Fact #10: Who was the "real" first female governor?

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FACT #10: Who was the “real” first female Governor - Part 1?

Depending on how the question is asked, one of four women could be considered the first female Governor.

Nellie Ross became governor of Wyoming in 1925 - making her the first woman to hold the title in the U.S. But this only happened because her husband, Governor William Bradford Ross, died from appendicitis less than two years into his first term. A special election was held to replace him. Nellie wavered on running for office. Eventually, Republicans nominated their guy. The Democrats went ahead and nominated Nellie. She was informed and then just 45 minutes before the deadline, she accepted the Democrat’s nomination. Sympathy vote or or help from her husband's last name and connections, she ended up winning by a larger margin than her husband did.

Miram A. Ferguson became governor of Texas two weeks after Nellie Ross. Miriam's husband, Governor James Edward Ferguson, was impeached on 10 charges of embezzlement. Since he was prohibited from running for Governor he offered up his wife as a puppet candidate in the special election to replace him. They were very obvious about it - even having her use the slogan “Two Governors for the Price of One.” She won, however, she lost reelection. She ran again a few years later, serving a second term as governor from 1933-1937. While in office, she was accused, along with her husband, of accepting bribes. They also gave out so many pardons - nearly 4,000- that voters changed the state's constitution so that only politically independent Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles could issue pardons.

Check back for part two.