Victoria Woodhull

Victoria Woodhull (born1838) was an activist and the first woman to be nominated by a political party for the office of US President, in the 1872 election. This was before women had fully secured the right to vote and Victoria herself was below the mandatory age to be president. 

She led an amazing life  - going from rags to riches twice. With her sister, Tennessee Celeste Claflin, she set up the first brokerage firm owned by women on Wall Street. Together they were among the first women to found a weekly newspaper. They liked to expose the hypocrisy of high profile 'happily married' men who led secret lives. She endured censure and and abuse but never gave up on her beliefs. Especially that women had the right to choose their own life paths.  She died in the UK in 1927.  (Adapted from Wikipedia)