Laura de Force Gordon was a famous womens' rights activist who began speaking on behalf of womens' rights in 1868. She ran for the California State Senate in 1871, long before women could vote. In 1873 she bought the first of several newspapers, which she used as a forum to advance womens' rights. In 1878 Laura and Clara S. Foltz were the first women admitted to Hastings Law School and then to the bar in California. In 1901, after years of activism, Laura retired to her farm in Lodi.