Ellen Walker Craig-Jones
{{Short description|American politician (1906–2000)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ellen Walker Craig-Jones
| caption =
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|06|05}}
| birth_place = Franklin County, Ohio, U.S.
| residence =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|01|23|1906|06|05}}
| death_place = Urbancrest, Ohio, U.S.
| order =
| office = 5th Mayor of Urbancrest
| term = 1972–1975
| predecessor = Vaughn E. Hairston
| successor = Vaughn E. Hairston
| party =
| spouse =
| children = 1
| website =
| birth_name = Dollie Ellen Walker
}}
Ellen Walker Craig-Jones (June 5, 1906{{Spaced en dash}}January 23, 2000) was an American politician. She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame for "Government and Military Service." She was the first African American woman to be elected mayor of a United States municipality in 1972.{{Cite web|url=http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/women/halloffame/bio.asp?ID=63|title=Ellen Walker Craig-Jones|website=Ohio Women's Hall of Fame|access-date=2018-04-07}} She served as mayor of Urbancrest, Ohio, from 1972 until 1975.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tV3CKGuGoRkC&q=Ellen+Walker+Craig-Jones&pg=PT169|title=Profiles of Ohio Women, 1803-2003|last=Royster|first=Jacqueline Jones|date=2003|publisher=Ohio University Press|isbn=9780821415085|language=en}}
Life
Dollie Ellen Walker was born in Franklin County, Ohio, to Charles Oscar Walker and Weltha Belle Lee.{{Cite web |date=8 March 2021 |title=Dollie E. Walker, 1906. |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6KR-L3X |website=FamilySearch |series="Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003", database with images}} She and her family lived in Jackson Township at the 1910 and 1920 censuses."[https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLF1-5QH United States Census, 1910]," database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 27 April 2023), Dollie E Walker in household of Charles O Walker, Jackson, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 14, sheet 17A, family 155, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1183; FHL microfilm 1,375,196."[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDBN-XLX United States Census, 1920]", database with images, FamilySearch (3 February 2021), Dolly Walker in entry for Charles Walker, 1920. She married James H. Craig in 1924."[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZZYF-F2ZM Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016]", database with images, FamilySearch (15 October 2021), James H. Craig and Ellen Walker, 1924. In 1930, she and her husband lived in Truro working as a cook and chauffeur for the Gugle family."[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X47C-RM7 United States Census, 1930]," database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 27 April 2023), Ellen W Craig in household of George L Gugle Sr., Truro, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 218, sheet 5B, line 58, family 131, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1802; FHL microfilm 2,341,536. By 1935, they lived in Jackson Township again through at least 1940."[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWXZ-T9G United States Census, 1940]," database with images, FamilySearch (9 January 2021), Ellen W Craig in household of James H Craig, Jackson Township, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 25-27A, sheet 7A, line 39, family 140, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3069. By 1950, they lived in Urbancrest with their son."[https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6JKR-LDGT United States 1950 Census]", database, FamilySearch (Sun Jan 29 15:06:47 UTC 2023), Ellen W. Craig in entry for Benjamin F. Bayless and James H. Craig, 10 April 1950.
In 1960, Craig-Jones embarked on a political career and became a member of the Urbancrest Village Council. In 1971, Craig-Jones was elected Mayor of Urbancrest, Ohio, the first African American woman to be elected mayor by popular vote, and the first African American woman to be elected mayor of any municipality in the United States. Urbancrest had a population of less than 1,000 at the time she was nominated and was a predominantly poor and working-class African American town. {{Cite web |title=Craig-Jones, Ellen Walker 1906–2000 {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/craig-jones-ellen-walker-1906-2000 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}
Upon taking office in 1972, Craig-Jones focused on modernizing the community. During her administration, Urbancrest received a three million dollar housing project for the town's poorer citizens. Craig-Jones also improved street lighting, installed signage, and repaired Urbancrest's streets. She remained in office until 1975.
She dedicated her life to improving conditions in her hometown of Urbancrest. At various points in her life, Craig-Jones founded or was a member of the Urbancrest Volunteer Civic Improvement Association, the Buckeye Boys Ranch, and the Urbancrest Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America. She was also actively involved with the Urbancrest Youth Council, the Urbancrest Community Recreation Club, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Ellen Walker Craig-Jones died on January 23, 2000, at the age of 93.
{{Cite web|url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ellen_W._Craig-Jones|title=Ellen W. Craig-Jones - Ohio History Central|website=www.ohiohistorycentral.org|language=en|access-date=2018-04-07}}{{Cite news|date=2000-01-27|title=Obituary for Ellen Walker Craig-Jones (Aged 93)|pages=34|work=Detroit Free Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40875178/obituary-for-ellen-walker-craig-jones/|access-date=2021-09-17}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Ohio Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig-Jones, Ellen Walker}}
Category:African-American mayors in Ohio
Category:Women mayors of places in Ohio
Category:20th-century American women politicians
Category:20th-century African-American politicians
Category:20th-century African-American women politicians
Category:African-American city council members in Ohio