{"id":3875,"date":"2025-02-26T18:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T18:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh-wordpress.ramapo.edu\/discovering1920s\/?p=3875"},"modified":"2025-03-31T17:01:27","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T17:01:27","slug":"the-first-woman-governor-in-the-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh-wordpress.ramapo.edu\/discovering1920s\/blog\/2025\/02\/26\/the-first-woman-governor-in-the-u-s\/","title":{"rendered":"Nellie Tayloe Ross Becomes The First Woman Governor in the U.S"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ross\u2019 Early Years<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Ross at Gimbels s<\/em>tore opening<\/strong> In Philadelphia<\/strong>, 1926<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Nellie Tayloe Ross was born on November 29, 1876, in St. Joseph, Missouri, on a plantation owned by her maternal grandfather in Andrew County. Her parents were James Wynns Tayloe and Elizabeth Blair Green. Nellie\u2019s family had been devastated by the Civil War\u2019s aftermath; in response, she had always feared poverty. Ross\u2019 education was facilitated by her brothers who aided in helping her learn how to read when she was 5 years old. She attended the Maxwell School with her brothers. To achieve a more successful future, her family moved to Miltonvale, Kansas. She attended the United Presbyterian Church and her mother was involved in women\u2019s suffrage. Here, she witnessed her mother in a position of leadership, a position which her father had respected. Her southern upbringing and her mother had influenced her political beliefs. She remained a Democrat for most of her life and gained the belief from her mother that women\u2019s traditional roles were compatible with public responsibilities.2<\/a><\/sup> After her mothers death, her family moved back towards the Missouri river into Omaha, Nebraska. There, she became a kindergarten teacher. In 1900, she went to visit relatives in Tennessee where she met and married her husband, William Ross. They moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1902 and had four boys together. William started his own law practice and got involved in politics. He ran for governor and won with the state’s failing economy as his main concern.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Park County Herald3<\/a><\/sup> (Top Left), The Challis Messenger4<\/a><\/sup> (Top Right), & Her Post-Inauguration, The Sunday Star<\/strong>5<\/a><\/sup> (Bottom), 1925<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
The Election of Nellie Tayloe Ross<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

On September 25, 1924, her husband underwent an appendectomy. He died on October 2, just one month before the general election. The Democratic Party asked Nellie Tayloe Ross to be their candidate and after much convincing, she agreed. Both the Republican and Democratic parties held their conventions in Cheyenne on October 14 to choose their candidates. The Republican Party nominated Casper attorney and politician Eugene J. Sullivan. After receiving the Democratic nomination, Ross remained at home and let her friends lead the campaign. Political advertisements encouraged voters to support Ross because she promised to carry out her husband\u2019s policies. This included policies that helped the economy and workers. They also portrayed her opponent, Sullivan, as a supporter of the founder of Sinclair Oil, Harry Sinclair, who was involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal<\/a>. One advertisement in The Buffalo Voice<\/em> encouraged voters to “Beat Texas to It,” encouraging Wyoming to become the first state to elect a female governor, as Miriam “Ma” Ferguson was also running for governor in Texas.6<\/a><\/sup> While both Ross and Ferguson were the first women elected as governors in the U.S, Ross was sworn in first, earning her the title of \u201cFirst Female Governor of the United States\u201d. She defeated Sullivan by more than 8,000 votes. In addition, she even outperformed Republican Francis E. Warren, Wyoming\u2019s senior U.S. Senator.7<\/a><\/sup> On January 5, 1925, she was sworn in as governor of Wyoming during an inauguration ceremony in the Senate chambers in Cheyenne. She served as governor from 1925 to 1927.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ross\u2019 Governorship: Politics, Law, Economics, Prohibition, & Agriculture<\/strong><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The 1920s has the reputation of being a time of prosperity, economic growth, and the boom of the stock market. However, it differed from state to state. Before the Stock Market Crash of 1929<\/a> and the Great Depression, Wyoming was facing an economic depression. Ross would be among the governors who confronted this depression. Wyoming’s economy depended on livestock, business, farming, coal production, and the Union Pacific Railroad. In post-WW1 Wyoming, the loss of government contracts, declining demand for certain commodities, deflation, and the 1919 drought contributed to this economic depression. To tackle these problems, Ross proposed a plan to address the state’s budget deficit and outlined strategies for managing it. She found that railroad property values were lower than those in neighboring states and that many mining corporations owned large amounts of property while avoiding taxes. She believed that more equitable taxation could help resolve the issue. In the 1920s, businesses and businessmen were becoming more idealized, striving to present a more polished and positive image. At the same time, the issue of business taxes became a significant concern in response to previous revisions to tax laws. People, such as Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon, sought to reduce business tax, while Ross was concerned with equitable tax within her state.8<\/a><\/sup> Following this, she discovered that falling oil prices were causing shortfalls and that light oil production was decreasing. In response, she supported producing more black oil and using it to build state’s highways. To her disappointment, her proposals to explore commercial possibilities for black oil were declined. Banks were also failing. Between 1920-1924, 68 state and national banks had failed in Wyoming. Half had closed by 1924.9<\/a><\/sup> To address banking closures, Ross proposed laws to protect banks and depositors. This included laws that made sure that people wouldn\u2019t lose their money if a bank failed. Lastly, Ross answered to further tax concerns by supporting a bill that would give one-third of mineral royalties to public schools. This would help with reducing local taxes. However, it was not approved by the legislature.