Eliza "Lyda" Burton Conley
Personal Information
Born: 1869 approximately
Died: 1946
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Native American
Education
Park College; University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law 1902
Professional Life
Field of Study: Jurisprudence
Institution/Corporation: None found
Degrees & Memberships: None found
Awards & Achievements
Awards: Native American Rights
Achievements: Fought to prevent the sale and development of the Huron Cemetery & argued before the Supreme Court January 14, 1910 to save it from development; 1st female admitted to the Missouri Bar Association (1902) & Kansas Bar (1910); 3rd female & 1st Native American to argue before the Supreme Court; 1st Native American female lawyer;
1st female admitted to the Kansas & Missouri Bar Associations
Wyandot Native American who fought to save the Huron Cemetery (now Wyandot National Burying Ground) in Kansas City
1909, 1st Native American female admitted to argue a case before the Supreme Court
Burials in the cemetery dated back to 1843 & held the remains of many of her maternal family members including her grandmother, mother, & 1 of her sisters
She & her sister Helena built a 6ft by 8ft structure at the cemetery entrance so they could live there & protect it; put up "No Trespassing" signs, standing guard with muskets until the 1916 State law protecting the cemetery was enacted
1914, she was arrested for shooting a policeman at the cemetery
1946, while walking home from the library, a man jumped her, hit her over the head with a brick, & stole her purse containing 20 cents; she died within 24 hours & is buried in the cemetery she fought to protect
1071 the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places & 2017 was designated a National Landmark