Frances E. Willard

Date of Birth: September 28, 1839

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: February 17, 1898

Biography

Frances E. Willard was a prominent American educator, temperance reformer, and women’s suffragist born on September 28, 1839, in Churchville, New York. She is best known for her pivotal role in the temperance movement in the late 19th century and for her work with the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Willard became the national president of the WCTU in 1879 and held the position until her death in 1898. Under her leadership, the organization grew to become the largest women’s organization in the world at that time. Willard’s activism extended beyond temperance; she was a strong advocate for women’s rights, particularly women’s suffrage. She believed that women should have the right to vote as a means to influence social reforms. Her efforts significantly contributed to the broader women’s rights movement in the United States. Willard was also an accomplished author, writing several books including her autobiography “Glimpses of Fifty Years” and “A Wheel Within a Wheel,” which documents her experiences learning to ride a bicycle—a symbol of women’s independence during that era. Frances E. Willard’s work left a lasting impact on American society, advocating for a more moral and equitable world.

5 Interesting Facts about Frances E. Willard

1. Frances E. Willard was the first woman to have her statue placed in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

2. She was a key figure in the passage of the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition in the United States.

3. Willard was the first Dean of Women at Northwestern University.

4. She coined the phrase “Do Everything” to encourage women in the WCTU to engage in a broad spectrum of social reforms.

5. Frances E. Willard was an early advocate for the bicycle as a mode of transportation for women, seeing it as a tool for women’s liberation.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frances E. Willard

1. “The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.”

2. “A woman’s life should be full of deeds, not years.”

3. “Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.”

4. “I would rather have a woman on my hands who knows too much than one who knows too little.”

5. “The greatest of all reforms shall be the emancipation of woman from the thraldom of man.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Frances E. Willard’s work was primarily in the realm of social activism, and she did not achieve significant personal financial wealth. Her highest net worth was largely symbolic, represented by her influence and the widespread impact of her advocacy rather than monetary wealth.