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The Park County Herald<\/strong>, &<\/strong> The Washington Post<\/strong>10<\/a><\/sup>, 1925<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When we think of the 1920s, we also often think of Prohibition, a time when alcohol was banned across the U.S. During the late 19th century and into the 1920s, women had entered the political arena. One popular reform amongst them was Prohibition. This led to the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act that made the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol illegal. Women supported Prohibition because they believed male drinking led to reckless behavior, such as sexual excess, which harmed women and children in the home.11<\/a><\/sup> Ross, like these women, supported this law. She believed that the purchaser of alcohol was just as guilty as the bootlegger. She proposed a bill to enforce this, however, it was later declined by the legislature. During her term, she had to deal with two sheriffs who were involved in alcohol related acts. She received and agreed to a request from District Court Judge Metz to allow an investigation into Park County Sheriff William Loomis.12<\/a><\/sup> Loomis was accused of accepting pay from alleged bootlegger, Fay Willford, in protection money. Loomis faced charges for serving confiscated alcohol to prisoners, accepting bribes and protection money from Willford and James P. Morgan in relation to whiskey on Morgan’s property, and for appearing intoxicated in public. Ross ordered a removal of Loomis who she deemed unfit for his position. On June 17, 1925, The Park County<\/em> Herald<\/em> reported that “The Governor (Ross) having heard all the evidence, does find generally against the defendant, William H. Loomis”.13<\/a><\/sup> Another Sheriff named Scott Hazen was charged with appearing intoxicated in public, taking confiscated alcohol for his own use, getting involved in a plan to transport and sell alcohol, and failing to serve warrants to known bootleggers while allowing speakeasies to operate. In response to his future hearings on this matter, he resigned from office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, Ross also dealt with several other issues, including farm and agricultural concerns, and protecting Wyoming’s claims to Colorado River water. Farm foreclosures and low prices were an issue in Wyoming. This prevented the settlement and expansion of farms on federal projects in Wyoming. Under her husband’s governorship, he had created a farm loan program which she continued by making it permanent. Later, Ross convinced Elwood Mead, the man behind water laws, and the Secretary of Interior, Herbert Work to review these projects. Mead explained that he could only point out the problems, and it was up to farmers and state officials to determine the additional funds and introduce legislation to address those issues. Ross worked with a man named George Kreutzer from the Bureau of Reclamation to address these issues. She used local newspapers to collect farmer\u2019s concerns and seek help from the Bureau of Reclamation. She also created a reclamation committee made up of farmers to explain their challenges and issues to the Bureau of Reclamation.14<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women\u2019s Rights, Feminism, Reform and Ross\u2019 Views on Women<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
The Cody Enterprise<\/strong>, 1925<\/strong>15<\/a><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing into the 1920s, the \u201cnew woman\u201d became more active in politics, with Ross serving as an example. They became political actors and lobbied for progressive reform. Suffrage was one of these reforms. Through this, women had gained the right to vote in 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Wyoming, the state where Ross governed, however, already became the nation\u2019s first suffrage state in 1869. This prompted many people and newspapers to declare Wyoming as the \u201cEquality State\u201d, further encouraging the election of Ross. Other reforms that “the new woman” supported included labor laws, which Ross had also aligned with. A suffragist named Grace Hebard had written to Ross in regards to a child labor bill. Ross responded by confirming her position on this issue claiming that the bill would be an important step in protecting the children of America. However, her child labor bill was later declined by the senate because of fear it would interfere with the rights of parents to give their children working roles.16<\/a><\/sup> She also advocated for protective legislation to support female employees, but this proposal was also rejected. Ross continued to be dedicated to maintaining the welfare of workers. She supported and proposed mine safety legislation. These legislations were successfully approved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While women became increasingly involved in politics, their views on women’s rights varied. Women, like Alice Paul and The Woman\u2019s Party, advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment<\/a> (ERA) that guaranteed equal rights for men and women. They believed that while suffrage was a major breakthrough in women\u2019s political equality, the ERA would answer to the remaining limitations that women faced. This included the inability to execute contracts, unequal wages, and marriage property rights. In 1923, the legislation was introduced to Congress. Women like Julia Lathrop and Frances Perkins emphasized women’s distinctiveness, arguing that special labor protections tailored to their sex were necessary. This led them to reject the ERA in fear that it would undermine sex-based labor legislation that specifically protected women.17<\/a><\/sup> Like these women, Ross held her own views on women’s roles, rights, and nature, which often left some feminists disappointed. Initially, many women\u2019s rights advocates, suffragettes, and feminists viewed Ross\u2019 election as a great victory. However, some women were left disappointed in Ross\u2019 refusal to prioritize her influence on the women\u2019s rights movement. Instead, she stated that her duty was to the people of Wyoming as their governor. In 1925, Hebard, the same woman who had written to Ross about a child labor bill, also suggested that Ross appoint women to positions in the Child and Animal Protection Board and the University Board of Trustees. This was left unanswered. Hebard continued to suggest that she attend a meeting of the “National League of Women Voters”, which Ross had declined.