Mary Stafford Anthony

Mary Stafford Anthony (April 2, 1827 – February 5, 1907) was an American suffragist during the women's rights movement of the 19th century. Anthony was employed as a school teacher in Western New York, and was eventually promoted to the position of principal within the Rochester City School District, where she was the first woman known to receive equal pay with men in the same job.

She grew up in a Quaker family and became involved in several suffrage and other progressive organizations, such as the New York Women's Suffrage Association, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the National Woman Suffrage Association. Anthony founded the Women's Political Club, later renamed in 1880 as the Political Equality Club. She was the youngest surviving sister of Susan B. Anthony.

Early life and education

Mary Stafford Anthony was born on April 2, 1827, in Battenville, New York. The family worked together to keep up their spirits, for instance, after first moving to their farmhouse with their parents near Rochester.,

The Anthony family followed the Quaker traditions, where "men and women were partners in church and at home, hard physical work was respected, help for the needy and unfortunate was spontaneous, and education was important for both boys and girls". Quakers not only encouraged, but demanded education for both boys and girls. Before 1859, the job description for a school principal involved unification of the school program, equal opportunity offered to all districts of the city, and securing improvements.

Public service

Anthony was active in several women's organizations, which rapidly developed in the late 19th century. As a young woman, she attended the Rochester Women's Rights Convention of 1848 with her parents; it was held at the Unitarian Church in Rochester, New York. She and her parents each signed the Declaration of Sentiments. Although Mary Anthony was indicted, she was allowed to provide a recognizance (promise to the court) to refrain from such illegal action in the future. Her case did not go to trial.

Anthony joined the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1873, working to aid women and families, by reducing the toll of drinking and alcoholism. The temperance union gained more than 200,000 members in the 1880s, built a national grassroots organization, and established local alliances with state politicians. It also came to support women's suffrage and effectively used its existing network to create political pressure on legislators.

In 1893, Anthony became corresponding secretary of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association. From home, she and others tackled voting policies. They helped gain passage of the state law in 1918 law that allowed women to vote in some New York state and local elections. Anthony accumulated more in number of petitions from women and men than votes by almost twenty five percent, a record not matched elsewhere in the state.

Mary Anthony also donated funds to her sister Susan to help in their goals. In 1900, Anthony gave Susan $2,000 to assist the University of Rochester to enable admission of women as students.

The results of their work culminated with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote in the United States; women first voted in national elections in 1920.

Personal life Portrait of Mary S. Anthony from The History of Woman Suffrage

Anthony never married. Her letters to family and friends were filled with practical observations and references, for instance about cooking a family recipe called Higdom, which included many vegetables from her garden. After vacations, she was determined to "go right to work", Without these, she believed that women were painfully bound by society.

Anthony died at her home on February 5, 1907 at age 79 from leukemia. She is buried at the historic Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York, next to her sister Susan.