Kathryn Clarke (1873 – August 19, 1940) was the first woman to serve in the

Oregon Senate The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the statewide legislature for the US state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the state Sena ...

Biography

Clarke was born in 1873 to John Clarke and Catherine McGregor Clarke in

Gardiner, Oregon Gardiner is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place in Douglas County, Oregon, United States, across the Umpqua River from Reedsport, Oregon, Reedsport. It is located on U.S. Route 101 in Oregon, U.S. Route 10 ...

. In January 1915, Senator George Neuner Jr. resigned to serve as district attorney, so governor

Oswald West Oswald West (May 20, 1873 – August 22, 1960) was an American politician, a Democrat, who served most notably as the 14th Governor of Oregon. He was called "Os West" by Oregon writer Stewart Holbrook, who described him as "by all odds the mo ...

, the cousin of Clarke, set to appoint a replacement. He initially offered the post to Dexter Rice, a judge, but Rice declined. A special election was held on January 20, which Clarke won by 76 votes. Clarke served until January 1917.The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, January 09, 1916, SECTION TWO, Image 30
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References

1873 births 1940 deaths People from Gardiner, Oregon People from Pasadena, California Republican Party Oregon state senators Women state legislators in Oregon 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians {{Oregon-politician-stub

Biography

See also

References