Ella Uphay Mowry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ella Uphay Mowry
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| Born |
Ella Uphay Herod
July 1865 |
| Died | August 2, 1923 |
| Other names | Ella Uphay Herod, Mrs. W.D. Mowry |
| Occupation | Educator, suffragist, women's rights activist, and the first female gubernatorial candidate in Kansas |
| Spouse(s) | Wilmot D. Mowry (1854–1929) |
| Parent(s) | William Erastus Herod (1821–1906) and Mary Jane (Collier) Herod (1823–1872) |
Ella Uphay Mowry (born July 1865 – died August 2, 1923) was an American teacher and a strong supporter of women's rights. She worked hard for women to get the right to vote. She was also the first woman to run for governor in Kansas in 1922.
Ella Mowry believed that a woman would one day be governor of Kansas. She said, "Someone had to be the pioneer." She wanted to "blaze the way" for other women to follow.
Early Life and Education
Ella Uphay Herod was born in July 1865 in Columbus, Indiana. Her parents were William Erastus Herod and Mary Jane (Collier) Herod. When she was young, her family moved to Kansas.
Ella went to school at the Osage Indian missionary school in St. Paul, Kansas. Later, in 1894, she married Wilmot D. Mowry. He was a well-known pharmacist in Atchison, Kansas. They had a son named Carl Wilmot Mowry, who sadly passed away at age ten in 1894.
Teaching and Women's Rights Work
After finishing her own education, Ella Mowry became a teacher. She taught in local schools in St. Paul and then in Parsons, Kansas.
Ella was very active in helping women gain more rights. She became the president of the first Wyandotte Republican Club in Kansas City. This was before women across the country could vote. She also joined other groups that supported women's voting rights and literature. She was even chosen as the president of the History Club of Kansas City.
In 1922, Ella Mowry was the head of the legislative committee for the Kansas City, Kansas Federation of Women's Clubs. That same year, she made history by becoming the first woman to run for governor in Kansas. She ran as "Mrs. W. D. Mowry."
She was the first person to sign up for the August primary elections in Kansas in April 1922. A primary election is when people vote to choose who will represent their party in the main election.
Ella Mowry knew it would be tough to win. She said she wasn't "over-optimistic" about her chances. But she strongly believed that her actions would help future women. She wanted to show that women were just as capable as men in public office.
She explained that women needed to think beyond just household tasks. She felt they should get involved in public and political matters. She believed that women would truly achieve their potential when they took a more active role in society.
In May 1907, Ella and her husband attended a meeting for pharmacists in Wichita. During the meeting, Ella was elected as the first vice president of the Ladies’ Auxiliary board of directors. This group supported the main association.
Later Years
In June 1923, Ella Mowry traveled to Denver, Colorado with her husband. She hoped the trip would help her get better, as she had been ill. Sadly, she passed away in Denver on August 2, 1923.
Ella Uphay Mowry is remembered as a brave pioneer who opened doors for women in politics and education.
