Willa L. Fulmer

Fulmer was born on February 3, 1884, in Wagener, South Carolina. She attended public schools in Wagener, then studied at Greenville Female College.^[1] On October 20, 1901, she married politician Hampton P. Fulmer. She lived in Orangeburg.^[2]

Fulmer was a Democrat. Following the death of her husband, she succeeded him in the United States House of Representatives after winning an unopposed election with 7,943 votes.^[3] She was sworn into office before the election credentials arrived in Washington, D.C., so Speaker Sam Rayburn controversially performed the oath early.^[3]

Fulmer served from November 7, 1944, to January 3, 1945, representing South Carolina's 2nd district.^[1] During her tenure, she lived in the Cannon House Office Building and made no speeches and was not appointed to any House Committees.^[3] On December 4 or 5, she introduced three bills: two regarding cotton farming, and one granting reparation for a wife of a man who was killed by a United States Army truck in Charleston.^[4][5] She did not run for re-election.^[1] Her tenure lasted a total of 58 days.^[6] Politically, The Washington Post described her as more of a Southern gentlewoman, with her knowledge of politics coming as a surprise.^[3]

After serving in Congress, Fulmer remained in Washington D.C. She operated a farm in South Carolina until fully retiring. In her later life, she often traveled.^[3] She died on May 13, 1968, aged 80, while aborad a luxury ship in the North Atlantic that was en route to Europe. She was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, in Orangeburg.^[1]

• Women in the United States House of Representatives