Nellie Cline Steenson

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]

Nellie Cline Steenson
Kansas House of Representatives
In office
1920–1924
Idaho House of Representatives
Idaho Senate
Personal details
Born(1885-12-07)December 7, 1885
Larned, Kansas
DiedApril 1, 1984(1984-04-01) (aged 98)
Political partyDemocratic
EducationBaker University

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]

  • Education
  • Irrigation
  • Judiciary
  • State Institutions

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

  • Agriculture
  • Buildings and Grounds
  • Education
  • Judiciary

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