Julia D. Nelson (December 11, 1863 – May 27, 1936) was an American politician elected to the

Indiana House of Representatives The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House memb ...

in 1921, the first woman elected to the Indiana General Assembly.

Early life

Nelson was born in Mooresville, Indiana. She moved to

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

around 1887, and then to Muncie around 1903. Nelson attended common schools and high school. She was married to Edward F. Nelson, with whom she had three children. Nelson was Chair of the Delaware County Republican Women in 1920. She was active in the

suffrage movement Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

, the Eastern Star, and the State Assembly Women's Club. Nelson returned to Indianapolis in 1923.

Career

Nelson was elected to the

in 1921, representing Delaware County. Her first speech in office addressed the care of poor parents by their children. While in office, Nelson supported legislation to regulate the hours of women in industry, and to establishing a state probation officer. She also supported a poll tax for women, and increased salaries for legislators. Nelson introduced a bill supporting movie censorship.

Later life

Her husband Edward died in 1923. Julia D. Nelson died in Indianapolis on May 27, 1936.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Julia D. Republican Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives Women state legislators in Indiana People from Mooresville, Indiana 1863 births 1936 deaths