Born: 1800 (Burlington, New Jersey)
Died: 1884 (Philadelphia)
Biography:
Mary Ann M’Clintock or Mary Ann McClintock (18001884) is best known for her role in the formation of the women’s suffrage movement, as well as abolitionism. She was born on February 20, 1800, in Burlington, New Jersey. Mary Ann was married to Thomas M’Clintock, and together they were both deeply invested in their Quaker backgrounds and social reform.
Thomas provided for their four daughters and their son by working as a druggist and minister. Mary Ann and Thomas lived in Philadelphia from the beginning of their marriage in 1820 until 1836, when they moved to Waterloo, New York.
By 1833, Mary Ann had become very active in the anti-slavery movements in Philadelphia and was one of the founding members of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. During this time, she worked closely with abolitionist Lucretia Mott, who would become a lifelong friend and collaborator.
Once settled in Waterloo, Mary Ann took a more active role in the women’s suffrage movement. She played a crucial part in organizing the Seneca Falls Convention, held in July 1848. Mary Ann, along with her daughters Elizabeth and Mary Ann, also attended the convention and signed the Declaration of Sentiments.
The Seneca Falls Convention marked a turning point in the fight for women’s rights and was the first women’s rights convention in the United States. Its purpose was to present the Declaration of Sentiments, a document drafted by women, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, at the kitchen table of Mary Ann M’Clintock. This important document outlined the demand for equal opportunities between men and women and was inspired by the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Sentiments became the catalyst for the suffragist movement that lasted until 1920 when women finally gained the right to vote.
However, despite her pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement, Mary Ann herself never had the opportunity to vote. In 1856, she retired back to Philadelphia and lived there until her death on May 21, 1884, at the age of 84. She is buried in the Fair Hill Burial Ground in Philadelphia.