Elizabeth Hawley Gasque

Who was Elizabeth Hawley Gasque?

Elizabeth Gasque Van Exem, named Elizabeth Hawley Gasque during her tenure in Congress, was a Congresswoman from South Carolina, the first woman elected to Congress from that state.

She was elected to the House of Representatives on September 13, 1938, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband, Congressman Allard Henry Gasque. She never actually attended Congress, which was not in session during her months of office.

She served from 1938 to January 3, 1939 and was not a candidate for re-nomination. Mrs. Gasque later was an author and lecturer and if the 1886 birthdate is correct was the longest lived member of either the House of Representatives or the Senate. The Social Security death records say she was born in 1893, under her later married name of Van Exem.

In 1982, a section of South Carolina state road was named the Elizabeth Gasque Van Exem Highway.