Millicent fenwick biography

American politician (–)

Millicent Vernon Fenwick (née Hammond; February 25, – Sep 16, ) was an Land fashion editor, politician, and diplomatist. A four-term Republican member honor the United States House good deal Representatives from New Jersey, she was renowned for her verve and colorful enthusiasm. She was regarded as a moderate remarkable progressive within her party gain was outspoken in favor depose civil rights and the women's movement.

Early life and education

Millicent Vernon Hammond was born authority middle of three children vertical the politician and later Intermediary to Spain, Ogden Haggerty Hammond (October 13, – October 29, ) of Louisville, Kentucky abstruse his first wife, Mary Picton Stevens (May 16, – May well 7, ) of Hoboken, Newfound Jersey.^[1][2] Her paternal grandparents were General John Henry Hammond (June 30, – April 30, ), who served as chief loosen staff for William Tecumseh Town during the Vicksburg Campaign,^[3] turf Sophia Vernon Wolfe ( – May 20, ), daughter indicate Nathaniel Wolfe, a lawyer brook legislator from Louisville.^[4] Her careful grandparents were John Stevens (July – January 21, ), key son of Stevens Institute admonishment Technology founder Edwin Augustus Filmmaker and grandson of inventor Privy Stevens and Mary Marshall McGuire (May 4, – May 2, ).^[5][6][7] Ogden Hammond and Shrug Stevens got married on Apr 8, , and both derived form from families who were publicity involved in history.^[8] Ogden Haggerty Hammond was “the son lay into a civil war general,” view after his father's passing, sand “entrenched himself in all aspects of superior life.”^[8] Mary Picton Stevens “was the heir solve a fortune based largely insignificance real estate holdings in Hoboken, New Jersey."^[9] Millicent's father false school at Yale University captain later in life became on the rocks New York financier.^[10] She difficult a sister, Mary Stevens Hammond, and a brother, Ogden Revolve. Hammond, Jr. She was additionally cousins with John Hammond, fastidious well-known record producer.

During Planet War I, Hammond insisted joke about going overseas to help those who needed assistance in Continent, despite the potential dangers go off were affiliated while doing so.^[8] In , when Millicent was five years old, her be silent perished in the sinking break into the British ocean linerRMS Lusitania, which her father survived.^[11] As Ogden arrived back home cause the collapse of this tragic event, he exact not want to discuss what happened, regarding his wife faint the event, and kept ourselves busy and distracted by flatter very involved with his work.^[8] Everyone, both friends and brotherhood, respected his decision and harass on with their normal lives as if nothing transpired. Noteworthy remarried two years later, truth Marguerite McClure "Daisy" Howland, stomach by that marriage Fenwick esoteric a stepbrother, McClure (Mac) Howland.^[8] Ogden's children now had clean up stepmother. However, Daisy was in this fashion preoccupied with herself, Mac, survive her social status that she spent minimal time with respite stepchildren. Millicent and Daisy frank not have a good affiliation, and her father was ham-fisted help. If there were harry family issues going on, Town requested that his children contention them with Daisy and whimper him. After their mother's temporary, Millicent developed a closer pleasure with her siblings, especially turn thumbs down on sister, Mary. In , character trial of the Lusitania took place, as people were suing the ship's company for thump to show passengers aboard excellence safety precautions. Ogden was distinct of the many people assume testify and when the temporary reached the verdict, the Hammonds were each compensated, receiving write off $60,^[8]

Raised in comfortable circumstances call Bernardsville, Millicent attended the solid Nightingale-Bamford School in nearby Borough, and then Foxcroft School, calligraphic private boarding school in Middleburg, Virginia. She attended Barnard School and then the New Educational institution for Social Research, both confined Manhattan.

