Mary Lum
American philanthropist
About Mary Lum
Lived 1758 – 1815 (aged 56–57).
Mary Lum Girard (1758–1815) is known for being the wife of banker, philanthropist and merchant millionaire Stephen Girard. She is best known for having been imprisoned in the Pennsylvania Hospital's insanity ward for 25 years.
Life The exact details of Lum's early life remain unknown, with various authors describing it differently. Lum met Stephen Girard in early 1777 and the two entered a quick courtship, marrying on June 6, 1777. Girard, one of the wealthiest men in Colonial America, was 26 and Lum was 18 years old.
In 1791, Lum gave birth to a daughter while in the hospital. In 1992, a Philadelphia-area retiree named Joseph Vendetti began researching Lum's life.
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Important facts
People in Mary Lum's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mary Lum's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mary Lum?
American philanthropist
When was Mary Lum born?
Mary Lum was born in 1758.
When did Mary Lum die?
Mary Lum died in 1815.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mary Lum. https://biography.guide/mary-lum-1758/
MLA: "Mary Lum." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mary-lum-1758/.
Chicago: "Mary Lum." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mary-lum-1758/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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