Nan Wood Honeyman
Encyclopedia
Nan Wood Honeyman was an American
politician from the state of Oregon
. A native of New York
, she was the daughter of author and attorney Charles Erskine Scott Wood
. After growing up in Oregon, she served in the Oregon House of Representatives
and the Oregon State Senate
. Between these offices, Honeywood became the first woman elected to the United States Congress
from Oregon in 1936.
, in 1881 to the noted progressive
author Charles Erskine Scott Wood
(died 1944) and Nanny Moale Wood (died 1933). She moved with her parents three years later to Portland, Oregon
, where she graduated from St. Helens Hall (later incorporated in the Oregon Episcopal School
) in 1898. Nan was one of five children: her siblings were Berwick Bruce, Elisa, Erskine, and William Maxwell. Her education continued later at the Finch School in New York City
, where she began a lifelong friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt
.
. She was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from 1935 to 1937 and served as a delegate to the Democratic national conventions in 1936 and 1940.
Honeyman was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives
, representing Oregon's 3rd congressional district
and served from 1937 to 1939, the first congresswoman from Oregon. While in Congress, Honeyman was a strong supporter of the New Deal
and the completion of the Bonneville Dam
. However, her bids for reelection in 1938 and election in 1940 were unsuccessful.
She held the position of senior representative of the Pacific Coast Office of Price Administration
from 1941 to 1942. During the same period, the Multnomah County
Commissioners appointed Honeyman to the Oregon Senate in 1941 to fill a vacancy, and she served until her resignation in 1942. She was U.S. collector of Customs in Portland from 1942 to 1953.
In 1942, her father and several other relatives sued Honeyman and her husband over her husbands mismanagement of several family trusts. The court determined David Honeyman had misappropriated in excess of $100,000 of trust funds while Nan was left blameless. In 1946, the case was finally resolved after the Oregon Supreme Court
affirmed the lower court’s ruling, which came after Honeyman’s father died in 1944.
Honeyman died in Woodacre, California
on December 10, 1970, and was buried at River View Cemetery
in Portland.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician from the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, she was the daughter of author and attorney Charles Erskine Scott Wood
Charles Erskine Scott Wood
Charles Erskine Scott Wood was an author, civil libertarian, soldier, and attorney. He is best known as the author of the 1927 satirical bestseller, Heavenly Discourse.-Early life:...
. After growing up in Oregon, she served in the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
and the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
. Between these offices, Honeywood became the first woman elected to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Oregon in 1936.
Early years
She was born Nan Wood in West Point, New YorkWest Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, in 1881 to the noted progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
author Charles Erskine Scott Wood
Charles Erskine Scott Wood
Charles Erskine Scott Wood was an author, civil libertarian, soldier, and attorney. He is best known as the author of the 1927 satirical bestseller, Heavenly Discourse.-Early life:...
(died 1944) and Nanny Moale Wood (died 1933). She moved with her parents three years later to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where she graduated from St. Helens Hall (later incorporated in the Oregon Episcopal School
Oregon Episcopal School
The Oregon Episcopal School is a private, coeducational college preparatory school in the Raleigh Hills suburb of Portland, Oregon.-History:...
) in 1898. Nan was one of five children: her siblings were Berwick Bruce, Elisa, Erskine, and William Maxwell. Her education continued later at the Finch School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she began a lifelong friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
.
Political life
She married David Honeyman in 1908, with whom she raised three children and was active in civic and humanitarian organizations before becoming involved in politics. Honeyman served as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1933, which ratified the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution, repealing prohibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. She was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
from 1935 to 1937 and served as a delegate to the Democratic national conventions in 1936 and 1940.
Honeyman was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Portland east of the Willamette River, Gresham, and Troutdale. It also includes the northern part of Clackamas County, including Milwaukie. Parts of northwest Portland also lie within the district...
and served from 1937 to 1939, the first congresswoman from Oregon. While in Congress, Honeyman was a strong supporter of the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
and the completion of the Bonneville Dam
Bonneville Dam
Bonneville Lock and Dam consists of several run-of-the-river dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington at River Mile 146.1. The dam is located east of Portland, Oregon, in the Columbia River Gorge. The primary functions of...
. However, her bids for reelection in 1938 and election in 1940 were unsuccessful.
She held the position of senior representative of the Pacific Coast Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
from 1941 to 1942. During the same period, the Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
Commissioners appointed Honeyman to the Oregon Senate in 1941 to fill a vacancy, and she served until her resignation in 1942. She was U.S. collector of Customs in Portland from 1942 to 1953.
In 1942, her father and several other relatives sued Honeyman and her husband over her husbands mismanagement of several family trusts. The court determined David Honeyman had misappropriated in excess of $100,000 of trust funds while Nan was left blameless. In 1946, the case was finally resolved after the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
affirmed the lower court’s ruling, which came after Honeyman’s father died in 1944.
Honeyman died in Woodacre, California
Woodacre, California
Woodacre is an unincorporated town and census-designated place located in the San Geronimo Valley in Marin County, California. Woodacre is located south-southwest of Novato, and 8 miles northwest of San Rafael, the nearest incorporated town is Fairfax, 4 miles east-southeast. Woodacre has the...
on December 10, 1970, and was buried at River View Cemetery
River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)
River View Cemetery in the southwest section of Portland, Oregon, United States, is a non-profit cemetery founded in 1882. It is the final resting place of many prominent and notable citizens of Oregon, including many governors and United States Senators...
in Portland.
External links
- Nan Wood Honeyman at Oregon Blue Book