VIRGINIA HODE (BRADLEY) BELKNAP – Nevada Women's History Project

VIRGINIA HODE (BRADLEY) BELKNAP* (1847 – 1925)
(*daughter, acted in Hostess role during his administration)
Governor Lewis R. Bradley (widower) (1871 – 1878)

The information below has been compiled from a variety of sources. If the reader has access to information that can be documented and that will correct or add to this woman’s biographical information, please contact the Nevada Women’s History Project.

At A Glance:

Born: 28 Sept 1847 (Fayette County, MO)
Died: 24 Sept 1925 (San Francisco CA)
Burial: San Francisco, CA
Maiden Name: Virginia Hode “Jennie” Bradley
Race/Nationality/Ethnic Background: Caucasian
Married: 27 Feb. 1873 (Carson City) to Judge Charles H. Belknap
Children: Virginia, Dita, Alden, Caroline, Bradley
Primary City and County of Residence and Work:
Carson City NV, San Francisco CA
Major Fields of Work: Governor’s Official Hostess
Other Role Identities: Wife, Mother
Obituary: Carson City Daily Appeal 7 October 1926:1

FORMER CARSONITES DIE IN CALIFORNIA

Judge Charles Henry Belknap died Wednesday at the home of a daughter, 32 West Clay Park, San Francisco, thirteen days after the death of his wife.

Born in Newberg, N.Y., eighty-five years ago, Belknap came to Nevada as a young man and settled in Virginia City, where he formed a law partnership and married Miss Virginia Bradley, daughter of Lewis R. Bradley, the governor. She died September 23 last.

Governor Bradley appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1874 and he served continuously on the bench for thirty-two years, retiring in 1906. Two years later Judge Belknap moved to San Francisco.

Surviving him are his four children, Virginia, Dita and Alden Belknap and Mrs. Caroline B. Brown with whom the judge made a home.

[Judge Belknap’s obituary was substituted for Virginia’s because of the absence of substantive biographical information in her obituary].

Bibliography:

Society Page-Former Governor and Mrs. Jewett Adams and daughter Francis of Carson City…” Nevada State Journal 27 Oct. 1912:2. Print
“Women Will Oppose Vote.” Reno Evening Gazette 27 May 1914:8. Print.
“Meeting of Women Opposed to Suffrage.” Reno Evening Gazette 31 July 1914:7. Print.
“To Help Receive Nevada’s Guests.” Reno Evening Gazette 19 Apr. 1915:1. Print.
“Women’s Page-Nevada state building at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition is gaining…” Nevada State Journal [Reno] 16 May 1915:7. Print.
“News of Carson Given in Brief- Mrs. J.T. Davis and Mrs. Jewett Adams well known former residents of this city…” Reno Evening Gazette 28 Aug 1929:6. Print.
“Wife of Former Governor Dies.” Nevada State Journal [Reno]26 Mar. 1941:15. Print.
Fund Granted In Adam’s Will.” Nevada State Journal [Reno] 28 Mar 1941: 10. Print.
“$40,000 Scholarship Fund In Memory of Governor Adams Given to Nevada by widow.” Nevada State Journal [Reno] 27 May 1941:20. Print.
“Gifts, Bequests To University Listed During Commencement.” Nevada State Journal [Reno] 14 May 1941: 3. Print.
“Ex-Nevada Governor’s Estate Tops $351.00.00”, Oakland Tribune. 8 Nov. 1941: 17. Print.
“Campaign of 1914 For Adoption Of Suffrage Amendment Lively: Leader reviews Nevada vote for women.” Nevada State Journal [Reno] 26 Oct. 1947:17. Print.
Myles, Myrtle Tate. “Jewett William Adams.” Nevada’s Governors: From Territorial Days to the Present, 1861-1971. Sparks, NV: Western Printing & Publishing Company, 1972: 32-34. Print.
Sawyer, Bette. “Nevada’s 100 Years of First Ladies.” Nevada Centennial Magazine. 1964: p. 126. Print.
Nylen, Robert A., and Guy Louis Rocha. “Emma (Lee) Adams.” State of Nevada: The Historical Governor’s Mansion. Carson City, Nevada: Dema Guinn, The Nevada Commission on Tourism, Nevada Magazine, and the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, 2005. 25. Print.