Nellie Cline Steenson Explained

Office:Kansas House of Representatives
Term Start:1920
Term End:1924
Office1:Idaho House of Representatives
Office2:Idaho Senate
Birth Date:7 December 1885
Birth Place:Larned, Kansas
Education:Baker University
Party:Democrat

Nellie Cline Steenson (December 7, 1885 - April 1, 1984) was an American politician and lawyer who served in the Kansas House of Representatives, Idaho House of Representatives and Idaho Senate. A Democrat, she was the elected county attorney of Pawnee County, Kansas before her 1920 election to the Kansas House of Representatives, where she served two terms. Moving to Pocatello, Idaho in 1935, she entered Idaho politics in 1942 and was the first woman elected to the Idaho Senate. She served a total of eight terms in the Idaho Legislature.[1] [2] [3]

Senator Steenson was the first woman to argue a case before the Kansas Supreme Court.[4]

A graduate of Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas and a native of Larned, Kansas, she was part of the second group of women to serve in the Kansas House of Representatives, serving with Rep. Minnie J. Grinstead, Rep. Minnie Minnich and Rep. Ida Walker. During her tenure in the Kansas Legislature, she authored the state's first law providing protections to farm labor. During her tenure in the Idaho Legislature she passed legislation to provide pensions for retired police officers and firefighters and worked to promote the University of Idaho.[5]

1921-1922 Kansas House of Representatives Committee Assignments[6]

1923-1924 Kansas House of Representatives Committee Assignments[7]

Notes and References

  1. M.A. . Enicks-Knissr . Lori Lynn . April 2014 . "The Lady from Seward" – Minnie J. Grinstead, the First Woman Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives . Emporia State University.
  2. Web site: Rep. Nellie Cline . Kansas State Library . 2019-12-28.
  3. Web site: Nellie Cline Steenson Obiturary . Idaho State Journal . 2019-12-28.
  4. Web site: Nellie Cline . Kansas Historical Society . 2019-12-28.
  5. Web site: Nellie Cline Steenson Obiturary . Idaho State Journal . 2019-12-28.
  6. Web site: 1921 Kansas House Journal . State of Kansas . 2019-12-28.
  7. Web site: 1923 Kansas House Journal . State of Kansas . 2019-12-28.