Pinchot, Cornelia (1881–1960)

American politician and suffragist. Name variations: Cornelia Elizabeth Bryce, Leila Bryce, Cornelia Bryce Pinchot, Mrs. Gifford Pinchot. Born Cornelia Elizabeth Bryce, Aug 26, 1881, in Newport, RI; died Sept 9, 1960, in Washington, DC; dau. of Lloyd Stevens Bryce (congressman, novelist, editor of North American Review, political adviser to Theodore Roosevelt, and US minister to Netherlands) and Edith (Cooper) Bryce; m. Gifford Pinchot (governor of PA), Aug 15, 1914 (died 1946); children: Gifford Bryce Pinchot (b. 1915).

Campaigned for women's suffrage (early 1900s); served as secretary of Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association (1918–19), and successfully campaigned for ratification of 19th amendment by state legislature; was 1st woman representative from county to state committee of Republican Party, and served as treasurer of Pennsylvania Republican Women's Committee; as first lady of Pennsylvania, worked for women's rights (1923–27), and for organized labor and women and child workers (1931–35); unsuccessfully ran from PA's 15th Congressional District (1928); championed minimum wage laws for women and children, and publicly supported workers on strike (early 1930s); when husband was hospitalized, gained national attention by taking over running of state (1935); was US representative at International Women's Conference in Paris (1945); was elected to board of Americans for Democratic Action (1947); advocated disarmament, and control of atomic research by United Nations.