Biography Ruth Bryan Owen

1 biography

1.1 years
1.2 filmmaking career
1.3 political career
1.4 first u.s. female ambassador
1.5 later years, death , legacy

biography
early years

ruth bryan born on october 2, 1885 in jacksonville, illinois william jennings bryan , wife mary e. baird. ruth s father attorney , three-time presidential candidate. growing ruth had move several times depending on father s work in politics. ruth attended public schools in washington, d.c , monticello female academy in godfrey, illinois. in 1901 began take classes @ university of nebraska.

in 1903 bryan dropped out of university of nebraska marry william h. leavitt, well-known newport, rhode island portrait painter. couple met when painting bryan s father s portrait. couple had 2 children before divorcing in 1909.

bryan married reginald owen, british army officer, in 1910, , had 2 more children him. second husband died in 1928. spent 3 years in oracabessa, jamaica, oversaw design , construction of home, golden clouds. operated luxury villa. owen kept home in jamaica more 3 decades , spent many winters there, particularly in later years when lived in denmark , new york city. detailed time in jamaica , experiences @ golden clouds in book, caribbean caravel.

during world war i, bryan served war nurse in voluntary aid detachment in egypt–palestine campaign, 1915–1918.

filmmaking career

ruth bryan owen female pioneer in film industry. director, producer, , screenwriter feature film in 1922, called once upon time/scheherazade, considered lost. in spring of 1921, started production of once upon time. film featured community players of coconut grove, florida, , not related major studio @ time.

the story line said revolve around shah dethroned jealous subordinate, in turn uses new power torture young women not amuse him. towards end, sadistic ruler runs beautiful 1 of all, , exiled shah returns in time save young woman nemesis. according moving picture world, costuming ornate , elaborately done, staging complicated, , mise-en-scène evoked atmosphere of experience in far east . owen had done extensive traveling, , visited countries such india, burma, sri lanka, china , japan. inspired these places, used them backdrop film.

little known film except owen discussed in correspondence friend, carrie dunlap. dunlap illinois , served campaign treasurer ruth s father william jennings bryan. in letters dunlap, owen expresses great joy in film, quoting, “i can scarcely believe film mine when see ‘projected’ on wall above our fireplace.”

she thought of herself true pioneer in industry. correspondence dunlap revealed intent become 1 of first female filmmakers in u.s. owen funded film solely earnings in public speaker circuit. in letters, owen discussed support gained general federation of women’s clubs, , contribution secure distribution deal society visual education.

political career

ruth bryan owen, ambassador denmark, america s first woman envoy, taking oath of office. p.f. allen, chief clerk of appointment division of department of state administering oath

owen first ran office in 1926 democratic nomination florida s 4th congressional district. year after death of father. included entire east coast of state jacksonville florida keys: miami, orlando , st. augustine. lost fewer 800 votes.

from 1925 1928, administrator @ university of miami.

two years later, after death of husband, ran again. since owen played significant role when hurricane hit miami in 1927 , put effort on promotions on newspapers, won on sears more 14,000 votes [1] , elected congress in november 1928 , began term of office on march 4, 1929, while widow , mother of four. election contested on grounds had lost citizenship marrying alien. cable act in 1922, petition citizenship, did in 1925, less 7 years required constitution. argued case before house committee on elections, saying no american man had ever lost citizenship marriage. said lost citizenship because woman, not because of marital status. u.s. house of representatives voted in favor.

owen ran re-election in 1930, defeating daytona beach attorney dewitt t. deen wide margin in june democratic primary election. republican party running first primary campaign in florida history in 1930 , did not nominate candidate run against democratic nominee, pro-prohibition owen heralded in press presumably having won re-election virtue of democratic nomination.

owen s two-year term won in 1930 prove last, however, in 1932 democratic primary defeated democratic candidate j. mark wilcox, advocated repeal of prohibition. congressional career came end in march 1933.

first u.s. female ambassador

from 1933 1936 bryan owen served united states ambassador denmark, appointed president franklin d. roosevelt. served until 1936, when married borge rohde, danish captain of king s guard, on july 11. marriage gave dual citizenship dane--in addition of united states--so resigned ambassadorial post in september. ruth bryan owen married captain borge rohde @ estate of president franklin delano roosevelt , eleanor roosevelt in hyde park, new york. fannie hurst, noted novelist , close friend of bride, matron of honor. mrs. owen announced retain own name in diplomacy , literary careers.

she served delegate san francisco conference, established united nations after world war ii. in 1948, president truman named alternate delegate u.n. general assembly.

later years, death , legacy

in 1939, ruth bryan owen , husband purchased cedars , located @ alderson, west virginia, , began making repairs. sold property in 1945. listed on national register of historic places in 1978.

owen died july 26, 1954 in copenhagen, denmark, , cremated. ashes interred @ ordrup cemetery, copenhagen.

in 1992, owen inducted florida women’s hall of fame.