his law office to be a legal assistant. Ada Kepley continued her education by attending the Union College of Law in Chicago, which is now known as Northwestern University, from 1869 to 1870. Many law schools were still closed off to women at this time, but some of the first law schools to accept…show more content… Kepler made her fair share of enemies through these reform activities and in 1897 the son of an angry saloon owner broke into her house and attempted to shoot her, but missed and shot her dog in the foot instead. As the Prohibition Party continued, Kepler ran as their candidate for Illinois State Attorney in 1881. Kepler promoted freedom of thought, temperance, a woman’s right to vote and hold public office. She felt women were being robbed because they worked hard, earned money and bear the burdens of the community like a man, but they were not entitled to the same rights as men. Although, she did not get elected as Illinois State Attorney, she continued participation in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. In 1883, Kepler created and distributed pamphlets educating women of their existing voting rights and how they could be exercised- by voting in elections of school directors and school trustees. This effort proved to be useful, illustrating to Illinois legislatures that women did want to vote. Kepler ran for office again and was elected twice to serve on the local school board and also was elected the first woman School Director in Effingham
