Bolton Republican Women's Club, Lake County,​ Ohio

​About Frances Payne Bolton

Frances Payne Bolton (March 29,1885 - March 9, 1977)

Frances P. Bingham, was a Republican politician from Ohio.

She served in the United States House of Representatives. She was the first women elected to Congress from Ohio. She was the oldest women to date to serve in the House of Representatives.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Bolton was the granddaughter of Henry B. Payne. Active in public health, nursing education and other social service education and philanthropic work, she succeeded her husband, Chester C. Bolton, in office a few months after his death in 1939.

Upon election to the remainder of her late husbands term, Bolton refused the customary widow's allowance comprising the remainder of the salary her late husband would have collected if he served out his term.

She represented the 22nd District, once the most populous House district in Ohio, mostly consisting of Cleveland's eastern suburbs. Bolton served an additional fourteen terms, serving alongside her son, Oliver P. Bolton for three of those terms.