Woman of the Century/Minnie S. Davis

DAVIS, Miss Minnie S., author and mental scientist, born in Baltimore, Md., 25th March, 1835. Her parents, Rev. S. A. and Mary Partridge Davis, were natives of Vermont, but moved to Baltimore soon after their marriage. In that city Mr. Davis was one of the earlier Univeisalist ministers. When about six years of age, Minnie was thrown from a carriage and one of the wheels passed across her back. The shock of that accident was afterwards supposed to be the cause of frequent illness and great delicacy of health. These circumstances kept the child by the mother's side, and the close companionship had a marked influence upon her future life, for the gifted mother became her constant instructor until her death in 1848. When seventeen years of age, Minnie entered the Cireen Mountain Institute, Woodstock, Vt When she was eighteen, she had completed a book, " Clinton Forest," which was afterwards well received by the public. Miss Davis spent a year as a teacher. Writing claimed her attention, and soon "Marion Lester, another book, and perhaps her strongest and best was ready for the press, and was published in 1856. Three years later " Clinton Forest" was published, and later "Rosalie." She had been a frequent contributor to the "Trumpet," "Christian Freeman" and local papers, and a regular contributor to the "Ladies' Repository." Of the last, Miss Davis was for five years associate editor with Mrs. Sawyer and Mrs. Soulé. MINNIE S. DAVIS. In 1863 she removed with her father's family to Hartford, Conn. A few months after going into her new home she fell down stairs, and that was the beginning of long years of helplessness, suffering and partial blindness. All known means for her restoration had been tried, but with only partial and temporary success. In 1885, when the wave of " Mental Healing " swept over the land and was accepted by those who were ready for the spiritual truth, Miss Davis was one of the first who recognized the reality of the philosophy. A friend visited her and offered to treat her according to the new method of healing. In four months the days of pain and the darkened room were but memories of the past. She then obtained the best teachers and studied with them the philosophy of healing, and went out in her turn to pass on the work, in which she has had unusual success. Teaching is evidently her forte, her lectures being clear, strong and logical. Miss Davis is interested in all the advanced movements of the day, in temperance, equal rights and everything that tends to the amelioration of the ills of humanity.