The earliest organized women's movement in the USA began at Seneca Falls, NY in the mid-19th century. Cady Stanton was the Jane Fonda/Hillary Clinton of her time, up to a point. Here's a largely
favorable biography of her (
i.e., from the feminist pespective ):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cady_StantonHighlighting a few points for you:
. Stanton was pro-contraception ( a central dogma of feminists, even then! )
. Stanton wrote her own "bible" ( thus, she was twice a heretic since she was raised a protestant and then foresook formal religion, only to re-invent it in her own fashion )
. Stanton produced a publication, "Revolution" ( a matter not very well looked upon by the Catholic Church, BEFORE Vatican II, that is... )
... you might come to the conclusion that, formally, the views of Stanton, including feminist-inspired
"universal suffrage", would likely have been severely criticized by the Catholic Church in the 19th century.
Another element in your question, however, is whether women DID have a vote in various republics, kingdoms, etc. going back centuries before the American feminist ( and German and Russian/East European communist ) movements ever got under way?
Some times and places to research are ( courtesy of Fr. Sarda's great work, Liberalism Is A Sin ):
. the aristocratic republic of Venice
. the merchant republic of Genoa
. late 19th century Swiss cantons
. the Catalognia and Aragon monarchies ( the most "democratic" mixed
monarchies of their day in the Middle Ages )
. the elective monarchy of Poland