Caroline Love Goodwin O'Day


Caroline Love Goodwin O'Day was an American politician. She was the third woman, and first woman Democrat, elected to Congress from New York.

Life

Caroline Goodwin was born June 22, 1869. She was the daughter and first child of Sidney Prior Goodwin, a descendant of Ozias Goodwin who emigrated to Massachusetts from England in 1639; and Mary Elia Warren. Her father was a planter residing in Savannah, Georgia, who served in the Oglethorpe Light Infantry of the Confederate States Army. He surrendered and was paroled in April 1865..
Caroline graduated from Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens, Georgia. She studied art in Paris, Munich, and Holland. On April 20, 1901, she married Daniel O'Day, who served as secretary and treasurer of Standard Oil Company.
She was President of the Rye School Board. She was a commissioner of the State Board of Social Welfare from 1923 to 1934.
She was vice chairwoman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 1916 to 1920, and Associate Chairwoman from 1923 to 1942. She was a delegate to the 1924, 1928, 1932 and 1936 Democratic National Conventions.
In 1934, 1936, 1938 and 1940, O'Day was elected at-large as a Democrat to the 74th, 75th, 76th and 77th United States Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 1943. While in the House, she was Chairwoman of the Committee on Election of President, Vice President, and Representatives. Among the legislation she sponsored or co-sponsored was the Wagner-O'Day Act, the predecessor to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act.
She was buried at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.

Legacy

The United States Post Office – Rye was renamed the Caroline O'Day Post Office on October 23, 2010, in recognition of her public service.