Nellie Davis Tayloe Ross

I chose Nellie Ross, because she was the first women governor in the United States. She was the governor of Wyoming, and was an impact on society.

Facts in Brief
Full Name: Nellie Davis Tayloe Ross
Birth: November 29, 1876, in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Parents: James Wynn Tyloe & Elizabeth Blair Green-Tayloe
Education: Public & private schools and a two-year teaching program.
Awards & Honors: First woman governor of The United States.
Death: December 19, 1977, at the age of 101.

Nellie’s husband, William Bradford Ross, was elected governor of Wyoming, in 1922. In September of 1924, William had his appendix removed. There were complications with the surgery, and he died on October 2, 1924. It was only a few weeks before the November elections for Wyoming. Because his death occurred so close to the election, someone had to be nominated in his place for the election. Since William was a democrat, the democrats got to choose the nominee. The democrats asked Nellie if she would run. She said nothing in response. They assumed she would run, because she did not say no. She was named the Democratic nominee. The Republican candidate was Attorney, Eugene J. Sullivan.

Nellie didn’t run any campaigns, but she made it clear to the public through two open letters that a vote for her would be a vote to her husband’s ways when he was governor.

On January 5, 1925, Nellie was inaugurated. She was Wyoming’s thirteenth governor, and the United States’ first woman governor. Soon after, Roosevelt became president. He selected woman to carry out certain jobs for the United States. Nellie was selected to run the United States Mint. She did her job well. In 1952 Dwight D. Eisenhower replaced Nellie Ross as governor of Wyoming.

I think Nellie Ross was an impact on society because she gave woman a greater feeling of equality. She proved that woman can take on big responsibilities.

Bibliography

1)http://www.galegroup.com/freresrc/womenhst/bio/rossnt.htm Gale Group Inc. Copyright 2001. March 29, 2001

2)http://spacr.state.wy.us/cr/archives/articles/rossbio.htm Five Famous Wyomingites Copyright 1999. April 2, 2001

3)World Book Encyclopedia James S. Olson. Ross, Nellie Tayloe. 01-01-2000.

4)Reference Library of American Woman. Vol. III. Nellie Tayloe Ross Copyright 1999. March 29, 2001