Representative women of New England/Mary A. S. Whitmarsh

by Mary H. Graves

MARY ABBY FELTON WHITMARSH, Ph. G.— While in Germany the woman druggist has been a familiar figure for years, in America she is an exceptional person. To one woman who chose this vocation a large share of success has come, and it will be interesting to glance at her history. Her maiden name was Mary Abby Felton Stiles. In 1873 she became the wife of Daniel Webster Whitmarsh, of Middleboro, Mass.

She was born in Barre, Worcester County, Mass., August 22, 1853, the daughter of Joseph Henry and Mary Amelia (Felton) Stiles. Her father, a native of Worcester, Mass., died in 1862. He was the son of Henry and Avis (Williams) Stiles and a lineal descendant, seventh generation, of Robert¹ Stiles, of Rowley Village (now Boxford, Mass.), who married in 1660 Elizabeth, daughter of John¹ Frye, of Andover. From Robert¹ and Elizabeth the line continued through Timothy² and Hannah (Foster) Stiles; Jacob³ and Sarah (Hart well) Stiles, of Lunenburg; Captain Jeremiah⁴ and Mary (Sanger) Stiles, of Keene, N.H.; Jeremiah, Jr.,⁵ and Abigail (Bridge) Stiles, of Worcester; to their son Henry,⁶ above mentioned.

The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Whitmarsh were Nathaniel⁶ and Abigail H. (Bowker) Felton; and the Felton ancestry is traced back through Nathaniel,⁵ Nathaniel,⁴ Ebenezer,³ Nathaniel,² to Nathaniel¹ Felton, the immigrant progenitor, who came to Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1633, and who married Mary Skelton, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Skelton, the first minister of Salem.

Mrs. Mary A. Stiles was for years a teacher. Her daughter, through her influence early interested in good reading, was educated in the schools of Barre (attending successively a district school and the high school) and at Pierce Academy in Middleboro (co-educational), then one of the leading secondary schools of New England.

Two subjects have always held Mrs. Whitmarsh's attention, natural history and materia medica. In studying the latter she grew more and more attracted toward that branch of science, and in the fall of 1896 she entered the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. After one year's hard study—the rules of the school necessitating four years' actual experience—Mrs. Whitmarsh decided that such experience should be in an establishment of her own. Accordingly she fitted up a new store with fine equipments at Geneva Avenue, Dorchester, to which during the ensuing year she gave her entire time and attention. In 1899 she resumed her studies, dividing her hours between school and her place of business. She was graduated in 1901, receiving her diploma for having satisfactorily finished the general course. Since that time she has been absorbed in her rapidly growing business. She is a popular woman in her community, and is alike respected for her ability and integrity. Mr. and Mrs. Whitmarsh have always attended the Congregational church. For clubs she has no time, although in sympathy with their work; and her duties make her but an irregular attendant at the Daughters of Rebekah Lodge, of which she has been a member for several years. Mr. Whitmarsh is a skilled pattern-maker in iron work.