A Name Worth Memorializing: Aunt Mary

Aunt Mary began working at Western College in 1864. She was documented working for the university for 3 years as a faithful servant. Following the fires at the college, Mary donated fifty cents and requested that a brick be laid in her name. The principal report includes her words: “‘Trust in the Lord, and do good, and so shalt thou dwell in the land,’ and ‘thine house shall be built.’” While Peabody wrote that her service and donation would be remembered, Mary became lost within the pages of a Western College Principals report. By including the name of Aunt Mary in this exhibit we are proposing her as a potential namesake. This exhibit brings Aunt Mary back into the story, recognizing her quiet contributions and affirming her place as an enduring part of the institution's foundation.

Annual report of the Western Female Seminary, 1871

In this 1871 Principal’s Report, Helen Peabody reflects on the contributions of an African American female laborer at Western College known as Aunt Mary. Although the notation “(Colored)” was not typically included in institutional records of the period, its presence here provides critical insight into Mary’s racial identity, which might otherwise have remained undocumented. This report is particularly significant for preserving Mary’s own words, offering a rare first-person perspective that deepens our understanding of her experiences. This report lets us know Mary is an older African American women who was devoted to her faith and developed a strong connection to Western College community.

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