Dewson, Mary (Molly) WIlliams, 1874-1962

Mary ("Molly") Williams Dewson (1874-1962) was born in Quincy, Mass., earned an A.B. from Wellesley College (1897), and was then secretary of the Domestic Reform Committee of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. She left this position in 1900 to become the superintendent of parole at the Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster, where she remained until 1912. There she met Mary ("Polly") Porter (1884-1972), an intern and then a volunteer at the school. By 1910, MWD and MGP had formed a "partnership" that lasted until MWD's death.

After running a small dairy farm with MGP(1913-1917), MWD returned to reform work, especially the woman's suffrage movement and the National Consumers' League campaign for minimum wage laws for women and children. During World War I MWD and MGP spent 15 months with the American Red Cross's Bureau of Refugees in France.

In the late 1920s, convinced that needed reforms could best be achieved through the political parties, MWD initiated efforts to increase the number of women active in the Democratic Party. She organized women to work in Alfred E. Smith's presidential campaign (1928), and in Franklin D. Roosevelt's New York gubernatorial race (1930) and his subsequent bids for the presidency. In 1933 MWD became head of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee; she is credited with securing important positions for many women in the Democratic Party and the Roosevelt Administration. She also served on the Social Security Board (1937-1938). In 1952, MWD and MGP settled in the Porter family house in Castine, Maine, where MWD died in 1962.

For additional biographical information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1980), Who Was Who in America (1961-1968), and Partner And I: The Life of Molly Dewson, New Deal Politician, by Susan Ware (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987). See also the MWD papers (A-60), part of this same microfilm project, and the microfilm of the MWD scrapbooks (M-120) at the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. Her papers at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Hyde Park, document mainly her involvement with the Democratic Party.

Mary ("Molly") Williams Dewson (February 18, 1874 - October 21, 1962) was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, the daughter of Elizabeth Weld (Williams) Dewson and Edward Henry Dewson. After earning an AB degree from Wellesley College (1897), MWD was hired as secretary of the Domestic Reform Committee of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. She left this position in 1900 to become the superintendent of parole at the Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster, where she remained until 1912. There she met Mary G. ("Polly") Porter (1884-1972), a student at the Boston School for Social Workers, who began an internship under MWD's supervision in 1909. When her internship ended, she withdrew from school, choosing to remain at the Industrial School as a volunteer. By 1910, MWD and MGP had come to think of their friendship as a "partnership"; it was to last until MWD's death.

After briefly (1913-1917) running a small dairy farm with MGP, MWD returned to reform work, a field that occupied her for the next two decades. She was particularly active in the Massachusetts woman's suffrage movement, and in the campaign of the National Consumers' League to secure passage of minimum wage laws for women and children. During World War I, MWD and MGP spent 15 months with the American Red Cross's Bureau of Refugees in France. Between 1919 and 1938 they lived in New York City, spending summers at the Porter family's house in Castine, Me. While MWD was working in New York and Washington, D.C., and traveling, the independently wealthy MGP bred and raised Sheltie dogs at a kennel she owned in Georgetown, Conn.

By the late 1920s, MWD became convinced that needed reforms could best be achieved from within organized political parties; she therefore initiated efforts to increase the number of women active in the Democratic Party. She organized women to work in Alfred E. Smith's presidential campaign (1928), and for Franklin D. Roosevelt's New York State gubernatorial race (1930) and his subsequent bids for the presidency. In 1933, thanks to the influence of Eleanor Roosevelt, her political ally and personal friend, MWD was appointed head of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. She is credited with securing important positions for many women in the Democratic Party and the Roosevelt Administration. She was appointed to the Social Security Board in 1937 but resigned the following year.

MWD and MGP spent the early years of their retirement in Castine, Georgetown, and New York, but in 1952 established permanent residence in Castine, where MWD died in 1962. For additional biographical information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1980), Who Was Who in America (1961-1968), and Partner And I: The Life of Molly Dewson, New Deal Politician, by Susan Ware (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987). See also the microfilm of the MWD scrapbooks (M-120), and the Dewson series of the Woman's Rights Collection at the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College; the latter is part of the University Publications of America/Schlesinger Library microfilm project. Her papers at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Hyde Park, N.Y., document mainly her involvement with the Democratic Party.

