Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 10, 2025 ~ The Old Sachem ~ One hundred years ago, Nellie Tayloe Ross became the nation’s fi rst woman elected governor By Bill Stewart N ellie Tayloe Ross was the fi rst woman elected as governor in the United States – in Wyoming on January 5,1925. Her husband, William Bradford Ross, was the prior governor and when he died in office, she ran and was elected. Both were Democrats in a state 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Tues. - Sat. at 4:00 PM Closed Sun. & Mon. Announcing our Classic Specials Dine In Only: * FREE Salad with purchase of Entree, Tuesdays & Wednesdays * Cheese Pizza - Only $10 Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s Scan & Follow Us on Facebook! run by Republicans. Nellie’s election as the first woman governor was followed by Miriam Ferguson, who became governor of Texas 15 days later. When Nellie’s husband died, she was devastated. After the funeral she was approached by the chairman of the Democratic State Committee to become governor; the election was only a month away. She finally became ambitious and worked to become governor. Nellie Ross was born on November 29, 1876, in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and served until 1927. She was also the first woman to direct the U.S. Mint – 1933 to 1953. As a progressive Demowww.810bargrille.com crat, she supported Prohibition and stricter banking regulations, and increased the funding for education in Wyoming. But the Republican legislators made her progressive initiatives pretty much a failure. When she was narrowly defeated in the election of 1927, she became vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Ross as director of the U.S. Mint, and in her 20-year term, she introduced the Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel and the steel penny, which was necessary as an emergency measure during World War II. Nellie Tayloe Ross was the daughter of James Tayloe and Lizzey Green and grew up as a southern child. Her mother’s family, the Greens, owned a large plantation and 100 slaves in northwest Missouri. The mansion was burned during the Civil War and the family never fully recovered. Her father then built a smaller house and the family turned to farming. Finally, her father sold the land and the family moved to Kansas. He opened a grocery store in the town of Miltonvale. Eventually the family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. When the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska, Nellie became a piano teacher, continued her education and finally became a schoolteacher. In 1902 she and William Ross were married and William became a lawyer and started a political career. He became a local prosecutor in 1904. He failed election twice after his first election. When the First World War started, young men were brought into the military, and older men, such as William, could do well in politics. “The Old Sachem,” Bill Stewart. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) As governor Nellie fought to require spending cuts because of the depression after the war. She fought for state laws for farmers, banking reform and education for children. Women still have not made a major impact on politics. Among women we have four Supreme Court Justices, 25 U.S. Senators and 125 in the House of Representatives. We also have 13 governors currently. Slowly but surely, women are making a mark politically in our nation. (Editor’s Note: Bill Stewart, who is better known to Saugus Advocate readers as “The Old Sachem,” writes a weekly column – sometimes about sports. He also opines on current or historical events or famous people.) — Vinyl Siding — Carpentry Work — Decks — Roofing — Free Estimates — Replacement Windows — Fully Licensed — Fully Insured
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