Woman of the Century/Mary H. Graves

GRAVES, Miss Mary H., Unitarian minister, born in North Reading, Mass., 12th September, 1839. Her parents were Eben Graves and Hannah M. Campbell Graves. Her maternal ancestors, the MARY H. GRAVES. Campbells and Moores, were descendants of the Scotch-Irish settlers of Londonderry, N. H. Mary was graduated from the State Normal School, Salem, Mass., in February, i860. She taught in the public schools of her native town and of South Danvers, now Peabody, Mass. She was inclined to literature and wrote for the "Ladies' Repository" and other journals. She took a theological course of study under Rev. Olympia Brown in Weymouth, Mass., and in Bridgeport, Conn., preaching occasionally in the neighboring towns. In the summer of 1869 she supplied the pulpit of the Universalist Church in North Reading, Mass. In the summer of 1870 she preached in Earlville, III. On December, 14th, 1871, she was regularly ordained as pastor of the Unitarian Church in Mansfield. Mass., having already preached one year for that society. In 188a she had pastoral charge of the Unitarian Society in Baraboo, Wis. She has done some missionary work in the West, mainly in Illinois and adjoining States. In 1885 and 1886, while living in Chicago, she assisted in the conduct of "Manford's Magazine," acting as literary editor. For one year she was secretary of the Women's Western Unitarian Conference. At present her strength is not sufficient to allow her to do the full work of the ministry, and she is devoting herself to literary work. She contributes occasionally to the "Christian Register," the "Commonwealth," the Boston "Transcript." the "Leader" and other journals.