Vera Gilbride Davis (July 22, 1894 – May 6, 1974) was an American educator and politician, known as the "Grand Dame of Delaware Politics". She was the first woman elected to statewide office in Delaware in 1956, after a long career in the state legislature. In 1982 she was inducted into the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame.
Vera Gilbride Davis
Vera Gilbride Davis, from a 1952 newspaper
Born
July 22, 1894
Wilmington, Delaware
Died
May 6, 1974 (aged 79)
Dover, Delaware
Occupation(s)
Politician, suffragist
Known for
first woman elected to the Delaware state senate (1946)
Vera M. Gilbride was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1894, the daughter of John J. Gilbride and Mary Ellen Crumlish Gilbride. She attended school at the Ursuline Academy in Wilmington.[1]
CareerEdit
Davis, a Republican, was known as the "Grand Dame of Delaware Politics". She became a bill clerk in Delaware's House of Representatives in 1927. She was elected to the state Senate in 1946. In 1949, she was the first woman elected President Pro Tempore of the state Senate. She was the first woman to be majority leader in the Delaware House of Representatives in 1952.[2] In 1956 she became the first woman elected to statewide office in Delaware, when she became state treasurer.[3][1] She ran for re-election in 1958, but lost.[4]
Davis was active in the women's suffrage movement and sang as a church soloist as a young woman.[5] She taught school in Dover during World War I, and was an adult education teacher in the 1930s.[6] She was president of Easter Seals of Delaware and served on many executive boards, including at Kent General Hospital.[7]
Personal lifeEdit
Gilbride married lawyer Frank Hall Davis in 1915.[5] They had two sons, Frank Jr. and John,[8] who both served in World War II. She was named Delaware Mother of the Year in 1962.[6][9] She was widowed when Frank H. Davis died in 1950,[10] and she died in 1974, aged 79 years, at a nursing home in Dover, Delaware.[11][12] The week she died, the Delaware State House issued a joint resolution her memory.[6] In 1982 she was inducted into the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame.[13][14] Her papers are in the Delaware Public Archives.[7]
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"State Women's Clubs Section Topic Public Affairs Sept. 10". The News Journal. 1958-08-11. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
^"GOP Selects F. Albert Jones House Speaker; Mrs. Vera G. Davis of Dover Chosen Majority Floor Leader". The Morning News. 1952-12-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
^Schwartz, Ryan (February 24, 2021). "The Grande Dame of Delaware Politics: Vera Gilbride Davis". Delaware State Parks Adventure Blog. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
^"State Voters' Guide to Top Candidates". The News Journal. 1958-10-29. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ab"Frank Hall Davis to Wed Miss Gilbride". The News Journal. 1915-09-08. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-05-12 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abcDelaware. At a General Assembly Begun at Dover, in the Delaware State, ... the Following Acts Were Passed ... J. Adams. pp. 2060–2061.
^ ab"The Davis Collection". Delaware Public Archives - State of Delaware. 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
^"John Davis New Chief of Kent GOP". The News Journal. 1975-04-17. p. 25. Retrieved 2022-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Mrs. Davis is Mother-of-Year". The Morning News. 1962-04-10. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Frank H. Davis, Lawyer, Dies". The News Journal. 1950-04-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-05-12 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Vera G. Davis Dies at 79; Delaware Political Leader". The New York Times. 1974-05-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
^Shaw, Eleanor (1974-05-07). "Vera Davis Dies, She Pioneered as Woman Politician". The News Journal. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-05-12 – via Newspapers.com.
^"History Matters: The Hall of Fame of Delaware Women". Delaware First Media. 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
^"Hall of Fame Ceremony Set". The Daily Times. 1983-04-26. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-05-12 – via Newspapers.com.
External linksEdit
"Vera Gilbride Davis: The Grande Dame Of Delaware Politics" (April 6, 2022), The United States of Women Podcast.
