Mary Strong Kinney (April 9, 1859 – June 17, 1938) was an American politician from

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...

Early life and education

Mary Edna Strong was born on April 9, 1859, in Salem, Oregon, to Elisha Strong and Pherne Brown Strong. Her great grandmother was

Tabitha Moffatt Brown Tabitha Moffatt Brown (May 1, 1780 – May 4, 1858) was an American pioneer colonist who traveled the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country. There she assisted in the founding of Tualatin Academy, which would grow to become Pacific University in ...

, the founder of what was to become

Pacific University Pacific University is a private university in Forest Grove, Oregon. Founded in 1849 as the Tualatin Academy, the original Forest Grove campus is west of Portland. The university maintains three other campuses in Eugene, Hillsboro, and Wood ...

. She received her A.B. degree from

Willamette University Willamette University is a private liberal arts college with locations in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated ...

, as well as her A.M. degree in 1878. She taught at the

La Creole Academy LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

. She married William Sylvester Kinney, the youngest son of Robert Crouch Kinney, in 1881. After her husband died in 1898, she managed his

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

and raised four sons: Robert C., Dr. Alfred E., Dr. Kenneth W., William S.

Political career

In 1912, the year women in Oregon were granted suffrage, Kinney was the president of the Astoria Women's Suffrage Club. Kinney was elected as a Republican to represent Clatsop County in the

Oregon House of Representatives The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 65,000. The House meets in the west wing of t ...

in 1920, serving in the 1921 legislature as the only woman in either house that year. She fought for the right for women to serve on Oregon juries. In 1922, she was elected to the

state senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

, where she served in the

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, ...

and

1925 Events January * January 1 ** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the It ...

legislative sessions. '' Oregon Voter'' magazine noted in 1922 that "her business experience was so broad that she had a ready comprehension of legislative problems" and that she "bore herself with distinction and dignity".

Death and legacy

Strong moved to Astoria in 1908. She died in

Seaside, Oregon Seaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The name Seaside is derived from ''Seaside House'', a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population ...

, on June 17, 1938, and was buried in the

Salem Pioneer Cemetery Salem Pioneer Cemetery (also known as the I.O.O.F. Cemetery or Oddfellows Cemetery) is a cemetery in Salem, Oregon, United States. Overview Salem Pioneer Cemetery is one of two historic cemeteries located next to each other at the intersectio ...

. A

liberty ship Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost constr ...

, the SS ''Mary E. Kinney'' was built in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

and named in her honor on December 29, 1943.

References

External links

*
Image of Mary Strong Kinney
from Pacific University {{DEFAULTSORT:Kinney, Mary Strong 1859 births 1938 deaths Burials in Oregon Businesspeople from Oregon Republican Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives Republican Party Oregon state senators Politicians from Astoria, Oregon Politicians from Salem, Oregon Willamette University alumni Women state legislators in Oregon Burials at Salem Pioneer Cemetery

Early life and education

Political career

Death and legacy

See also

Further reading

References

External links