# Representative women of New England/Mary G. Deane

​MARY GRAY DEANE, Past National Inspector of the Woman's Relief Corps, is the wife of Major John M. Deane, of Fall River, Mass. She was born in Norwich, Conn., November 16, 1S46, and is a daughter of the late Abner T. Pearce, a contractor, who built the first railroad in South America. During the Civil War she was a school-girl in Providence, R.I., and her Ieisu'e hom'S were spent in scraping lint and in other work for the Union soldiers. In 1865 her parents moved to Freetown, Mass., and a year later her marriage took place.
Mrs. Deane has been identified with religious and charitable work in Fall River for more than thirty years, having served on active committees of the First Congregational Church, of which she has been a member since 1868. During the temperance revival in Fall River several years ago Mrs. Deane was a member of the Executive Board of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and, as treasurer of the "Coffee House" which was established and conducted on a large stale by the Union, she rendered valuable aid. She has taken an interest in the Woman's Auxiliary to the Young Men's Christian Association, and for more than twenty years was one of the Board of Managers of the Children's Home at Fall River. A large brick building was dedicated in 1895, in which many destitute orphans receive the comforts of home life. Mrs. Deane co-operated in the efforts for the erection of this building. She is a regular visitor to the home, and is especially interested in the welfare of the children. She is a member of Minnehaha Lodge Daughters of Rebekah, of Fall River.
For the past thirteen years she has devoted her energies largely to work for the Grand Army of the Republic. Through the efforts of Major Deane, a Relief Corps was organized in 1888 as an auxiliary to Richard Borden Post, No. 46, with Mrs. Deane as a charter member. She was chosen its President, and was r(>-elected three years in succession. During the nearly four years of her service as President, Mrs. Deane met with success in her efforts to make the corps one of the best in the State. Upon retiring from the chair she accepted the office of Treasurer, a position she has held continuously, with the exception of one year when other official duties prevented. She was a member of the Executive Committee of Arrangements for the National Convention held in Boston in 1890, and has participated in nearly all the subsequent National Conventions.
In 1891 she was Department Inspector of Massachusetts, and at the annual convention the following year was elected Department ​ President. She immediately sought to familiarize, herself with all the numerous details of the office, and, possessing unusual executive ability, conducted a very able administration.
In her address presented at its close she said in part: "My entire time has been given to the service, and I have endeavored to perform the varied and responsd)le duties in a just and conscientious manner. In my first general order, issuetl February 12, the assignment of my office hours at headquarters in Boston was announced; but two afternoons each week have not been sufficient to complete the duties given to my charge. Members and committees seeking advice and information, reports to be examined, correspondence requiring immediate attention, copy to be furnished the printer, and other tluties have required my presence many days at headquarters.
Whether in Boston or at my home in Fall River, every day has been fully occupied with the work of the Department; and with few exceptions my evenings have been devoted to its executive or public duties.
"I have issued nine general orders, thirty-eight special orders, three circular letters anti other official documents, and have written several thousand letters. I have accepted all invitations to represent our order at gatherings held by posts or corps, wherever possible. By special request I have personally instituted four corjis — namely, at Bourne, Williamstown, Marshtield Hills, and Weymouth; have assisted at the institution of corps at New Bedford, Lee, Warehani, Ijeicester, and Boston; and it has been my pleasant duty to install the officers of nine corps. By invitation of the president of the New England Chautauqua Assembly I presented a brief history of our order at the Grand Army Day exercises held at South Framinghani July 25, under the auspices of the Assembly." The following resolution offered by Mrs. Deane was adopted by the convention: "That a plan be inaugurated for the establishing of a home in Massachusetts for the destitute widows and orphans of ovir veterans and for dependent army nurses on oiu" roll. That the home be dedicated as a memorial of the patriotism of the women of Massachusetts during the Civil War and under the management of the Department of Massachusetts, Woman's Relief Corps."
Being appointed chairman of a committee to obtain a fund for this purpose, Mrs. Deane issued an appeal for contributions. In response to the appeal considerable sums were received by the committee, but it was deemed advisable to render immediate relief to those in need rather than to wait for the erection of a building. They have therefore been cared for in their own homes and received continuous aid, with friendly visits and encouragement.
Mrs. Deane's portrait hangs upon the walls of Department headquarters, placed there by the contributions of the corps presidents of 1892. A large and haniLsomely bound album was presented tier at the same time, which contained the letters expressing the regard of the donors. E. R. Hopkins Corps, No. 155, of Williamstown, has placed her picture in its Grand Army Hall.
Mrs. Deane was appointed Department Counsellor in 1893 by her successor in office, Mrs. Emily L. Clarke, and has continued her active interest in the work. She is again serving Corps 106, of Fall River, as treasurer, and as chairman of its (executive committee has added many hundreds of dollars to the corps funds by her able management of entertainments. She was elected chairman of the National Executive Board in 1897 and appointed National Inspector of the Woman's Relief Corps in 1898. At the Department Convention in Boston in January, 1899, she was unanimously endorsed as a candidate for the office of National President, and a circular was issued in her behalf, with official endorsements from the Department of Massachusetts, Grand Army of the Republic, the Sons of Veterans and Daughters of Veterans of Massachusetts.
At the National Convention in Chicago the following September her name was presented for the office by Mrs. Mary L. Oilman, Department President, who made an earnest speech in her behalf, testifying to her qualifications for leadership and the "self-sacrifice in the noble cause." The entire delegation ​from Massachusetts rose in their pkices, to second in a body the nomination of Mrs. Deane. She had also many pledges from other States. Her withdrawal in favor of the candidate rep- resenting Colorado and Wyoming was a great disappointment to her many friends.
Mrs. Deane is a mendjer of the Ladies' Aid Association of the Soldiers' Home in Massa- chusetts, also of Quequechan Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her husband, wiio is in hearty sympathy with her work, was Major of the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment, and has received a Congressional medal of honor for special bravery on the field. He was in many of the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. Major Deane was appointed Assistant National Inspector of the G. A. R. by Commander-in-chief Lawler, and, after filling several offices in the Department of Massachusetts, G. A. R., was elected Department Commander in 1897.
After leaving the army Major Deane followed the profession of teacher, but for several years past has been a successful merchant in Fall River. Major and Mrs. Deane entertain many friends in their beautiful home in Assonet, a suburb of Fall River. They have four sons and one daughter.