Mary Eleanor Brackenridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge
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| Born | March 7, 1837 |
| Died | February 14, 1924 (aged 86) San Antonio, Texas, US
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| Resting place | Brackenridge Family Cemetery Jackson County, Texas |
| Alma mater | Anderson Female Seminary |
| Known for | Founded Woman's Club of San Antonio Women's Suffrage Founder and 1st Regent, San Antonio de Bexar Chapter, NSDAR TWU |
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge (born March 7, 1837 – died February 14, 1924) was an important woman in Texas history. She was one of the first three women to serve on the board of regents at Texas Woman's University. This made them the first women in Texas to be on a university's governing board.
Mary was very active in women's clubs. She helped start the Woman's Club of San Antonio. She was also a strong leader in groups that fought for women's right to vote. She helped get the 19th Amendment passed, which gave women across the United States the right to vote. Mary was the first woman in San Antonio to officially register to vote. She was also a founding member and the first leader of the San Antonio de Bexar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
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Early Life and Education
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge was born on March 7, 1837, in Warrick County, Indiana. She was the oldest daughter in a family of eight children. Her parents were John Adams Brackenridge and Isabella Helena McCullough. People sometimes called her Eleanor or M. Eleanor.
In 1853, her family moved to Jackson County, Texas. But Mary stayed in Indiana to finish her studies. She graduated in 1855 from Anderson's Female Academy in New Albany.
Moving to San Antonio
Mary's father passed away during the Civil War. After his death, she and her mother moved to San Antonio. They lived with her brother, George Washington Brackenridge.
Her brother George was a successful businessman. He made Mary a director at the San Antonio National Bank and the San Antonio Loan and Trust. These were both companies he had started. In San Antonio, Mary was involved in many groups. These included the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Presbyterian Church. She also helped fight against tuberculosis in the city.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge worked hard to improve the lives of women and children. Her efforts led to lasting changes. The Woman's Club of San Antonio and Texas Woman's University are still active today because of her work.
In 1911, she studied Texas laws and wrote a booklet. It was called The Legal Status of Texas Women. This booklet explained the legal rights of women in Texas at that time.
Women's Right to Vote
Many women's groups, like the WCTU, worked together to get women the right to vote. The Texas Woman Suffrage Association started in 1903. It was led by Annette Finnigan. When Finnigan left Texas, the group slowed down.
In 1913, the group got new energy and was renamed the Texas Equal Suffrage Association. At their meeting in San Antonio, Mary Brackenridge became its president. Within two years, the group had 21 local chapters. On June 28, 1919, Texas became the first southern state to approve the 19th Amendment. This amendment gave women the right to vote across the country. Mary Brackenridge was the first woman in San Antonio to register to vote.
The Woman's Club of San Antonio
Mary Brackenridge and Marin B. Fenwick started the Woman's Club of San Antonio on October 1, 1898. This club was a leader for other similar groups in the city. It was also very important in promoting women's right to vote in Texas.
Mary was the club's president for its first seven years. When it started, there were 18 founding members. The club had different sections that focused on specific needs. These included legal issues, jobs for women, health, and education. In 1905, the club created a scholarship for students at the University of Texas Medical Branch. It was named the Isabella H. Brackenridge Scholarship. In 1926, the club bought the David J. and May Bock Woodward House. This house is now their headquarters and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas.
Texas Woman's University
Texas Woman's University (TWU) was created because many people and groups worked together. These included the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs.
The school was first called the Girls Industrial College. It was created by a law signed on April 6, 1901. Its name changed several times over the years. In 1905, it became the College of Industrial Arts. In 1934, it was renamed Texas College for Women. Finally, in 1957, it became Texas Woman's University.
The first board of regents for the school was chosen in 1902. Three important women served on this board: Mary Eleanor Brackenridge, Helen M. Stoddard, and Eliza S. R. Johnson. They were the first women to serve on a university governing board in Texas. Mary Brackenridge stayed on the board until she passed away.
Today, there are things named after Mary at TWU. The Mary Eleanor Brackenridge Club helps students learn about different cultures. The Brackenridge Dormitory was one of the first two dorms on campus. The current Mary Eleanor Brackenridge Student Union at TWU is also named in her honor.
Family History
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge was a founding member and the first leader of the San Antonio de Bexar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She qualified for membership through her mother's family line. Her ancestor, Charles Baskin, was a lieutenant in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War.
The Brackenridge family in Texas came from Scotch-Irish immigrants. Her great-great-grandfather, Robert Breckenridge Sr., came from Northern Ireland around 1730. Mary's father, John Adams Brackenridge (1800–1862), was a lawyer and politician in Indiana.
Mary's mother was Isabella Helena McCullough (1811–1886). Isabella's family also came from Northern Ireland. Her family history, especially through her grandmother Mary Craig Grimes, allowed Mary Eleanor to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.
All eight of Mary's siblings were born in Indiana. The family moved to Texas in 1853. Many family members are buried in the Brackenridge Family Cemetery in Jackson County, Texas.
Mary's Siblings
After her father died in 1862, Mary and her mother moved in with her brother George in San Antonio. George supported his mother and took care of Mary until his own death.
- John Thomas Brackenridge (1828–1877): Known as Tom, he was a lawyer who joined the family business in Texas. He fought in the Confederate States Army. Later, he became president of the First National Bank of Austin.
- George Washington Brackenridge (1832–1920): George was a generous person and a successful businessman. He gave a lot of his money and land to help students. He started two banks in San Antonio. Brackenridge Park in San Antonio is named after him because of his donations.
- James M. Brackenridge (1834–1905): He joined the Confederate States Army. After the war, he became a judge in Travis County.
- Robert John Brackenridge (1839–1918): He also served in the Confederate States Army. Brackenridge Hospital in Austin is named after him because he helped raise money to build it.
- Lenora Helena Brackenridge Matthews (1842–1918): She was a community activist. She helped start a local chapter of the American Red Cross.
- Elizabeth Ann Brackenridge (1845–1847): Known as Lizzie, she passed away as a young child.
- Elizabeth Ann Brackenridge (1848–1856): Known as Lillie, she also passed away as a child.
Death
Mary Eleanor Brackenridge never married. She passed away on February 14, 1924, from a cerebral hemorrhage. She is buried in the family cemetery in Jackson County, Texas.
