American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming

Spring 1998 Heritage Highlights

Nellie Tayloe Ross Papers

Nellie Tayloe Ross is best known as the first woman governor in the United States. She remains the only woman governor of Wyoming. She was born in 1876 and married William Bradford Ross in 1902. The young couple moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where William Ross started a law practice. He soon became one of the leaders of the Democratic Party in Wyoming and was elected governor in 1922.

During this time Nellie devoted herself to home and family. She had twin boys the first year of their marriage, George Tayloe and James Ambrose. This was followed by the birth of Alfred Duff in 1905 (who died in infancy) and of William Bradford in 1912.

Nellie Tayloe Ross, (1876-1977), in her office while Director of the U. S. Mint. Nellie Tayloe Ross Papers, American Heritage Center

In 1924 Governor William Bradford Ross died and Nellie was urged by party leaders to run in the special election to complete his term. She won easily, becoming the nation’s first woman governor. When her term expired she failed to win re-election by a narrow margin.

After her defeat Nellie turned her attention to national politics. She campaigned for Al Smith and became vice chairman of the Democratic Party. Noticing her devotion to the party and her political ability, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed her Director of the U.S. Mint, the first woman to hold that position. She served four five-year terms before retiring in 1953. She spent her retirement traveling, lecturing, writing, and spending time with family. Nellie Tayloe Ross died in 1977 at the age of 101.

The Nellie Tayloe Ross Papers at the American Heritage Center contain a wide variety of material including correspondence going back to 1902, photographs spanning most of Nellie’s lifetime, and information about the Ross and Tayloe families. There is also information regarding Nellie’s political career such as copies of many of Nellie’s speeches and numerous newspaper clippings and magazine articles. Nellie’s grandsons, William Bradford Ross, III and Robert Tayloe Ross graciously loaned the Center some original material relating to Nellie’s life and career including a rare film showing Nellie in her duties as the U.S. Mint Director.

  Grace Raymond Hebard Papers Are Being Processed

The papers of longtime University of Wyoming professor, Grace Raymond Hebard, are currently being processed. Hebard began her long UW career when she was appointed to the Board of Trustees during the 1890s. She also served as secretary for the board and later became the head of the Department of Political Economy at the university. Hebard wrote many books about Wyoming history and her papers are filled with the personal accounts of many of Wyoming's early pioneers.

Susan Horan, history student at the university, is processing the papers with the proceeds received from the sale of the reprinted edition of Hebard's 1928 "Map of the History and Romance of Wyoming." The project will be completed by the fall of 1998.

 

Grace Raymond Hebard AHC Collections.

  New Exhibits at the American Heritage Center, AHC Traveling Exhibits

  Return to the Spring 1998 Heritage Highlights Index

American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, P.O. Box 3924, Laramie, WY 82071.  Phone:  307.766.4114,  Fax:  307.766.5511, Email: shelstad@uwyo.edu.  Copyright © University of Wyoming, 1999.  Created on June 27, 1999.  Last modified on August 24, 2000.