King, Isabella Greenway, 1886-1953

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Isabella Dinsmore Selmes Ferguson Greenway King (March 22, 1886 – December 18, 1953) is best known as the first U.S. congresswoman in Arizona history, and as the founder of the Arizona Inn of Tucson. During her life she was also noted as a one-time owner and operator of Los Angeles-based Gilpin Airlines, a speaker at the 1932 Democratic National Convention, and a bridesmaid at the wedding of Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Born Isabella Dinsmore Selmes at the historic Dinsmore Farm in Boone County, Kentucky, she was briefly raised in the Dakota Territory, where her father befriended Theodore Roosevelt, before moving with her mother to New York City after her father's death. She attended Miss Chapin's School in New York City, where she met and became lifelong friends with Roosevelt's niece, Eleanor. Weeks after serving as a bridesmaid at the marriage of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, Isabella married Robert H. Munro Ferguson, a former member of Theodore Roosevelt’s military unit from the Spanish-American War, with little notice. After Munro Ferguson developed tuberculosis, the family moved in 1909 to a ranch home in the dry climate of the Burro Mountains near Silver City, New Mexico. A year after Munro Ferguson's death, Isabella married another former “Rough Rider,” John Campbell Greenway, a decorated veteran of World War I, mining engineer, and copper magnate. The Greenways raised one child, John, and with Isabella’s two other children, settled in the mining town of Ajo, Arizona, which they helped develop alongside their Cornelia surface copper mine. John Greenway died in 1927, and Isabella relocated to Tucson with her children. She established the Arizona Hut, a woodcraft factory that employed wounded veterans. She later built a successful hotel resort, the Arizona Inn, and owned a cattle ranch and Gilpin Airlines, based in Los Angeles, California.

Isabella Greenway’s political career began during the First World War. In 1918 she chaired the Women’s Land Army of New Mexico. To recognize Greenway’s part in delivering Arizona’s delegation to Franklin Roosevelt at the 1932 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, party leaders chose her to second FDR’s nomination. When Arizona’s Representative At-Large, Lewis Williams Douglas, resigned in March 1933 to become director of the Bureau of the Budget, Greenway ran for his seat. On the same day in August that Arizonans voted 3 to 1 to repeal Prohibition, Greenway overwhelmingly won the Democratic primary. In the October 3, 1933, special election, Greenway triumphed with 73 percent of the vote. In November 1934, Greenway won election to a second term, defeating Republican Hoval A. Smith and two third-party candidates with 68 percent of the vote.

