Mariana Thompson Folsom facts for kids

Mariana Thompson Folsom (born July 30, 1845 – died January 31, 1909) was an important American woman. She was a suffragist, meaning she worked hard for women to get the right to vote. She was also one of the first women to become a minister in the Universalist faith.

Early Life and Education

Mariana Thompson Folsom was born on July 30, 1845, in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Samuel Newton and Susan Thompson. When she was 16, her family moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa in 1861. They were Quakers, a religious group, and settled in a Quaker community. This move happened just before the American Civil War, keeping her far from the fighting.

After high school, Mariana went to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Even though she grew up Quaker, she chose to study to become a minister. This was part of the university's Universalist program. Just five years before Mariana started, a woman named Olympia Brown became the first woman minister in the U.S. Mariana finished her degree in 1870.

Becoming a Minister and Activist

Mariana Folsom became a Universalist minister. She was one of the first women in the United States to be officially recognized as a minister. Her first church job was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband, Allen, worked together in their ministry. Mariana led Universalist churches in Massachusetts, New York, and Iowa. This was during the 1870s and early 1880s.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Both Mariana and Allen believed their faith meant taking action to help others. Mariana used this belief to fight for women's right to vote. She joined the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association. She went to meetings and encouraged others to join. Later, she worked with other groups, giving speeches and raising money.

In October 1884, Mariana moved to Texas. In just two months, she gave over sixty speeches. Most of her audiences were men. Her family supported her work. Her parents took care of her children while she traveled and lectured. Her husband, Allen, sometimes joined her. Mariana's daughter, Erminia, also became a suffragist. Her son, Allison, was part of the Austin Woman Suffrage Association for 20 years.

Leading the Suffrage Movement

Mariana was a leader in the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). She wrote to important leaders like Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell. She asked for money to start a suffrage group in Texas. In 1885, Stone thought Texas wasn't ready. But two years later, Mariana argued for a Texas group in the Woman’s Journal newspaper.

She traveled to small towns in Texas by train and stagecoach to give speeches. In 1893, the Texas Equal Rights Association (TERA) was formed. This group helped set the stage for other women's suffrage groups in Texas. TERA, however, closed down in 1898. In 1893 and 1894, Mariana continued to lecture and find new members. She held 83 meetings in Texas in less than five months.

She also joined the new National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). This group was formed when AWSA merged with another group. In 1896, she attended the TERA convention. There, she was named the group's main speaker for the state. Both NAWSA and TERA focused on talking directly to powerful people in big towns. Mariana changed her methods to fit this new plan.

Later Activism and Political Influence

After TERA closed in 1898, Mariana went back to her old way of talking to people directly. After 1900, she joined the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs (TFWC). In 1905, she helped organize transportation for a big meeting in Austin.

She changed her approach again after writing to Susan B. Anthony, another famous suffragist. Mariana lived in Austin, which was close to the Texas lawmakers. So, she started teaching them about women's right to vote. She found a supporter in a lawmaker named Jess Alexander Baker from Granbury. He wrote a plan to change the state constitution to let women vote. Even though it didn't pass, it got attention from NAWSA. Baker also asked Mariana for advice on voting rights for women and other groups. In early 1909, Mariana and her daughter Erminia were among the first 25 members of the new Austin Woman Suffrage Association.

Family Life

Mariana married Allen Perez Folsom in 1871. They had studied together at St. Lawrence University, and he was also a minister. They had three children in the 1870s: Oriana (born 1872), Allison (born 1875), and Erminia (born 1878). In 1885, Mariana had another son, Clarence.

Allen was the main person earning money for the family. Mariana often worked without pay. However, Allen became very sick after Clarence was born. Soon after, their house caught fire. Around 1900, Mariana and Allen separated. Allen lived in one of their family homes in Edna, Texas. They never divorced, but Mariana lived and worked in Austin. Three of their children attended the University of Texas at Austin.

Death

Mariana Folsom died on January 31, 1909.