Mary Frances Lovell

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Photo in The History of the American Anti-Vivisection Society (2008)

Mary Frances Lovell (1843–1932) was a British-born American writer, humanitarian, and temperance reformer. She co-founded the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS),[1] and also, in 1859, the Women's Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WPSPCA), serving as the latter's corresponding secretary and honorary president.[2] She served as vice-president of the American Humane Association and through her work with the World Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), her humanitarian efforts were introduced into some 20 countries around the world.[3]

Biography[edit]

Mary Frances Whitechurch was born in London, England, July 11, 1843.[a] Her father, Robert Whitechurch, was an engraver.[2] She came to the U.S. in early 1849.[3]

She was educated in American private schools.[3]

On September 13, 1864, she married George S. Lovell, of Brimfield, Massachusetts,[3] a wholesale clock dealer.[2]

Lovell joined the WCTU at Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in 1885. To her astonishment, she was immediately elected superintendent of the department of scientific temperance instruction in schools and colleges for the Bryn Mawr WCTU. For several years, she was actively associated with Mary H. Hunt, of the National WCTU, in her work for scientific temperance' instruction in the public schools. Due to the prolonged illness of her husband, Lovell was obliged in 1897 to resign temporarily from active WCTU work.[3]

From childhood, Lovell had a love of animals and a hatred for any sort of cruelty. While at Bryn Mawr, she became a member of the WPSPCA. Later, she became a member of the AAVS, vice-president of the American Humane Association, and associate editor of the Journal of Zoöphily.[3]

Her discoveries of the cruelties of vivisection aroused in Lovell a desire to advance humane education everywhere as rapidly as possible, and the thought came to her to create a Band of Mercy Department as part of the work of the WCTU. She proposed the plan in the Bryn Mawr Union, and it was successfully adopted there. She next wrote a paper entitled "Why the Band of Mercy Should Form a Part of the work of the WCTU", which she read at a convention of the WCTU of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was ordered printed and was shortly published in The Union Signal, the organ of the National WCTU. At her request, the Pennsylvania WCTU created in 1888 a Department of Mercy, and at the State convention, she was elected its superintendent, having had previous experience in the same capacity for her county union. After existing for two years as a State department only, a national Department of Mercy was created, and Lovell was chosen its superintendent also. In this office, she secured the adoption of the Department of Mercy (later, the Department of Humane Education) in 44 States of the Union.[3]

Lovell was also the World's superintendent, the Department of Mercy having been adopted by the World's convention in London in 1895. Miss Marshall Saunders of Canada, author of Beautiful Joe, was made the first superintendent, but, upon her resignation, Lovell succeeded to the position. [4][b] Thus her humanitarian efforts were introduced into some 20 countries scattered throughout the world.[3]

Death and legacy[edit]

Lovell resided at Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.[3]

In recognition of Lovell's services in humane educational work, her portrait in oil was presented to the WPSPCA in December 1923, a gift and work of Mary J. Eddy, of Rhode Island.[5]

Mary Frances Lovell died in Philadelphia, June 25, 1932.[6]

Selected works[edit]

  • "Why the Band of Mercy Should Form a Part of the work of the W.C.T.U."[7]
  • "Prayer"
  • "The Path of the Just"
  • "The Ideal Woman"
  • "What is Humane Education?"
  • "Is Vivisection Philanthropy?"
  • "The Fur Trade"
  • "Slaughtering"

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ According to Biddle & Lowrie (2016), Mary was born in 1844.[2]
  2. ^ According to Cherrington (1928), Lovell was placed at the head of the World WCTU's Department of Mercy in June 1889.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Buettinger, Craig (1997). "Women and Antivivisection in Late Nineteenth-Century America". Journal of Social History. 30 (4): 857–872. ISSN 0022-4529. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Biddle, Gertrude Bosler; Lowrie, Sarah Dickinson (11 November 2016). Notable Women of Pennsylvania. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-5128-1447-7.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Cherrington, Ernest Hurst (1928). "LOVELL, MARY FRANCES (WHITECHURCH).". Standard encyclopedia of the alcohol problem. Vol IV. Kansas-Newton. Westerville, Ohio: American Issue Publishing Co. pp. 1609–10. Retrieved 30 March 2024 – via Internet Archive. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Stevenson, Katharine Lent (1907). A Brief History of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union: Outline Course of Study for Local Unions. Union Signal. p. 44. Retrieved 31 March 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "Portrait Donated. Women's S.P.C.A. Gets Painting of Mrs. Mary F. Lovell". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 11 March 1922. p. 2. Retrieved 31 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "Mrs. Mary F. Lovell". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 26 June 1932. p. 18. Retrieved 31 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "America". The Animal's Defender and Zoophilist. VIII (8). London: 150. 1 December 1888. Retrieved 31 March 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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