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Susan Hampton Newton Pryor
was the first woman in Arkansas
to run for a political office.

She was one of the first women
to hold a seat on
a local school board.

Interested in the history
of her home state,
she participated in one of
the first Arkansas historic
preservation projects

Her family continued on in
politics on the state
and the national level.

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Susie Newton was DAUGHTER to
FATHER - Robert D. Newton
(sheriff of Ouachita Co. Ark.)
MOTHER - Cornelia Ellen Newton

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EDUCATION

* Camden High School in 1918
* College of Arts and Sciences
at the University of Arkansas
(non-grad)

Women finally got the right to
VOTE! So, in 1926, Susie Pryor
sought the office of Circuit Clerk
in her county's Democratic primary.
After losing the election to a
World War I veteran
(by only 200 votes),
she took employment
in the private sector.

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Susan was WIFE of
HUSBAND - William Edgar Pryor
(an automobile dealer)

They were wed on April 6, 1927

She was MOTHER to 4 children
(including David Pryor -
Arkansas governor,
U.S. Representative
and then, U.S. Senator)

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She was elected to the
Camden School Board --
making her one of the first
Arkansas women to hold the post.

She was politically active
in southern Ark. politics.
Her local library is filled
with special services because
of her work. The Camden Bank
started a fund at her urging,
to provide 'interest free loans'
during the Depression for
special needs.

Mrs Pryor was active at the local
Presbyterian Church. She served as
a missionary to British Guiana for
6 months.

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Mrs. Pryor was nominated as the
1975 'Arkansas Woman of the Year'.

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Pryor was an active historian:
* member of the Ouachita County
Historical Society
* Helped save the 'Chidester House'
in Camden
* Saved the historic 'Tuft House'

'The Susie Pryor Award',
(named in her honor)
presented through the
Arkansas Women's History Institute
offers a yearly prize for the best
unpublished Arkansas women essays

Pryor also was a writer.
When her son David started
a weekly newspaper,
the 'Ouachita Citizen', in 1957,
she wrote two columns for over 5 yrs,
* "Food Fair"
* "Items of Friendly Interest"

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She died due to
complications
from a fall.

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**SOLACE WORDS**

"Angels, angels
and amongst them
was the precious
new figure, given
her new gown, halo
and oh the glorious,
glorious wings!"

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

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This biography is
humbly presented by
Audrey Burtrum-Stanley / Arkansas

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