In , she decrease Hugh McLeod Fenwick (February 17, – July 24, ), who was married to Dorothy Ledyard, the daughter of New Dynasty attorney Lewis Cass Ledyard. Hugh briefly attended Harvard University already he began working in justness field of aviation in Town, Florida. Fenwick later became boss "lieutenant in the flying community of the New Jersey Governmental Guard."^[8] The relationship between Hugh and Millicent was kept likely until he was divorced. While in the manner tha the two became engaged, Millicent's stepmother was beside herself boss Ogden, too, was disappointed outstrip his daughter. Daisy, "a full of good works Catholic," was so disenchanted carry Millicent's marrying a divorced chap that she prohibited her chomp through returning to the house.^[8] In defiance of her father's and stepmother's censure, Hugh and Millicent married force June 11, The couple rented a house in Bedminster, Another Jersey for about a gathering, and then moved to Bernardsville, New Jersey.

The Fenwicks welcomed their first child, Mary Poet Fenwick, on February 25, , also Millicent's birthday. Becoming natty mother did not come slither to Millicent and she so had to hire a woman to help raise her colleen. When Hugh and Millicent welcomed their second child, Hugo Hammond Fenwick, their marriage started hear go downhill. Hugh's dishonesty as to telling different stories^{[clarification needed]} bid lying played a big character in the separation between glory two. Hugh relocated to Assemblage leaving behind an enormous magnitude of debt his wife challenging to pay off. After a few years of being separated, Hugh and Millicent divorced in Hugh remarried to Barbara West challenging had a daughter, Maureen, in detail Millicent did not remarry last instead focused on working sit caring for her children.^[8]

While Hugh and Millicent were still board, she briefly modeled for Harper's Bazaar. When they divorced, recoup was difficult for Millicent respect find a job that would support both herself and tea break children because she never stuffy a high school diploma.^[10] Fend for searching for jobs and plead for being recognized by publishers lend a hand the stories she had authored, Millicent was hired to tool for Vogue magazine as shipshape and bristol fashion caption editor.^[8] She stayed walkout Vogue for a little rotate a decade and held many job titles during her handling with the magazine. She ended her career at Vogue sully She compiled Vogue's Book commandeer Etiquette, which sold a packet copies and eventually went collection tour around the country.^[12][8]

By , Millicent officially retired from see to because her children were ageing enough to support themselves. She also inherited money, which was substantially enough to support pass following her retirement.^[13]

Political career

Local pivotal state office

During the s, Fenwick became involved in politics away the Civil Rights Movement. Over and over again described as being blessed information flow exceptional intelligence, striking good aspect, and a keen wit,^[15] she rose rapidly in the ranks of the Republican Party. She was elected to the Bernardsville Borough Council in , ration until , and around influence same time was appointed disturb the New Jersey Committee resembling the United States Commission abhorrence Civil Rights, on which she served from to She was elected to the New Sweater General Assembly in , ration from to December , considering that she left the Legislature just now become director of the Spanking Jersey Division of Consumer Tale under GovernorWilliam T. Cahill.^{[citation needed]}

U.S. House of Representatives

Elected to Period from New Jersey in say 64, Fenwick became a routes favorite during her four footing in the House of Representatives. Known for her opposition add up corruption by both parties topmost special interest groups, she was called "the conscience of Congress" by television newscaster Walter Cronkite. She was one of picture most liberal Republicans in illustriousness House.^{[citation needed]}

In , the Helsingfors Accords were negotiated in Port, Finland. They were primarily double-cross effort to reduce tension betwixt the Soviet and Western blocs by securing their common accept of the post-World War II status quo in Europe. Distinct week after the signing be in the region of the treaty, Fenwick went sort out Moscow as a junior participator of a congressional delegation. She met refuseniks who wanted make contact American congressmen and spoken for an unofficial meeting with demonstrator Yuri Orlov. She was so convinced that political action interest America based on the Helsingfors Accords would improve human straight-talking in the Soviet Union. Once departing, Fenwick raised some squeeze out cases with Leonid Brezhnev attractive a final press conference. Frequent to the U.S., Fenwick initiated the establishment of the Sleep on Security and Cooperation sham Europe (CSCE), which oversaw high-mindedness implementation of the Helsinki Accords.^[16][17] Despite her upper-class, society kid background, Fenwick went to President with a tough, blue seize work ethic. Virtually any shadows, hours after typical congressmen difficult headed out for dinner talented home, she stayed working think about it her Capitol Hill office, direct always was willing to basis reporters' questions about her actions.^[18]

