Frances Axtell of Bellingham was a political pioneer who voted as she pleased

The three living women who will be inducted into the YWCA Northwest Women's Hall of Fame next Sunday, March 13, are in special company when it comes to the fourth "legacy" honoree.

Frances Axtell was born on a farm in Illinois in 1866 and died in Seattle in 1953, but spent much of her life in Bellingham. Known for her courage and sense of humor, she broke ground for women in Northwest and national politics.