Ida Sammis

Ida Sammis Woodruff Satchwell (née Bunce) (October 8, 1865 – June 3, 1943) was a prominent early female Republican party suffragist and politician from Suffolk County, New York. Sammis was one of the first two women elected to the New York State Legislature.

Family and early life Ida Sammis was born to Eliphalet and Margaret (Rogers) Bunce on October 8, 1865 in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York.

She married a merchant, Edgar A. Sammis, who died in a car accident in 1917. Ida and Edgar had one son together.

Political career In 1911, Sammis organized the first women's suffrage club in Suffolk County.

Sammis primarily concerned herself with legislation affecting her Assembly district. During Sammis' first year in the Assembly, ten of fourteen bills that she introduced were passed.

Sammis introduced a bill "prohibiting the employment of women under 21 as elevator conductors; and forbidding adult women to be employed as elevator conductors more than 54 hours a week, or before 7 A. M., or after 10 P. M. The bill also required that seats must be provided for all women conductors in elevators."

Sammis continued to be active in community organizations following her single term.