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The Washington Post (Left)<\/strong>, The Evening Star<\/strong>18<\/a><\/sup> (Center), & The Brownsville Herald<\/strong> (Right)<\/strong>, 1926<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ross did believe in women’s capabilities within the political sphere and encouraged them to seek public office. However, she would often express her belief that a woman\u2019s most important social role was being a wife and a mother. On March 28, 1926, The Brownsville Herald<\/em> reported that \u201cAlthough she (Ross) has faith in the future of America’s young womanhood and believes that \u2018freedom of the younger generation of women will prove beneficial. Governor Nellie Tayloe Ross holds that the highest position of woman in life is matrimony and motherhood\u2019\u201d.19<\/a><\/sup> Despite this, it did not stop her from believing in the importance of women in politics and positions of power. She was more concerned with the perception that engaging in politics had “unsexed” her.20<\/a><\/sup> She was committed to proving that despite her role in political power, she was still a feminine woman. In other words, femininity, politics, and public service were all compatible. While she praised motherhood, marriage, and domestic responsibilities, she also made it clear that women should not limit themselves to traditional roles alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ross did not reject the traditional notion of women being wives and mothers. However, another reason for her distance from feminist ideology was the political climate of the 1920s. Politicians and political parties often supported women who did not engage in the feminist movement. If she had explicitly engaged in feminist activism, it is likely that she would not have been chosen as her party\u2019s political candidate. She found herself having to prove that she could be as tough as any male politician while still maintaining her femininity. She advised women to not portray themselves as too \u201caggressive\u201d when they entered office.21<\/a><\/sup> Ross wanted people to support her because she was a capable candidate, not just because she was a woman. She hoped they would focus on her abilities and not discriminate against her because of her sex. In 1926, Ross responded to concerns that the entrance of women in politics would cause them to create havoc by exercising their newfound power. On January 24th, The Washington Post<\/em> reported that she responded by stating, “It opens to woman the door for unbounded service and challenges her to prove whether she does possess high ideals.”.22<\/a><\/sup> After losing her second-term election, she admitted regretting not doing more to appeal to women and challenge the sexist notions she faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, despite Ross\u2019 goal to distance herself from explicit feminist activism, she is still viewed as an important figure to women\u2019s rights. Her title as the first woman governor in the U.S was and is still revered. She inspired other \u201cnew women\u201d to get involved in the field of politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wyoming\u2019s Re-Election & Ross\u2019 Post-Term<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Ross’ Political Advertisement, 1926<\/strong>23<\/a><\/sup> (Top), & Ross with Eleanor Roosevelt, 1928<\/strong>24<\/a><\/sup> (Bottom)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In 1926, The Democratic Party remained with her as their candidate for the next election. The Republican Party chose Frank Emerson, the state engineer. While Ross had won the 1924 election by a significant amount of votes, she did not succeed in re-election for a number of reasons. The most basic reason was that Wyoming was still an overwhelmingly Republican state, and the party had strengthened once again. Wyoming\u2019s senior U.S. senator, Francis E. Warren, was believed to have been on the brink of passing away of old age. At the same time, Wyoming also had a Democratic junior senator, John B. Kendrick. If Ross had won re-election, she would have had the right to choose the next senior senator.25<\/a><\/sup> Republicans would not have preferred two Democrats. Another reason was that during the 1920s, the Klu Klux Klan had a resurgence, and many had controlled votes. Anti-immigrant sentiments and nativism surged during the decade, with Catholics and Catholic immigrants facing discrimination. Some Republicans portrayed Ross as a Catholic, which the KKK held hatred against. Lastly, Ross was a woman. Many still believed women were incapable of handling politics. Some female voters even believed that Ross didn\u2019t automatically deserve their votes just because she was a woman. The Cody Enterprise <\/em>reported on a woman who had voiced this. A woman named Mrs. Jenkins stated “What has Mrs. Ross done particularly to deserve the votes of women? Has she ever since taken any interest in Woman\u2019s Suffrage? Has she ever been a delegate to a Woman\u2019s Suffrage convention, to a Woman\u2019s Christian Temperance meeting, to a Woman\u2019s Relief Corps convention, to a meeting of the Federation of Woman\u2019s clubs for Wyoming?.”.26<\/a><\/sup> However, while she had lost, she remained in politics and Democratic women’s groups. In the 1930s, she became a campaign orator and was even later on appointed as Director of the U.S Mint by Franklin D. Roosevelt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n