Texas Women in History In 1901, Girls Industrial College, the first women's college in Texas, was founded. Women in Texas gained the right to vote in state primaries in 1918. Women gained suffrage nationally through the 19th Amendment in 1920. In 1925, Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson was the first woman elected governor in the United States. Ann Richards became the second woman elected governor of Texas in 1990. Did you know that 85% of the public libraries in Texas were founded by women's clubs!