Woman of the Century/Mary Frost Ormsby

ORMSBY, Mrs. Mary Frost, author, journalist and philanthropist, born in Albany, N. Y., about 1852. She comes of Irish- Protestant stock. Her maiden name was Mary Louise Frost. Her family connections included many distinguished persons, among whom were Robert Fulton and two uncles. Judge Wright, of New York, and Gen. D. M. Frost, of St. Louis, Mo. MARY FROST ORMSBY. Miss Frost was educated in Vassar College. At an early age she became the wife of Rev. D. C. Ormsby. Finding herself unjustly deprived of her patrimony, she at once decided to put her accomplishments to practical use. Against the wishes of her relatives, she opened in New York City a private school for young women, known as the Seabury Institute, which she has managed successfully from the start. She has been a Sunday-school worker for years, and from her class she formed a society of young men, who are regular temperance-workers. She has been active in reforms and movements on social and philanthropic lines. Her invalid mother lived with her and aided her in all her work until her death, 30th July, 1892. Mrs. Ormsby is a member of Sorosis She is a member of the Society of American Authors, and of the Woman's National Press Association; she is an officer and member of the Pan- Republic Congress and Human Freedom League; she is a member of the executive committee of the Universal Peace Union and is one of the building committee which has in charge the erection of the first peace temple in America, to be built in Mystic, Conn. She was in 1891 the delegate from the United States to the Universal Peace Congress in Rome, Italy. She made a speech there and presented the flag of peace sent from this country. While engaged in investigating the condition of the homeless, she was brought into contact with the advanced economic thinkers of the day. She became a convert to the single-tax doctrine. In the Peace Congress in Mystic, Conn., she declared against all the old-time theories for bringing about permanent peace, and said that war would be abolished only when injustice is abolished and all have an equal right to the use of land. She made her first appearance as a speaker in public in the first National Peace Congress in Washington, where she recited a poem. She is a writer of short stories and a contributor of timely articles to various publications. As a correspondent of the "Breakfast Table," she is best known.