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Rena Elrod

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Rena Elrod
"Mrs. Allen Elrod
For representative from Twenty-fifth district, Chicago—Ruth Studio Photo"
[As captioned in March 9, 1924 issue of Chicago Tribune][1]
Member of the
Illinois House of Representatives
from the 25th district
In office
1924–1929
Personal details
BornRena Linn
(1872-09-19)September 19, 1872
DiedJuly 12, 1950(1950-07-12) (aged 77)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseAllen M. Elrod (m. 1898)

Rena Elrod (née Linn; September 19, 1872 – July 12, 1950), known alternately as Representative Allen Elrod, Mrs. Rena Elrod, and—especially during the decade preceding her entry into electoral politics—Mrs. Allen Elrod and Mrs. Allen M. Elrod, was a musician and state legislator in the United States. She was a leader of women's clubs. A Republican, she won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives after a recount in 1924,[2][3][4] thus becoming just the second woman elected to that body,[5] where she would serve for three consecutive terms.[5][6]

Early life and career

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Born Rena Linn in Attica, Indiana,[7][2] on September 19, 1872,[8] Elrod was one of at least four children born to Mrs. Elizabeth Linn.[9][10][11] A graduate of the local high school,[12] Elrod, according to her 1927 Illinois Blue Book entry, received a "common school and musical education, following music as a profession".[2][a]

Personal life and death

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On September 1, 1898, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rena Linn married former musician Allen M. Elrod.[13][14] Within a year, they had relocated to Chicago,[15] and by no later than 1914, they were residing at 4852 Pensacola Avenue, on Chicago's West Side,[16] as they would for the remainder of their lives.

Elrod died on July 12, 1950, aged 77, at Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Chicago. She was survived by her husband, her sister, Mrs. Ida Cooley, and her brother Alfred Linn.[13]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Unofrtunately, this somewhat vaguely worded Blue Book entry offers not the slightest clue as to where or when—much less in what capacity (e.g. instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, or conductor)—Elrod might have put to use this education. For its part, the voluminous reportage documenting the Chicago—i.e. politically engaged—portion of Elrod's life makes no mention whatsoever of any such preceding chapter.

References

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  1. ^ "11 Illinois Women Candidates of G. 0. P." Chicago Tribune. March 9, 1924. p. 3. Retrieved June 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c Blue Book of the State of Illinois, 1927-1928. Illinois Office of the Secretary of State. 1927. p. 260 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "TBT: Blazing a Trail to Springfield".
  4. ^ "WOMEN IN THE STATEHOUSE". Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^ a b "TWO WOMEN AT LEAST TO ENTER ASSEMBLY RACE: Mrs. Elrod and Mrs. Ickes to Run". Chicago Tribune. November 17, 1929. p. 4W. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Elrod represents the big Twenty-fifth district on the northwest side. She was the second woman elected to the Illinois legislature and is now serving her third term.
  6. ^ "WOMEN START CLUB TO HONOR MRS. RENA ELROD". Chicago Tribune. June 30, 1929. p. 4W. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Seven women, who worked diligently six years ago to help elect Mrs. Rena Elrod to the legislature, recently met and organized the Rena Elrod Political club. The purpose of the new organization is to honor Mrs. Elrod for the work she has done.
  7. ^ "Visit Solon". Journal and Courier. April 23, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved June 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. While at the Illinois state capitol they visited house of representatives and asked to see Mrs. Rena Elrod of Chicago, who has served several terms as state, representative. Mrs. Elrod invited them to attend the session and they spent some time in the galleries. Elrod is a former Attica girl who will be remembered as Rena Linn. She is very prominent in Illinois politics.
  8. ^ "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M4-142J : Sat Aug 23 02:28:08 UTC 2025), Entry for Rena Elrod and Charles Linn, 12 Jun 1950.
  9. ^ "Otto G. Linn, 77 Expired Suddenly Tuesday at Tamaroa". The Perry County Advocate. July 10, 1947. p. 8. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Otto G. Linn, 77, of Nashville, Tenn., died unexpectedly at the home of his brother, A. L. Linn, with whom he had been visiting in Tamaroa the past three weeks. He died shortly after he had eaten supper. For the last eight years he had made his home with his daughter, Irene, in Nashville. Funeral services and interment took place in Tamaroa Thursday morning. In addition to his daughter and brother, two sisters, Mrs. Ida Cooley and Mrs. Rena Elrod, former member of the Illinois legislature, both of Chicago, survive.
  10. ^ "Neighborhood New Itemized: TAMOROA". Perry County Advocate. June 11, 1920. p. 8. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Mrs. Allen Elrod of Chicago is visiting her mother Mrs. Elizabeth Linn and brother, A. L. Linn, west of town.
  11. ^ "Son of Howard harris Killed in Auto Accident in St. Louis; Funeral Will Be Here Sunday". The Tamora Times. April 7, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Mrs. Rena Elrod was called here from Chicago last week because of the illness of her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Linn. Mrs. Linn has been in very poor health for some time, and her condition shows no improvement.
  12. ^ "Former Attica Woman Honored in Illinois". The Journal and Courier. May 20, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved June 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Mrs. Rena Elrod, a former resident and a graduate of the local high school, had the rare honor Tuesday of presiding over a session of the Illinois legislature. Mrs. Elrod was elected to the house last fall, and been a prominent figure on the floor. A great cheer went up as she took the gavel and many flowers were sent to her.
  13. ^ a b "Obituaries:Mrs. Allen M. Elrod". Chicago Tribune. June 13, 1950. p. 26A. Retrieved June 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Rena Elrod, 77, of 4852 Pensacola av., former state representative, died yesterday in Lutheran Deaconess hospital. She was the wife of Allen M. Elrod, retired musician. She served three terms in the Illinois general assembly as representative from the 25th senatorial district, and became widely known for her support of a bill to legalize boxing. She was past president of the seventh district of the Illinois Federation of Women's, Clubs. Surviving are her husband, sister Mrs. Ida Cooley, and brother, Alfred Linn.
  14. ^ "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRF4-PX2 : 29 February 2024), Charles Linn in entry for Allen Elrod, 1898.
  15. ^ "TWO WOMEN AT LEAST TO ENTER ASSEMBLY RACE Mrs. Elrod and Mrs. Ickes to Run". Chicago Tribune. November 17, 1929. p. 1N. Retrieved June 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. A native of Indiana, Mrs. Elrod has been a resident of Chicago more than thirty years, and resides at 4852 Pensacola avenue. She was active in women's club work for several years before entering partisan politics, and won her seat in the lower house of the assembly after a contest and re count in the primary of 1924.
  16. ^ "News of the Chicago Women's Clubs: WEST SIDE CLUBS". Chicago Tribune. November 17, 1929. p. 1N. Retrieved June 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. The Altrui club of Jefferson Park will meet with Mrs. A. M. Elrod, 4852 Pensacola avenue, Thursday.
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