 She was friends with Laura Clay, the founder of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association, who was only a few years older than herself; and, her older brother James married Sarah Lewis "Sallie" Clay who founded the Madison County Equal Rights Association.She took on a leadership role in the Kentucky Equal Rights Association (ERA), becoming 3rd Vice President in 1895.When the Fulton ERA in western Kentucky needed a treasurer as it started up in 1897, Belle took on that job too.