Ruth Hamilton (née Jensen) (April 21, 1898 – January 18, 2008) was an

American politician In the United States, politics functions within a framework of a constitutional federal democratic republic with a presidential system. The three distinct branches share powers: Congress, which forms the legislative branch, a bicameral legis ...

and centenarian. Hamilton served in the

New Hampshire House of Representatives The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral State legislature (United States), legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members com ...

from 1964 to 1973, and she was one of the first woman

talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, Interview (jo ...

show hosts in the country.

Biography

Hamilton was born in

Alta, Iowa Alta is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,087 at the 2020 census. History Alta was platted in 1872, and it was incorporated in 1878. By 1882, Alta contained three general stores, two drug stores, two groc ...

, to Peter and Hulda Jensen on April 21, 1898. At a

Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...

sandlot baseball game in 1920, she met Carter Hamilton. After he was drafted to play professional baseball for the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

, the two got married a year later. Together they had an adopted son named Peter. Carter Hamilton died in 1949, and Ruth never remarried. She died aged 109, on January 18, 2008, in Orlando, Florida

Political career

First being elected in 1964, Hamilton was the first woman elected to the New Hampshire state legislature; a position she remained in until 1973. She was instrumental in passing laws that shut down

orphanages An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusiv ...

and made

litter Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. The waste is objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles, but ...

ing a crime in that state. She was one of America's first female

radio talk-show Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews wi ...

hosts. Hamilton was a world traveler well into her 90s and lectured all across the country. She became a member of

Growing Bolder Marc Davis Middleton (born October 19, 1951) is an American television journalist, media entrepreneur, author, publisher, and filmmaker who focuses on the changing culture of aging. He is the Founder and CEO of Growing Bolder, a company that prod ...

, a

social networking service A social networking service (SNS), or social networking site, is a type of online social media platform which people use to build social networks or social relationships with other people who share similar personal or career content, interest ...

, while living in a Florida assisted living community.

References

External links

Archives of the Ruth Hamilton collection
at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Ruth 1898 births 2008 deaths American women centenarians Women state legislators in New Hampshire American women bloggers American bloggers Politicians from Orlando, Florida People from Buena Vista County, Iowa 21st-century American women 20th-century members of the New Hampshire General Court 20th-century American women politicians