Frances Haddon Morgan Explained

Frances Haddon Morgan
State Senate:Washington
District:23rd
Term Start:1960
Term End:1968
Predecessor:Ralph Purvis
Successor:Gordon Walgren
State House1:Washington
District1:23rd
Term Start1:1958
Term End1:1960
Predecessor1:Clifford W. Beck
Alongside1:Pat Nicholson
Arnold S. Wang
Birth Name:Frances Haddon
Birth Place:Bremerton, Washington, U.S.
Party:Democratic

Frances Haddon Morgan (1909 – July 30, 1993) was an American politician in the state of Washington. A Democrat, she was a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 23rd district between 1958 and 1960 and a member of the Washington State Senate for the 23rd district between 1960 and 1968.

Early life

Haddon was born in 1909 in Bremerton, Washington. Her parents were Lulu Haddon, a state legislator, and James C. Haddon, a grocer who owned Haddon's Grocery. She had three brothers: Lawrence, Joseph Elbert and James Jr.[1] Haddon attended business college and worked as an advertising agent before running a welcoming service. She was married to Osmore H. Morgan, a mail carrier, and had two children. In 1957, she was a member of the governor's council for children and youth.[2] [3]

Political career

Haddon was first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in the 1958 general election, to represent the 23rd district as a Democrat. She was the vice chair of the state institutions and youth control committee.[4] [5] In 1959, she co-sponsored legislation to create a new government department for children and youth.[6] She stayed in the lower chamber of the legislature for one term, before being elected to the Washington State Senate in the 1960 general election to represent the 23rd district, beating the incumbent Ralph Purvis.[7] During her time in the legislature, she advocated for children with disabilities, including establishing the Lakeland Village in Spokane and Olympic Peninsula Enterprises.[8]

With her second election, Haddon became the first woman to have held the same seats in both chambers of the Washington state legislature as her mother. She was sworn in to the senate at the opening of the 37th legislature on January 10, 1961, the only female senator and the first woman to serve since Lady Willie Forbus in 1947, at a ceremony attended by her mother. She was chair of the medicine and dentistry committee in the 1961 legislative session, chair of the public institutions committee in the 1963, 1965 and 1967 legislative sessions. In 1963, she introduced legislation alongside John Stender to prevent psychological testing of students without parental consent.[9] Haddon held her seat in the senate until the 1968 elections, when she lost in the Democratic primary to Gordon Walgren.[10]

Death and legacy

Haddon died on July 30, 1993, in her home in Bremerton at the age of 83.[11] [12] She was described in 1988 by local reporter Adele Ferguson as "the indomitable, intractable, unstoppable, often maddening and always good-hearted 'Aunt Franny'".[13] The Frances Haddon Morgan Center was established in Bremerton in 1972, to house children with autism and later adults with disabilities, although it was abandoned in the 2010s and was torn down in 2022.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stein . Alan J. . December 25, 2014 . Haddon, Lulu (1881–1964) . December 27, 2022 . . December 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221227183013/https://www.historylink.org/File/11001 . live .
  2. Web site: Frances Haddon Morgan . 2024-01-19 . web.leg.wa.gov . March 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326053253/https://web.leg.wa.gov/WomenInTheLegislature/Members/MorganFH.htm . live .
  3. Web site: Horn . Ann . July 28, 2018 . Remember when: July 29, 2018 . 2024-01-19 . . en-US . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119215149/https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2018/07/28/remember-when-july-29-2018/849354002/ . live .
  4. Web site: Stein . Alan J. . December 30, 2014 . Former State Senator Lulu Haddon attends the swearing-in ceremony for her daughter, State Senator Frances Haddon Morgan, on January 10, 1961 . December 27, 2022 . . December 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221227183016/https://www.historylink.org/File/11008 . live .
  5. Web site: State of Washington Members of the Legislature, 1889 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220420082957/https://leg.wa.gov/History/Legislative/Documents/MembersOfLeg2011.pdf . 2022-04-20 . Washington State Legislature.
  6. News: March 2, 1959 . Child-Youth Bill Delayed . January 19, 2024 . . 26 . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119220352/https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle/139108193/ . live .
  7. News: September 14, 1960 . 3 House Members Beaten . January 19, 2024 . . 10 . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119223608/https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle/139108293/ . live .
  8. Web site: August 4, 1993 . Frances Haddon Morgan . January 19, 2024 . . en-US . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119202013/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1993/08/04/frances-haddon-morgan/ . live .
  9. News: February 4, 1963 . Bill Would Block Psychological Tests Given to Students . January 19, 2024 . . 3 . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119220359/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian/139108354/ . live .
  10. Web site: Oldham . Kit . March 3, 2008 . Although a jury has found him guilty of three felonies, state Supreme Court keeps State Senator Gordon Walgren on the election ballot in a ruling announced on October 22, 1980 . January 19, 2024 . . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119214305/https://www.historylink.org/File/8516 . live .
  11. News: 1993-08-07 . Frances Haddon Morgan . 2024-01-19 . . 30 . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119223437/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-obituary-for-frances-haddon/139114270/ . live .
  12. News: 1993-08-04 . Elsewhere . 2024-01-19 . . 29 . January 19, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119223441/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-obituary-for-tu/139114255/ . live .
  13. Web site: Strosnider . Ann . March 25, 2007 . Kitsap Originals . 2024-01-19 . . en.
  14. News: Farley . Josh . August 16, 2022 . Abandoned Frances Haddon Morgan Center demolished; neighbors wonder what's next . January 19, 2024 . . August 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220817013428/https://eu.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2022/08/16/abandoned-morgan-center-demolished-neighbors-wonder-whats-next-realtor-zillow-homes-kitsap-property/10329399002/ . live .

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