US Senator, Author, Teacher, and Reformer. She was the first woman senator to serve in the US Senate and she was the oldest freshman senator ever to be sworn in. And most likely she was the shortest serving senator in US History. She was sworn in on November 21, 1922 and served until November 22, 1922. In 1922 Georgia Governor Thomas W. Hardwick was a candidate for next election for senate. The sitting senator, Thomas E Watson, died in office. Hardwick did not want to appoint someone who might be a competitor in the special election that would choose Watson's replacement. He also saw it as a chance to heal the wounds he had caused by his opposition to the women's right to vote, the 19th Amendment. He also never expected her to be sworn in as he appointed her on October 3, 1922 and the senate was not expected to convene again until after the election. However, he was defeated by Walter F George who graciously allowed Felton to be sworn in on November 21, and he was sworn in a day later. In her only address to the Senate she said, "When the women of the country come in and sit with you, though there may be but very few in the next few years, I pledge you that you will get ability, you will get integrity of purpose, you will get exalted patriotism, and you will get unstinted usefulness." She returned to writing and lecturing and resided in Cartersville, Georgia until her death in Atlanta.
US Senator, Author, Teacher, and Reformer. She was the first woman senator to serve in the US Senate and she was the oldest freshman senator ever to be sworn in. And most likely she was the shortest serving senator in US History. She was sworn in on November 21, 1922 and served until November 22, 1922. In 1922 Georgia Governor Thomas W. Hardwick was a candidate for next election for senate. The sitting senator, Thomas E Watson, died in office. Hardwick did not want to appoint someone who might be a competitor in the special election that would choose Watson's replacement. He also saw it as a chance to heal the wounds he had caused by his opposition to the women's right to vote, the 19th Amendment. He also never expected her to be sworn in as he appointed her on October 3, 1922 and the senate was not expected to convene again until after the election. However, he was defeated by Walter F George who graciously allowed Felton to be sworn in on November 21, and he was sworn in a day later. In her only address to the Senate she said, "When the women of the country come in and sit with you, though there may be but very few in the next few years, I pledge you that you will get ability, you will get integrity of purpose, you will get exalted patriotism, and you will get unstinted usefulness." She returned to writing and lecturing and resided in Cartersville, Georgia until her death in Atlanta.
Bio by: Tom Todd
Inscription
Wife of Dr. William H. Felton
Born in Dekalb County
Daughter of Charles & Elinor Anne Latimer
Member of Daughters of American Revolution
United Daughters of Confederacy
National Federation of Women's Clubs
And A Colonial Dame
Leader in cause of woman suffrage
Pioneer director of Georgia Training School
for girls
Journalist, Lecturer and Scholar.
First Woman United States Senator.
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Felton or Latimer memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
