Isabella Greenway

Isabella Greenway Selmes King ( born March 22, 1886, Boone County, Kentucky, † December 18, 1953 in Tucson, Arizona) was an American politician. Between 1933 and 1937, she represented the first electoral district of the State of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and private environment

Isabella Greenway was born in 1886 as Isabella Selmes. After primary school she attended Miss Chapin's School in New York City. In New York she made ​​friends with Eleanor Roosevelt and in 1905 was bridesmaid at their wedding with Franklin D. Roosevelt. At the age of 19 she married Robert Ferguson. As this developed tuberculosis, the family moved in 1910 by Tyrone in today's state of New Mexico. His marriage to Robert Ferguson went forth a son. After the death of her husband she moved to Santa Barbara in California, where she married the wealthy businessman John Campbell Greenway. From this marriage two children were born. Her second husband died in 1926, after which she moved to Tucson in Arizona. She later married Harry O. King.

Political and business career

Greenway was a member of the Democratic Party. In 1918, she was still in New Mexico, chairman of the so-called "Women 's Land Army of New Mexico ." After moving to Tucson, she was a member of the Democratic National Committee. At that time she was also involved in various business areas. She was the owner of a large ranch where they cattle breeding. Between 1929 and 1934 she was also the owner of the airline Gilpin Airlines in Los Angeles. Also since 1929, she has worked in Tucson in the hotel business.

As Congressman of the first electoral district of Arizona, Lewis Williams Douglas, abandoned in March 1933 on his seat in Congress, Isabella Greenway was elected his successor. After a re-election in the congressional elections of 1934, they could exercise their mandate in the House of Representatives between October 1933 and January 3, 1937 3. She was a member of the committee that dealt with the establishment of the Mount Rushmore monument. In 1936, she decided not to run for another term.

After the end of their time in Congress Isabella Greenway retired from politics and devoted himself to their personal and business interests. She died in December 1953 and was buried in the family cemetery Selmes - in Kentucky.