Citing the need to spend more time with her family, on March 22, 1936, her fiftieth birthday, Greenway announced her decision to retire from the House. Not only did she wish to leave Washington politics, but despite being considered the front-runner for the Arizona governorship in 1934, she precluded any further public service. Greenway gave tacit confirmation of the break with President Roosevelt by actively campaigning for the 1940 Republican presidential candidate, Wendell L. Willkie, as chair of the Arizona chapter of Democrats for Willkie. In 1939 Greenway married Harry O. King, a former National Recovery Administration manager for the copper industry. She also went on to chair the American Women’s Volunteer Service during World War II, a national group dedicated to providing civil defense training to women. Later, she participated in international cultural exchange programs. Following a long illness, Greenway died in Tucson.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn McCormick, Ada Peirce. Ada McCormick papers, ca. 1915-1968 (bulk 1940-1959 ). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Selmes family. Selmes family papers, 1816-1930 (bulk 1860-1940). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Munro Ferguson family. Munro Ferguson family papers, 1878-1940 (bulk 1905-1919). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Buehman Studio. Fox Theater photograph collection, ca. 1930-1939. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
creatorOf King, Isabella Greenway, 1886-1953. Greenway papers, 1860-1953 (bulk 1890-1936). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
creatorOf King, Isabella Greenway, 1886-1953. Greenway papers, 1864-1969 (bulk 1932-1945). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Drachman, Mose, 1870-1935. Political files, 1888-1935. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Review of Reviews (New York, N. Y.), Golden Book Magazine, editorial correspondence, 1921-1935. Houghton Library
referencedIn Murphey, Walter Edgar, 1859-1934. Murphey real estate and personal papers, 1910-1934. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Holsclaw, Douglas S.,. Oral history interview, 1983 Apr. 7 [sound recording]. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Dinsmore, James, 1790-1872. Dinsmore family papers, 1731-1978 (bulk 1850-1925). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Papers of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, ca. 1860-1969 (inclusive) Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Martin, Andrew P., 1886-1969. Martin papers, 1901-1969. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn University of Arizona. Office of the President. University of Arizona Office of the President records, 1914-1937. University of Arizona Libraries
referencedIn Newcomer, E. D., 1896-1973. Newcomer photographs - Subject series, 1928-1968. Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Flandrau family. Flandrau family papers, 1856-1969 (bulk 1890-1940). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Gilpin and Greenway Air Lines Company. Gilpin and Greenway Air Lines Company records, 1907-1934 (bulk 1929-1934). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn McKinney, Benjamin, 1883-1971. McKinney papers, 1812-1967 (bulk 1908-1967). Arizona Historical Society, Southern Arizona Division
referencedIn Roosevelt family. Papers donated by the children of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt, [ca. 1686]-1959. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn Granger, Byrd H. Papers of Byrd Howell Granger, 1945-1990 (bulk 1956-1975). University of Arizona Libraries
referencedIn Stuart, William Plato, 1879-1960. William Plato Stuart and Della Tovrea Stuart papers, 1903-1967. Arizona State University Libraries
referencedIn Learned Hand papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Ahumada Lead Company corporateBody
correspondedWith American Women's Voluntary Services corporateBody
correspondedWith Arizona Hut, Inc. corporateBody
foundedBy Arizona Inn (Tucson, Ariz.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Ashurst, Henry Fountain, 1874-1962 person
correspondedWith Bliss, Robert Woods, 1875-1962 person
associatedWith Buehman Studio. corporateBody
associatedWith Civilian Conservations Corps (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Democratic Party (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Dinsmore, James, 1790-1872. person
correspondedWith Drachman, Mose, 1870-1935. person
associatedWith Flandrau family family
ownerOf Gilpin and Greenway Air Lines Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Granger, Byrd H. person
memberOf Greenway family family
spouseOf Greenway, John Campbell, 1872-1926 person
associatedWith Hand, Learned, 1872-1961 person
correspondedWith Hayden, Carl Trumbull, 1877-1972 person
associatedWith Holsclaw, Douglas S., person
correspondedWith Hunt, George W. P. (George Wylie Paul), 1859-1934 person
spouseOf King, Harry O. person
correspondedWith Martin, Andrew P., 1886-1969. person
associatedWith McCormick, Ada Peirce. person
correspondedWith McKinney, Benjamin, 1883-1971. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Miss Chapin's School (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Moeur, Benjamin person
memberOf Munro Ferguson family. family
spouseOf Munro Ferguson, Robert, 1868-1922 person
correspondedWith Murphey, Walter Edgar, 1859-1934. person
associatedWith Newcomer, E. D., 1896-1973. person
associatedWith Progressive Party (1912) corporateBody
associatedWith Review of Reviews (New York, N. Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962 person
associatedWith Roosevelt family family
associatedWith Roosevelt family. family
correspondedWith Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 person
associatedWith Selmes family. family
associatedWith Stuart, William Plato, 1879-1960. person
correspondedWith United States. Army. Volunteer Cavalry, 1st corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. House person
associatedWith United States. Federal Emergency Relief Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Arizona. Office of the President. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Grant County NM US
Williams AZ US
Tucson AZ US
New York City NY US
Boone County KY US
Ajo AZ US
Saint Paul MN US
Subject
Political campaigns
Depressions
Legislators
Mines and mineral resources
Mining corporations
Mining engineers
Old age pensions
Politicians
Soil conservation
Spanish
Veterans employment
World War, 1914-1918
Women
Women legislators
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Businesswomen
Ranchers
Representatives, U.S. Congress
Activity

Person

Birth 1886-03-22

Death 1953-12-18

Female

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 85431724