On November 3, 1896, Martha Hughes Cannon secured a seat in the Utah State Senate, marking the first time a woman had been elected to such a position in the United States. She achieved this electoral victory by defeating her own husband, Angus M. Cannon, an event that highlighted her independent professional standing during a era of significant legal and social transition.
Early Migration and Education
Born in 1857 near Llandudno, Wales, Martha Hughes immigrated to the United States as a child following her family's conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After settling in the Utah Territory, she began working at fourteen and eventually enrolled at the University of Deseret. She pursued medical training at the University of Michigan, graduating with an M.D. in 1880. Her academic qualifications further expanded at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned degrees in pharmacy and oratory.
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Returning to Salt Lake City, she established a private medical practice and served as the resident physician at the Deseret Hospital. In this capacity, she implemented formal training programs for nurses and delivered lectures on obstetrics. Her commitment to public health extended to legislative efforts; she became a founder and active member of Utah's first State Board of Health and authored various state sanitation laws.
Political Life and Exile
Cannon became a prominent advocate for women's suffrage, playing a role in ensuring women's enfranchisement was included in the Utah constitution upon statehood in 1896. Her personal life intersected with the federal anti-polygamy crusade after her 1884 marriage to Angus M. Cannon. To avoid testifying in legal proceedings regarding polygamy, she spent time in exile in Europe. Following her political career in Utah, she eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she lived until her death in 1932.
Fast facts
- Born: 1857, Llandudno, Wales
- Died: 1932, Los Angeles
- Educated: University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania
- Political Office: Utah State Senator (1896)
- Languages: English, Welsh
- Burial: Salt Lake City Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What medical degrees did Martha Hughes Cannon hold?
She earned an M.D. from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Was she the first woman elected to a state senate in the U.S.?
Yes, she was elected as a member of the Utah State Senate in 1896.
