Francis E Willard founder of the Woman's Temperance Movement 1880's
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Francis Williard Temperance Medallion

Woman and Temperance: Francis E Willard

Life of Frances E
 

The Beautiful Life of Francis Willard
Memorial Edition
By Anna Gordon
published by the Womens Temperance Publishing Assoc
1898 First Edition
hard bound 447 pages
Book is above averge condition for 100 year old book
binding is intact but paper is starting to tear
binding is strong where paper is separating
Full of great photos of Francis Willard and Anna Gordon
Front Page inscribed Florence E Snyder April 1908 Mrs Randall
not clear who gave what to whom


Francis Willard "Temperance Leader" by Patricia Chadwick Frances Elizabeth Willard was born on September 28, 1839 in Churchville, New York, to Josiah Flint Willard and Mrs. Mary Thompson Hill Willard. Frances' early girlhood was spent on a farm on the frontier in what was then the territory of Wisconsin. Her parents were both teachers who made sure their children were well educated. At seventeen, Frances and her sister Mary went to Milwaukee Female College, where their mother's sister, Sarah Hill, was teacher. From there she went on to Northwest Female College at Evanston, Illinois, where she graduated with high honors. In fact, she was valedictorian of her class. After graduation, Frances taught continuously until 1868 when she went on a world tour with her friend, Kate Jackson. Upon returning to America in 1870, Frances returned to Evanston and became President of Norwest Female College. Her teaching career lasted sixteen years. She taught in schools, seminaries, and colleges, her last position being that of Dean of the Woman's College of the Northwestern University. At the same time, she was professor of aesthetics and natural science. One of Frances' great achievements was the introduction of the system of self-government among the students and bringing to pass its successful operation (King, Woman, p. 413). The next period of her life is marked by the temperance crusade in Ohio. Frances' soul was deeply stirred. The making of the Woman's College, an extension of the University, prevented her from carrying out her plans for the college. So, she resigned her position as dean and professor and joined the temperance crusade movement. Frances went from teaching aesthetics in a university to being an apostle of temperance to the drunkards in Chicago. She gave up much for temperance work. Often going without her lunch because she had no money to pay for it. She walked several miles because she was unable to pay carfare. She had a great administrative ability and a magnificent power over her audiences. The work grew and the combination of her abilities led her to become leader of the National, and then the World's Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Frances Willard was the most influential leader in the Temperance Movement in the United States. She was the originator of the motto: "For God, Home, and Native Land". In January, 1898, Frances gave her last public address in the Congregational Church of Janesville. In February of 1898, Francis Willard died due to contracting a rare form of anemia. Thousands of people from all over the world paid tribute to this wonderful woman at her funeral in New York City. As the train was carrying her body back to Chicago for burial, it made a brief stop in her hometown of Churchville, New York. Again, thousands of mourners passed in front of her casket, paying their respects. After her death,
the state of Illinois donated a figure of Francis to the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, the only woman to receive that honor (Janney, Great Women, p.292).

book is very rare and hard to find

Click image to see full size pictures