Mary Garrett Hay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Garrett Hay
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| Born | August 20, 1857 |
| Died | August 29, 1928 (aged 71) Pelham, New York, US
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| Occupation | Suffragist Community organizer |
| Partner(s) | Carrie Chapman Catt |
Mary "Mollie" Garrett Hay (born August 20, 1857 – died August 29, 1928) was an important American leader. She worked hard to help women gain the right to vote. This movement was called women's suffrage. She was also a community organizer, which means she helped people work together to solve problems.
Mary Hay led many important groups. These included the Women's City Club of New York and the Woman Suffrage Party. She was famous for starting women's suffrage groups all over the United States. She worked closely with another famous suffragist, Carrie Chapman Catt. They were great friends and partners in their work.
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Early Life and Education
Mary Hay was born in Charlestown, Indiana. Her birthday was August 20, 1857. She was the oldest of five children. Her father, Andrew Jennings Hay, was a doctor and an important politician. Her mother, Rebecca H. Hay, passed away when Mary was young. Mary often traveled with her father for his work.
She was a very religious person and a Presbyterian. From 1873 to 1874, Mary studied at the Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. She learned to be a pharmacist there. After her studies, she worked in her father's pharmacy.
Working for Change
After college, Mary Hay returned home. At this time, a movement called the Women's Crusade was growing. This movement focused on social issues. Mary joined the temperance movement. This group worked to reduce or stop the use of alcohol.
She became very active in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). She started as a local leader. Then she became the treasurer for the state group for seven years. By 1885, she was leading a department in the national WCTU. As the WCTU began to support women's right to vote, Mary joined a suffrage group. She quickly became a leader in this new movement.
Teaming Up for Women's Rights
Mary Hay met Carrie Chapman Catt, a key leader in the suffrage movement. They likely met at a meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). In 1895, Mary and Carrie lived together for a time. After Carrie's husband passed away in 1905, Mary moved in with Carrie permanently. Mary helped manage their home so Carrie could focus on her suffrage work.
In 1896, Mary Hay helped organize women in California. They worked to add women's right to vote to the state's new constitution. Even though it didn't pass that time, Mary gained valuable experience. She used this experience to create suffrage groups across the country.
- In 1895, she helped start the West Virginia Equal Suffrage Association.
- In 1899, she and Carrie Catt traveled through 20 states. They gave many speeches and attended 15 conventions.
- Mary also pushed for citizenship and civics classes for women.
Mary Hay was president of the New York Equal Suffrage League from 1910 to 1918. In 1915, she led the Woman Suffrage Party (WSP). During her time with the WSP, she helped thousands of women register to vote in New York. In 1919, she became president of the Women's City Club of New York (WCC). She also led the New York City League of Women Voters from 1918 to 1923.
Joining the Republican Party
Mary Hay was one of the first women in the Eastern United States to join a political party. She became a Republican. From 1919 to 1920, she chaired the Republican Women's National Executive Committee. She made sure that women's right to vote remained an important goal for the Republican Party. She also encouraged other women to join the party. In 1920, Mary Hay and Carrie Catt voted for president together for the very first time.
Later Life and Legacy
Mary Hay passed away from a heart attack at her home in Pelham, New York. Carrie Catt found her. Carrie created a special monument for Mary where she was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. When Carrie Catt passed away in 1947, she was buried next to Mary. Their shared headstone reads: "Here lie two, united in friendship for 38 years through constant service to a great cause."
On November 15, 2021, a historic marker honoring Mary Hay was placed in the town square in Charlestown. This marker helps people remember her important work.
Images for kids
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Mary Garrett Hay
