Legislator Details
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married Charles Harold Anderson, 12/25/1903 in L'Anse, MI
Number of Children: 0
Background
Education:
graduated from the L'Anse schools and later attended private normal schools.
Biographical Sketch:
Of the Chippewa tribe & French & English ancestry. Daughter of Robert B. and Madeline[or Mathilda] (Bachand) Reynolds. Fought against alcoholism & tuberculosis. Organized the 1st Public Health Service in Baraga Co.; instrumental in securing the county’s 1st Public Health Nurse. Involved in the State Grange & served as the Upper Pen. Officer. Educated as a teacher at the Haskell Inst. in Lawrence, Kansas, now known as the Haskell Indian Nations University. Taught school in the Upper Pen. for several yrs. In 1930, her husband was working as a federal agent dealing with prohibition and they were living in Bay City. Served 1 term. House office bldg named for her, 2000.
Member of the Grange and was an officer in the State Grange for eight years and U.P. Deputy State Grange Master, for four years. Assisted her husband in prohibition work in making country and state dry.
Notable Facts:
Death records gives birth year as 1883.
1st woman & 1st Native American woman elected to the MI House of Rep., 1924. 1st Native American woman elected to a state legislature in the US, 1924. Concentrated on public welfare issues; chair, Industrial Home for Girls Committee.
House office bldg named for her, 2000.
Was elected to the legislature November 4, 1924, without opposition.