Mary O'Toole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary O’Toole
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia | |
| In office May 1, 1921 – June 14, 1943 |
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| Nominated by | Warren G. Harding |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 4, 1874 Hacketstown, County Carlow, Ireland |
| Died | July 24, 1954 (aged 80) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | Washington College of Law (LL.B.) (LL.M.) |
| Known for | First woman municipal judge in the United States of America |
Mary O'Toole (born April 4, 1874 – died July 24, 1954) was a groundbreaking American judge. She was the first woman to become a municipal judge in the United States. In 2022, the Mayor of Washington, D.C. even declared July 21st "Mary O'Toole Day" to honor her. A children's book about her, called "The Trailblazing Life of Mary O'Toole", was published in 2023.
Contents
Mary O'Toole's Early Life
Mary O'Toole was born in Hacketstown, County Carlow, Ireland in 1874. Her father was involved in a movement for land rights in Ireland.
When she was 16, Mary moved to the United States. In 1900, she became the first woman to officially become a U.S. citizen in Steuben County, New York. After that, she was the first woman to be appointed as an official stenographer (someone who writes down spoken words quickly) in that county.
Mary loved to learn. She studied at the Washington College of Law. She earned her first law degree in 1908 and a higher law degree in 1914. She was also part of a special group for women in law called Phi Delta Delta.
Mary O'Toole's Career as a Judge
In 1921, President Warren G. Harding chose Mary O'Toole to be a judge. She became a judge for the Municipal Court of Washington, D.C. At that time, there were only three women judges in the entire United States!
In August 1921, she made history again. She was the first judge in Washington, D.C. to perform a marriage ceremony.
Mary O'Toole was a delegate at a meeting of the American Bar Association in London in 1924. This was a big deal for a woman judge at the time. She was re-appointed to her judge position by President Coolidge in 1925 and by President Hoover in 1929.
She was also a leader at the Washington College of Law. She served on its board and was even the Acting Dean for a short time in 1927. People respected her legal knowledge. In 1928, someone suggested she should become a judge on a higher court, saying she was one of the best lawyers around.
In 1930, The Washington Post newspaper named Mary O'Toole as one of the 50 women who had done the most for Washington. The newspaper called her a "pioneering woman member of the bench." They noted that before she became a judge, the idea of a woman in such a role caused a lot of strong reactions.
Mary O'Toole was also active in legal groups for women. She was elected to the executive committee of the National Association of Women Lawyers. This group was founded to support women in the legal field. She also belonged to the District of Columbia Women's Bar Association.
Mary O'Toole's Views on Important Issues
Mary O'Toole held strong opinions on several important topics.
Views on Capital Punishment
Mary O'Toole was strongly against capital punishment (the death penalty). In 1929, she said that history and psychology show that the death penalty is wrong. She believed it did not fit with the progress of civilization. She successfully worked to get the Washington Chamber of Commerce to oppose it.
Views on Divorce
In 1928, Mary O'Toole shared her thoughts on divorce in The Washington Post. She believed that a higher divorce rate could actually be a sign of progress. She explained that women sought divorce for reasons like protecting themselves or gaining freedom. She felt that women's growing financial independence made them less afraid of poverty, which was a big factor in earlier times.
Views on Women's Suffrage
Mary O'Toole was a strong supporter of women's suffrage, which meant giving women the right to vote. She was the president of the District of Columbia State Equal Suffrage Association. She also worked with the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
She wrote an article explaining why she supported voting rights for Washington, D.C. citizens. She said it was as obvious as needing to eat. She also helped analyze laws that gave mothers equal rights with fathers regarding their children's care and inheritance.
Other Interests and Activities
Mary O'Toole was involved in many other organizations. She was the first president of the Women's City Club of Washington, D.C., founded in 1919. This club aimed to bring together women from all walks of life, including professionals and homemakers.
She was also the first woman chosen to be a director of the Washington Chamber of Commerce. She served as a director at the Citizens Savings Bank of Washington, D.C.
Her other memberships included the Columbia Historical Society, the American Association of University Women, and several Republican women's clubs. She was truly a woman of many talents and interests.
See also
- Women in the United States judiciary
- Women in law
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Washington D.C.
- List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
- Timeline of women lawyers in the United States