Mary ("Molly") Williams Dewson (February 18, 1874 - October 21, 1962) was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, to Edward Henry Dewson and Elizabeth Weld (Williams) Dewson. After earning her A.B. degree from Wellesley College (1897), MWD was hired as secretary of the Domestic Reform Committee of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. She left this position in 1900 to become the superintendent of parole at the Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster, where she remained until 1912. There she met Mary ("Polly") G. Porter (1884-1972). MGP, a student at the Boston School for Social Workers, began an internship under MWD's supervision in 1909. When her internship ended, she withdrew from school, choosing to remain at the Industrial School as a volunteer. By 1910, MWD and MGP had come to think of their relationship as a "partnership"; it was to last for 52 years.

After a brief stint running a small dairy farm with MGP, MWD returned to reform work, a field that occupied her for the next two decades. She was particularly active in the woman's suffrage movement, and in the National Consumers' League's campaign to secure passage of minimum wage laws for women and children. During World War I MWD and MGP spent 15 months with the American Red Cross's Bureau of Refugees in France. Between 1917 and 1938 the two women lived in New York City, spending summers at the Porter family's house in Castine, Maine. While MWD was working in various reform movements, the independently wealthy MGP bred and raised Sheltie dogs at a kennel she owned in Connecticut.

By the late 1920s, MWD became convinced that needed reforms could best be accomplished from within organized political parties; she therefore initiated efforts to increase the number of women active in the Democratic Party. She organized women to work in Alfred E. Smith's presidential campaign (1928); and for Franklin D. Roosevelt's New York State gubernatorial race (1930), and his subsequent bids for the presidency. In 1933, thanks to the influence of Eleanor Roosevelt, her political ally and personal friend, she was appointed to head the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. She is credited with securing leadership positions for many women within the Democratic Party and the Roosevelt Administration. In 1937 she was appointed to the Social Security Board, but she resigned from the position the following year.

MWD and MGP spent the early years of their retirement in Castine, Georgetown (Connecticut), and New York, but eventually established permanent residence in Castine (1952), where MWD died in 1962.

For additional biographical information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1980), Who Was Who in America (1961-68), and Partner And I: The Life of Molly Dewson, New Deal Politician, by Susan Ware (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987). See also the MWD papers (A-60) at the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. Her papers at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Hyde Park, New York, document mainly her involvement with the Democratic Party.

Mary Williams Dewson was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Wellesley College in 1897. At the Women's Educational and Industrial Union (Boston) she studied ways to professionalize housework. She was the first head of the parole department (1900-1912) of the Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls (Lancaster), and worked for a minimum wage in Massachusetts and later with the National Consumers' League. She also worked for woman suffrage, and with the American Red Cross in France, 1917-1919. Believing she could best further social justice by strengthening women's activities in the Democratic Party, she organized women in the party from 1928 to her resignation as head of the Women's Division in 1936; she advised the division until 1941. For futher information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (1980).

Mary Williams Dewson was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Wellesley College in 1897. At the Women's Educational and Industrial Union (Boston) she studied ways to professionalize housework. She was the first head of the parole department of Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls (Lancaster), 1900-1912, and worked for a minimum wage in Massachusetts and later with the National Consumers' League. She also worked for woman suffrage, and with the American Red Cross in France, 1917-1919. Believing she could best further social justice by strengthening women's activities in the Democratic Party, she organized women in the party from 1928 to her resignation as head of the Women's Division in 1936; she advised the division until 1941. For further information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (1980).

Social reformer.

Mary Williams Dewson was interested in minimum wage, social security, and women. She was active in Democratic Party politics working on Franklin D. Roosevelt's campaigns and holding several offices in the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. She was the first woman to serve on the Social Security Board.

Mary ("Molly") Williams Dewson was born in Quincy, Mass., to Edward Henry and Elizabeth Weld (Williams) Dewson. With an A.B. degree from Wellesley College (1897), she was hired as secretary of the Domestic Reform Committee of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union, Boston. In 1900-1912 she was superintendent of parole at the Massachusetts State Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster; there she met Mary ("Polly") G. Porter (1884-1972), a student at the Boston School for Social Workers. By 1910, they had formed a partnership that was to last 52 years.

Dewson was active in the woman's suffrage movement, and in the National Consumers' League campaign for minimum wage laws for women and children. In the late 1920s, convinced that reforms could best be accomplished through organized political parties, she initiated efforts to increase the number of women active in the Democratic Party.

In 1933, thanks to the influence of Eleanor Roosevelt, a friend and political ally, Dewson was appointed to head the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. She is credited with securing leadership positions for many women in the Democratic Party and the Roosevelt Administration. In 1937 she was appointed to the Social Security Board, but resigned the following year. She died in Castine, Me., in 1962. For additional biographical information, see Notable American Women: The Modern Period (1980), Who Was Who in America (1961-68), and Partner and I: The Life of Molly Dewson, New Deal Politician, by Susan Ware (1987).