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 who played a significant role in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Churchville, New York, she moved with her family to Oberlin, Ohio, and later to Janesville, Wisconsin. Willard’s passion for education led her to graduate from North Western Female College in 1859. She served as the president of Evanston College for Ladies and later as the first Dean of Women at Northwestern University. Willard is best known for her leadership in the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), where she served as president from 1879 until her death in 1898. Under her guidance, the WCTU became one of the most influential women’s organizations of its time, advocating for temperance, women’s suffrage, and social reforms. Her “Do Everything” policy encouraged women to engage in a wide range of social issues, including labor rights, prison reform, and education. Throughout her life, Willard was a prolific writer and public speaker, using her platform to advance the causes of temperance and women’s rights. Her autobiography, “Glimpses of Fifty Years,” provides an insightful look into her life and the social movements of her era.

5 Interesting Facts about Frances E. Willard

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

2. She coined the phrase “Do Everything” to encourage comprehensive social reform.

3. Willard was an advocate for bicycle riding for women, believing it to be a symbol of freedom and independence.

4. She was a founding member of the National Council of Women of the United States.

5. Willard was instrumental in the passage of the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition in the United States.

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

3. “Women will bless and brighten every place they enter, and they will enter every place.”

4. “A woman who will not use her intelligence to work for the good of others is a monster.”

5. “This seems to be the law of progress in everything we do; it moves along a spiral rather than a perpendicular line.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Frances E. Willard’s work was primarily in activism and social reform, and she did not accumulate significant personal wealth. Her highest net worth is not documented as her life was dedicated to public service rather than financial gain.