Martha Waldron Janes (née , Waldron; after first marriage, Sober; after second marriage, Janes; June 9, 1832 – 1913) was an American minister, social reformer, and columnist. Born in Michigan, she was converted when very young. Her religious zeal was so conspicuous that many questioned her sanity. She preached for some time from the pulpits of the Free Baptist Church, before becoming regularly ordained in 1868, being the first woman ordained in that conference. The denomination espoused more egalitarian views than others of the time, which matched well with Janes' convictions regarding social reform. She opposed prescriptive gender beliefs regarding limitations on educational opportunities for girls. At a young age, she embraced women's suffrage and wrote columns on the topic for seventeen