FIRST LADIES OF CALIFORNIA

 

 

1931 - 1967 
Bernice Brown 
Bernice Brown1959-1967
As a student in an accelerated pace school program, Bernice graduated from high school at the age of fourteen. Edmund “Pat” Brown and she met at Lowell High. Bernice went to University of California at Berkeley where she obtained her teaching degree. As first lady, she was a popular speaker.
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Virginia Knight 
Virginia Knight1954-1959
Virginia with her family moved from Iowa to Los Angeles. Virginia married Goodwin Knight when he was still in  serving his term as governor. The press loved the romance and writing about the beautiful first lady who was also talented and an accomplished poet.
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Nina Warren 
Nina Warren1943-1953
Nina, Earl and their children became the longest occupants in the Governor’s Mansion. Nina loved to entertain and to cook, particularly her chocolate cake and Swedish dishes.
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Kate Olson 
First Lady Kate Jeremy OlsonJanuary 1939-April 1939
Although Kate was ill when she moved into the Governor’s Mansion, she still loved to play poker and sometimes, the game would last all night. Sadly, Kate Olson was the only first lady to die while her husband was in office.
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Jessie Merriam 
First Lady Jessie Merriam
1936-1939
Jessie, who was born in Iowa, settled as an adult in Long  Beach, California, where she met Frank Merriam.  As first  lady, she honored First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at a tea.
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Annie Rolph 
First Lady Annie Rolph1931-1934
Annie and Jim were childhood friends, growing up in the  same neighborhood in San Francisco.  Before becoming  first lady,  Annie was involved in politics, since Jim was  San Francisco’s mayor for nineteen years.
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