Laura Rowe-Strow
Written by Justin D. Lamb
(Courtesy of Anna Laura Rosow)
The year was 1935 and voters in the Commonwealth of Kentucky were going to the polls to elect statewide officers. The race for governor was hotly contested between Lieutenant Governor A.B. “Happy” Chandler and State Highway Commissioner Thomas Rhea. However, attention in western Kentucky was primarily focused on the Secretary of State’s race which featured the candidacy of Marshall County native Laura Rowe-Strow.
Laura Martha Rowe was born on June 12, 1898 in Marshall County to William Cortes Rowe, hardware merchant, and Lou Russell “Lutie” Wallace. As a child, Laura attended school in Benton and graduated from Benton High School in 1915. Shortly after her graduation, Laura married Van Albert Strow, and in 1917, their son, Albert Rowe Strow was born. Soon after, the Strow family opened up Strow Drug Store on the court square and Laura went to work as a clerk.
The Strow family was one of the most well know families in the county and was very active in the local political scene. Laura’s husband, Van Albert Strow began his career in politics as a member of the Benton Town Trustees (now Benton City Council), serving several terms and he was elected Mayor of Benton in 1927 and re-elected in 1929. During his time as Mayor, Strow led a progressive administration and led the successful effort to modernize Benton by installing waterworks and a sewer system.
In a time when politics was dominated by men, Laura also took an active role in politics. She was active in the Kentucky Democratic Women’s Club and chartered a club chapter in Marshall County to increase the involvement of women in politics. After encouragement from several political leaders in western Kentucky, Laura Rowe Strow entered the Democratic Primary for Kentucky Secretary of State in the summer of 1935. Five other candidates, including State Senator Charles Arnett of the famous Arnett political family of Louisville, also entered the race.
Laura with her husband Benton Mayor Van Albert Strow.
Strow was the only candidate from the first congressional district in the race and her candidacy quickly created enthusiasm throughout western Kentucky. She spent the summer months of 1935 criss-crossing the state on a stump speaking tour pleading for votes. Soon, she began receiving support from counties outside of the western end of the state and many believed she would win the nomination.
However, things came to a crashing halt for the Strow campaign when in late June, her husband was charged with operating an illegal gambling ring in his store. Strow’s opponents used the scandal to their advantage and attacked Strow and her family. A few weeks later, her husband was injured in an automobile accident and Laura had to take time away from her campaign to care for him.
Strow ran a strong campaign, but on the day of the election, she could not overcome the combination of Arnett political machine and the personal negative attacks. Strow carried only 12 of the 120 counties in Kentucky and came in fourth place. Charles Arnett eventually won the Democratic nomination and went on to defeat Mrs. Edwin P. Morrow (wife of former Republican governor Edwin P. Morrow) in the November General Election.
Following her defeat, Laura Strow returned working in Strow’s Drug Store until she and her husband divorced in the late 1930s. Strow moved to Frankfort and began a career in state government as a parole officer. She eventually married for a second time to John Haynes Adams, a general contractor from Smithland. She spent time in Japan during the 1940s when her husband was stationed there during World War II. After the war, she moved to Seattle, Washington and remained there until the early 1970s when she moved to Napa, California to care for her maternal uncle. On Monday, September 20, 1976, Laura Rowe Strow Adams passed away after a battle with cancer.
Although she unsuccessful in her efforts, Laura Rowe-Strow laid the groundwork for future female political candidates as she remains the only female candidate from Marshall County to have run for statewide office.