Minnie J. Grinstead
{{Short description|American politician (1869–1925)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Minnie J. Grinstead
| image = Minnie J. Grinstead (circa 1920).jpg
| caption = Minnie J. Grinstead (circa 1920)
| state_house = Kansas
| state = Kansas
| district = Seward County, Kansas
| term_start = 1918
| term_end = 1924
| preceded =
| succeeded =
| party = Republican
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1869|09|30}}
| birth_place = Crawford County, Kansas
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1925|12|24|1869|09|30}}
| death_place = Liberal, Kansas
| spouse = Virgil Grinstead
| profession = Teacher
| religion =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
}}
Minnie J. Grinstead ({{nee|Johnson}}; born September 30, 1869 – December 24, 1925) was an American teacher, politician, and temperance lecturer and organizer. She was the first female member of the Kansas House of Representatives.{{cite web | title = Minnie J. Grinstead | publisher = Kansas Historical Society | date = February 2014 | url = https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/minnie-j-grinstead/11734}} Grinstead served as a state representative from 1918 to 1924.{{Cite thesis|last=Lori|first=Enicks-Kniss|date=2014-07-10|title="The Lady from Seward" - Minnie J. Grinstead, the first woman elected to the Kansas House of Representatives|url=https://esirc.emporia.edu/handle/123456789/3299|language=en-US|type=Thesis}} She was a Republican.
Biography
Grinstead was born on September 30, 1869, in Crawford County, Kansas.{{cite thesis | degree = M.A. | last = Enicks-Kniss | first = Lori Lynn | date = April 2014 | title = "The Lady from Seward" – Minnie J. Grinstead, the First Woman Elected to the Kansas House of Representatives | url = https://esirc.emporia.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/3299/Lori%20Kniss%20Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 | publisher = Emporia State University}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1918/11/25/archives/kansas-woman-elected-mrs-grinstead-will-be-first-of-sex-in-the.html|title=KANSAS WOMAN ELECTED. - Mrs. Grinstead Will Be First of Sex in the Legislature.|date=25 November 1918|work=New York Times|url-access=subscription |accessdate=21 December 2015}}
During her tenure in the Kansas House of Representatives she served as chairman of the House Education Committee, chairman of the House Public Welfare Committee and as a member of the House Roads and Highways Committee. In 1921 she was appointed by Gov. Henry Justin Allen to the State School Code Commission. The commission's job was to study the state's education laws and make recommendations to the 1923 Kansas Legislature for legislation related to education law.
Among the bills she had signed into law during her tenure in the House were bills related to organizing free public libraries in every county in Kansas and permitting county governments to have fences cross roads.
She was joined in the House of Representatives in 1921 by Rep. Minnie Minnich, Rep. Nellie Cline and Rep. Ida Walker.
In September 1924, it was reported that U.S. president Calvin Coolidge was considering Grinstead to head the United States Civil Service Commission. After leaving the state House of Representatives she was elected Probate Judge of Seward County, Kansas and held that position until her death.
Grinstead died in her home on December 24, 1925, following complications (stroke{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3862388/kansas_woman_jurist_dies/|title=Kansas Woman Jurist Dies|work=Springfield Missouri Republican|date=26 Dec 1925|page=8|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate=21 December 2015}}) arising from a fall.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{find a Grave|10730993}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grinstead, Minnie J.}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives
Category:People from Crawford County, Kansas
Category:Women state legislators in Kansas
Category:Temperance activists from Kansas
Category:People from Liberal, Kansas
Category:American women judges