Mary Baird Bryan

Mary Elizabeth Baird Bryan (June 17, 1861 – January 30, 1930) was an American attorney, writer, and suffragist. She was married to William Jennings Bryan. Life and work Mary Elizabeth Baird was born on June 17, 1861, in Perry, Illinois, the daughter of John and Lovina Baird. Her father owned a general store. Mary Elizabeth began attending Jacksonville Female Academy at the age of 18, called the "Jail for Angels" by locals. In 1879, a student at Illinois College named William Jennings Bryan met and began courting her. Bryan and Mary Elizabeth married on October 1, 1884. Mary Elizabeth would emerge as an important part of Bryan's career, managing his correspondence and helping him prepare speeches and articles. Mary passed the bar exam and learned German in order to help his career. Mary moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1888, and her husband was elected to Congress two years later. In 1896, her husband decided to run for president. A female reporter was assigned to Mary to report on her specifically. Author Willa Cather was skeptical of William but praised Mary. Mary Bryan joined her husband in late September; on The Idler, a private railway car procured by the DNC, and the Bryans were able to eat and sleep in relative comfort. William and Mary Bryan returned to Lincoln, Nebraska on November 1, two days before the election, though he continued campaigning. After the election, which her husband lost, Mary wrote a biographical sketch of her husband in "The First Battle: A Story of the Campaign of 1896", which became a best-seller. He would run for president in 1900 and 1908 and lost those campaigns as well. In January 1901, Bryan published the first issue of his weekly newspaper, The Commoner, and though Bryan served as the editor and publisher of the newspaper, Charles Bryan, Mary Bryan and Richard Metcalfe performed editorial duties when Bryan was traveling. The Commoner became one of the most widely-read newspapers of its era and content from the papers was frequently reprinted by major newspapers in the Northeast. In 1902, Bryan, his wife and his three children moved into Fairview, a mansion located in Lincoln; Bryan referred to the house as the "Monticello of the West," and frequently invited politicians and diplomats to visit. The family embarked on a world tour in 1905, visiting 18 countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.