Legislator Details


Martha Wright Griffiths
AKA:
Number of sessions served 2
Sessions served
Gender: Female
Age at election: 36

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 1/29/1912
City: Pierce City, MO
County: Lawrence County, MO
Country: US
 
Death
Date: 4/22/2003
City: Armada, MI
County: Macolm County, MI
Country:
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date:
City:
County:
Country:
Cemetery:

Marital Information:
married Hicks Griffiths after graduating from University of Missouri; Hicks died in 1996; no children. She was the daughter of Harles Elbridge Wright & Nell (Sullinger) Wright.

Number of Children: 0

Background

Religion: Presbyterian
Military Service:
Occupation: lawyer
Race:

Education:
University of Missouri at Columbia, BA, 1934; LLB, University of Michigan Law School, 1940

Biographical Sketch:
Born Martha Edna Wright. Admitted to the bar, 1941; member of the legal dept. of the American Automobile Insurance Co., 1941-1942; joined the Detroit Ordnance Dist. as a contract negotiator & served from 1942-1946; appointed in April 1953 as recorder & judge of Recorders Court in Detroit, in Nov. was elected as judge, serving to 1954. Resumed practice of law after leaving public office.

Notable Facts:
Electer to 10 Congresses, 1955-1974. 1st Dem. & 2nd woman elected to Congress from Michigan. 1st woman Recorder's Ct. judge in Detroit. 1st elected woman lt. gov. of Mich., 1982 & 1986, served until 1991. In 1973 she reintroduced the Equal Rights Amendment 50 yrs after its 1st appearance. She was the 1st woman appointed to the House Ways & Means Comm. Member in the Order of Eastern Star HR 48, 2003 House Journal, p. 459, indicated that he had died.

Sessions Served:

Sixty-Sixth Legislature, 1951-1952
Chamber: House
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Judiciary , Private Corporations , Public Utilities , Religious and Benevolent Societies , Revision and Amendment of the Statutes
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: Wayne 1
District Description: Cities of Detroit, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Point Farms, Grosse, Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Woods and Harper Woods and Townships of Gratiot and Gross Point

Date Elected: 11/7/1950
Date Sworn In: 1/3/1951
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: Chose not to run
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Married
Notes:
Sixty-Fifth Legislature, 1949-1950
Chamber: House
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Conservation, Judiciary , Religious and Benevolent Societies
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: Wayne 1
District Description: Townships of Gratiot and Grosse Point, and the cities of Detroit and Grosse Pointe

Date Elected: 11/2/1948
Date Sworn In: 1/5/1949
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected

Maritial Status: Unknown
Notes:

Bibliography:

CongBio p.1126; Gongwer v.42 no.79 4/23/2003; Manual 1949 p.654; PolGryd
View Bibliographical Sources