September 01, 2023
vera, gilbride, davis, july, 1894, 1974, american, educator, politician, known, grand, dame, delaware, politics, first, woman, elected, statewide, office, delaware, 1956, after, long, career, state, legislature, 1982, inducted, into, delaware, women, hall, fam. Vera Gilbride Davis July 22 1894 May 6 1974 was an American educator and politician known as the Grand Dame of Delaware Politics She was the first woman elected to statewide office in Delaware in 1956 after a long career in the state legislature In 1982 she was inducted into the Delaware Women s Hall of Fame Vera Gilbride DavisVera Gilbride Davis from a 1952 newspaperBornJuly 22 1894Wilmington DelawareDiedMay 6 1974 aged 79 Dover DelawareOccupation s Politician suffragistKnown forfirst woman elected to the Delaware state senate 1946 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditVera M Gilbride was born in Wilmington Delaware in 1894 the daughter of John J Gilbride and Mary Ellen Crumlish Gilbride She attended school at the Ursuline Academy in Wilmington 1 Career EditDavis a Republican was known as the Grand Dame of Delaware Politics She became a bill clerk in Delaware s House of Representatives in 1927 She was elected to the state Senate in 1946 In 1949 she was the first woman elected President Pro Tempore of the state Senate She was the first woman to be majority leader in the Delaware House of Representatives in 1952 2 In 1956 she became the first woman elected to statewide office in Delaware when she became state treasurer 3 1 She ran for re election in 1958 but lost 4 Davis was active in the women s suffrage movement and sang as a church soloist as a young woman 5 She taught school in Dover during World War I and was an adult education teacher in the 1930s 6 She was president of Easter Seals of Delaware and served on many executive boards including at Kent General Hospital 7 Personal life EditGilbride married lawyer Frank Hall Davis in 1915 5 They had two sons Frank Jr and John 8 who both served in World War II She was named Delaware Mother of the Year in 1962 6 9 She was widowed when Frank H Davis died in 1950 10 and she died in 1974 aged 79 years at a nursing home in Dover Delaware 11 12 The week she died the Delaware State House issued a joint resolution her memory 6 In 1982 she was inducted into the Delaware Women s Hall of Fame 13 14 Her papers are in the Delaware Public Archives 7 References Edit a b State Women s Clubs Section Topic Public Affairs Sept 10 The News Journal 1958 08 11 p 13 Retrieved 2022 05 13 via Newspapers com GOP Selects F Albert Jones House Speaker Mrs Vera G Davis of Dover Chosen Majority Floor Leader The Morning News 1952 12 11 p 1 Retrieved 2022 05 13 via Newspapers com Schwartz Ryan February 24 2021 The Grande Dame of Delaware Politics Vera Gilbride Davis Delaware State Parks Adventure Blog Retrieved 2022 05 12 State Voters Guide to Top Candidates The News Journal 1958 10 29 p 23 Retrieved 2022 05 13 via Newspapers com a b Frank Hall Davis to Wed Miss Gilbride The News Journal 1915 09 08 p 5 Retrieved 2022 05 12 via Newspapers com a b c Delaware At a General Assembly Begun at Dover in the Delaware State the Following Acts Were Passed J Adams pp 2060 2061 a b The Davis Collection Delaware Public Archives State of Delaware 2015 10 23 Retrieved 2022 05 12 John Davis New Chief of Kent GOP The News Journal 1975 04 17 p 25 Retrieved 2022 05 13 via Newspapers com Mrs Davis is Mother of Year The Morning News 1962 04 10 p 9 Retrieved 2022 05 13 via Newspapers com Frank H Davis Lawyer Dies The News Journal 1950 04 19 p 1 Retrieved 2022 05 12 via Newspapers com Vera G Davis Dies at 79 Delaware Political Leader The New York Times 1974 05 08 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2022 05 12 Shaw Eleanor 1974 05 07 Vera Davis Dies She Pioneered as Woman Politician The News Journal p 2 Retrieved 2022 05 12 via Newspapers com History Matters The Hall of Fame of Delaware Women Delaware First Media 2016 04 29 Retrieved 2022 05 12 Hall of Fame Ceremony Set The Daily Times 1983 04 26 p 6 Retrieved 2022 05 12 via Newspapers com External links Edit Vera Gilbride Davis The Grande Dame Of Delaware Politics April 6 2022 The United States of Women Podcast Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vera Gilbride Davis amp oldid 1170281845, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