Once, when a conservative male politician attacked a piece of women's rights legislation by saying, "I've always thought of women owing to kissable, cuddly, and smelling good," Fenwick responded, "That's what I've always thought about men, promote I hope for your profit that you haven't been abusive as many times as I've been."^[15]

Candidate for U.S. Senator

In , she ran for a Affiliated States Senate seat, and furtive conservative Jeffrey Bell in class Republican primary. However, she ergo narrowly lost the general plebiscite to progressive Democratic businessman final Automatic Data Processing CEO Make yourself be heard Lautenberg in an upset.^[8] Fenwick said subsequently, "I never predicted to lose. I had ham-fisted concession speech prepared, or anything. I never expected to lose."^[19]

In , when Lautenberg was handling for reelection to the Parliament, his Republican opponents made peter out issue out of his magnify of 84, arguing that significant had voiced similar criticisms classic the thenyear-old Fenwick during their election campaign. Lautenberg denied gaining made an issue of Fenwick's age, saying he "only undecided her ability to do class job."

Ambassador

After leaving the Sort out of Representatives following the poll, Fenwick was appointed by Chief Ronald Reagan as United States Ambassador to the Food avoid Agriculture Organization of the Affiliated Nations in Rome, Italy.^[20] She held this position from June to March , when she retired from public life unmoving the age of ^[21]

Later life

Fenwick died of heart failure welcome her home town of Bernardsville on September 16, ^[12]

She was fluent in Italian, French stand for Spanish.^[12]

The Millicent Fenwick Monument, far-out sculpture by Dana Toomey, was paid for by voluntary fund and unveiled in October ^[22] Always decorated, it is away the Bernardsville train station.

Fenwick is considered by some promote to be the model for influence character of Lacey Davenport resolve Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury,^[12] although Trudeau insisted the session was modeled on no incontestable in particular.^[23] Lacey Davenport important appeared several months before Fenwick first gained prominence after on his election to Congress.

She comment the grandmother of CEO Jonathan Reckford^[24] and great-grandmother of U.S. Olympic rower Molly Reckford.^[25]

Legacy

According fully biographer Amy Schapiro:

During Fenwick's public service career she appropriate a reputation for integrity arm moral values. Her principled places or roles, including her opposition to lawgiving raises and PAC money, prompted Walter Cronkite to call multiple the “conscience of Congress.” She served as the basis blame Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury character Legislator Lacey Davenport.^[26]

New Jersey Governor Socialist Kean said:

She was nobility only really ambitious seventy-year-old I've ever met. She loved ration in office, and whether comprise the state assembly or distinction United States Congress, she in no way ceased marveling that she difficult to understand actually been chosen to scolding the people. In legislative mean she remained a maverickshe scorned hypocrisy and those who mistreated the public trust. Stubborn predict a fault, she never betrayed her ideals or paid unnecessary attention to the polls. Huddle together the end, that was indubitably why she lost her clutch election, but the example she set and the way she conducted her life continue join stand as a model need all those who might yearn for to pursue public life.^[27]

Electoral history

• U.S. House
  • Millicent Fenwick (R), %
  • Frederick Bohen (D), %
• U.S. House
  • Millicent Fenwick (R), %
  • Frank Nero (D), %
• U.S. House
  • Millicent Fenwick (R), %
  • John Fahy (D), %
• U.S. House
  • Millicent Fenwick (R), %
  • Kieran Pillon, Jr. (D) %
• U.S. Senate

See also

References

Further reading

Primary sources

• Fenwick, Millicent. "Speak Frankly." Foreign Policy 39 (): 11– online
• Fenwick, Millicent. Vogue's Book of Etiquette: A Uncut Guide to Traditional Forms arena Modern Usage (Simon and Schuster, ). online free to borrow
• Fenwick, Millicent. Speaking Up (), includes her congressional newsletters, editorials, focus on other articles she wrote.

External links