Nellie Tayloe Ross was born on her family's farm in St. Joseph, Missouri, on November 29, 1876. She was educated in the public and private schools in Omaha, Nebraska and taught school for a few years in Omaha. In 1902, she married William B. Ross and the couple then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Following the death of Governor Ross shortly before the general election of 1924, Nellie was nominated to fill her husband's unexpired term. As she was still in mourning, Ross did not campaign but won the election, serving as first female governor of Wyoming. Ross and Ma Ferguson of Texas were elected on the same day, but as Ross was inaugurated first, she holds the title as the first female governor in the US. She narrowly lost her bid for re-election in 1926.

Later, Ross achieved national fame as vice-chairman of the Democratic National Committee, director of the Democratic Women's office in Washington, D.C., magazine writer, and director of the U.S. Mint 1933-1953. She has the distinction of being the first woman to head the US Mint as well as its longest serving director.

Ross died on December 19, 1977 at her home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 101. She is buried in Cheyenne, Wyoming, beside her husband and two of their sons.

She and William had four boys: twins George and Ambrose, Alfred (died in infancy), and Bradford. To date, Ross and her husband are the only husband and wife to have both served as governor of Wyoming.

The Nellie T. Ross Collection

The records of Governor Ross' term in office include:

• General Records
• Petition for Removal of Arthur Gwynn from Office
• Petition for Removal of Scott Hazen from Office
• Board of Accountancy Charges and Hutchinson, CPA, Answers
• Land - Argument on Conversion of Certificates
• Land - Patents Issued
• Land - Unappropriated and Unreserved Land
• Guide License for I.N. Powell
• Certifications, Bucyrus Lodge, Ohio
• Administrative Records
• Correspondence
• General Correspondence
• Penitentiary Correspondence
• Reports
• Interstate Stream Commission Report
• University of Wyoming Report
• Mine Inspector Report
• Expense Register
• Proclamations
• Pardon Records
• Petitions for Pardons
• Board of Pardons and Parole Quarterly Meeting, October 13, 1926
• Requisitions and Extraditions
• Requests
• Rewards
• Legislative Affairs
• Budget Proof Sheets
• A Bill to Create the State Reserve Bank
• Budget - General Fund - Tax Figures
• Petitions for Riverton Armory
• Message to the Legislature, 1925

Quotations

The best thing I could do for the women's cause at that time was to do a good job as governor and afterwards. I wanted to show that women could take the responsibility and do well." -- Nellie Tayloe Ross, interviewed by a reporter in Washington, D.C., as she neared her 100th birthday

I've always thought candidates should not be chosen on the basis of sex. Being a woman should not mitigate for or against someone." -- Nellie Tayloe Ross, interview for People Weekly magazine as she neared her 100th birthday, published Nov. 29, 1976

Additional Resources

• Nellie Tayloe Ross papers, 1880s-1998, Collection Number 00948, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
• George Tayloe Ross papers, 1929-1970, Collection Number 11713, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
• "The Ambition of Nellie Tayloe Ross", by Tom Rea, Wyohistory.org essay
• "This Day in Wyoming History: Nellie Tayloe Ross Elected Governor in 1924", Wyoming Postscripts, Wyoming State Archives, November 5, 2014. (accessed June 2015)
• Scheer, Teva J. Governor Lady: The Life and times of Nellie Tayloe Ross. Columbia: U of Missouri, 2005.
• "Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876-1977)," memorial, FindAGrave.com (accessed June 2017)
• "12 Reasons Why Women Should Vote for Smith" by N.T. Ross, WorldCat entry, pamphlet written by Ross campaigning for Al Smith for President of the US in 1928 (accessed December 2017)