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Mary E. Elliot (1851–1942) was an American writer and lecturer. She was active within the
Woman's Relief Corps The Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) is a charitable organization in the United States, originally founded as the official women's auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in 1883. The organization was designed to assist the GAR and p ...
(W.R.C.) where she served for 50 years as Secretary of the Department of
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, and was also the organization's National Press Correspondent, 1908. Elliot was a regular contributor to the military department of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
''. From 1867 to 1885, she was active in temperance work.


Early life and education

Mary Elvira Elliot (or Elliott) was born February 2, 1851, in
Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a total population of 81, ...
. Her parents were Joseph and Zenora (Tucker) Elliot. Joseph and Zenora (Tucker) Elliot had three children—Charles Darwin, Alfred Lawrence, and Mary E. Mrs. Zenora Elliot was a woman of progressive ideas and of literary talent, several of her poems having been published. Mary's brother, Charles Darwin Elliot, served in the
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. He was the first city engineer of Somerville, and for three years, was president of the Historical Society of that city. She was educated at the public schools of Somerville, and
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
, and at a private school in
Foxborough, Massachusetts Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, it is about southwest of Boston. The population was 18,618 at the 2020 census. "Foxborough" is the official spelling of th ...
.


Career

Elliot began writing for the press in 1867, and published numerous articles and reports. From 1867 to 1885, she was active in temperance work, giving addresses in many places in Massachusetts and having a wide acquaintance with workers in the cause in other States. She inherited a love for patriotic principles, and, when invited to assist in organizing a W.R.C. in Somerville, readily accepted. This corps was formed in 1878 as an auxiliary to Willard C. Kinsley Post, No. 139,
Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...
(G.A.R.), and was one of the first societies of the kind organized in the country on the basis of ritualistic work. She prepared the ritual under which its meetings were conducted, and was its president three years. This was a so-called independent organization, conducting its work on local lines only, until May 1892, when it united with the Department of Massachusetts, and was reorganized on a broader basis. It was instituted May 11, 1882, as Relief Corps No. 21, and thereafter was connected with the State organization, being one of the leading corps among the one 174 of the State. Elliot was president of this corps nearly two years and secretary one year. In June 1885, she was appointed by Mary S. Goodale, Department President, to the office of Department Secretary, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Sarah E. Fuller, who had been elected National President of the order at
Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
. Elliot held the position of Department Secretary for 50 years, having been annually reappointed by the succeeding Department Presidents. There being 174 subordinate corps and over 14,000 members, her office was one of great responsibility. She participated in all the National Conventions since 1883, and in the performance of this duty, traveled in nearly all the States and Territories of the Union. In 1895, she was chair of a committee to compile a history of the Department of Massachusetts, W.R.C., a volume of 400 pages. Elliot delivered Memorial Day addresses in Massachusetts and
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
by invitation of G.A.R. posts, and participated in several hundred patriotic gatherings. She was chair of the Press Committee for the National Convention in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
(1904), a position she held during the arrangements for the National Convention in Boston in 1890, and was also a member of the Executive Committee, Entertainment and other committees for that gathering. She was presented a valuable gold watch and chain set with diamonds, a testimonial from members throughout the State, and her friends also presented her portrait to department headquarters in the Boylston Building. For 20 years, she was a regular contributor to the military department of ''The Boston Globe'', and wrote extensively upon woman's patriotic efforts. She prepared but did not publish a book giving historical and biographical data concerning the men in whose honor the posts of the G.A.R. are named. Elliot was an officer of the Ladies' Aid Association of the Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts, and her name was on its first roll of membership. She is also a charter member of Bunker Hill Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...
, a member of the Somerville Historical Society, of the
New England Historic Genealogical Society The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. NEHGS provides family history services through its staff, scholarship, website, She was also an honorary member of the Massachusetts Union Ex-Prisoners of War Association. Elliot is one of the compilers of ''Sketches of representative women of New England'', 1904.


Personal life

She was liberal in her religious belief, being a Universalist. Mary E. Elliot died in Somerville, November 7, 1942, and was buried at
Woodlawn Cemetery Woodlawn Cemetery is the name of several cemeteries, including: Canada * Woodlawn Cemetery (Saskatoon) * Woodlawn Cemetery (Nova Scotia) United States ''(by state then city or town)'' * Woodlawn Cemetery (Ocala, Florida), where Isaac Rice and fa ...
, in
Everett, Massachusetts Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, directly north of Boston, bordering the neighborhood of Charlestown. The population was 49,075 at the time of the 2020 United States census. Everett was the last city in the ...
.


Notes


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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Elliot, Mary E. 1851 births 1942 deaths American newspaper writers People from Somerville, Massachusetts Writers from Massachusetts Woman's Relief Corps people New England Historic Genealogical Society Daughters of the American Revolution people American Christian universalists Temperance activists from Massachusetts