Mary (Bannister) Willard
March 28, 1860
-Spent the evening with Mary Bannister. Dr. Bannister's kindness and Mary's in helping me to get a situation as a Teacher, I think I appreciate, and I am very sure I shall not forget. These are not things of which it is my nature to speak much, yet I think about them all the same.
Mary Bannister quickly became one of Frances Willard’s closest friends. Their family relationships brought them closer together with Mary Bannister’s father shaping their early education on teaching and religion, and Mary Bannister’s later marriage to Oliver Willard.
This journal segment provides an example of the times that Mary Bannister and Frances Willard shared. Even though Frances Willard’s remarks on Mary Bannister are brief, the journal entry illustrates the activities that the girls engaged in, especially with regard to education. Frances Willard appreciated the connections that she acquired through her friendship to Mary Bannister, particularly with Mary’s father, and used their time together to set goals for her future.
Frances Willard and Mary Bannister shared a love of learning. Their devotion to attending school and discussing their future goals encouraged them to share personal achievement and aspirations. Mary Bannister thus became a central figure in Frances Willard’s early perceptions of education. Their mutual appreciation for learning helped Willard grow in her commitment to education and reflection on the importance of relationships between women in her approach to the “Woman Question.”
October 23, 1861
All day, we have been "dress-making"-a weary work & slow. Mary came & helped us, in the afternoon. Dear, generous Mary! Her self-forgetfulness, love and thoughtfulness increase, [every day crossed out] She grows dearer, more sacred & beautiful to me every day. That she is Oliver's only makes her nearer to me- nothing could make her dearer.
God bless her! & keep her life always as full of love & happiness as now. When I try to think of the pair of people with most real reason for happiness, of all I know, I always decide that Oliver & Mary answer the contract best.
Throughout the journals, Frances Willard often exclaimed her thankfulness for her friendship with Mary Bannister. This friendship marked one of the earliest and sustained female relationships outside of the Willard family. This journal excerpt illustrates the excitement that Frances Willard felt about Mary. Frances Willard felt that she could learn from Mary Bannister, while also growing together as teachers and activists.
The engagement between Mary Bannister and Oliver Willard highlighted the connections between the two families over time. Frances Willard was excited to gain Mary Bannister as a sister, inviting her into the other female relationships that she maintained with the women in her family. Their long-lasting friendship made the transition from friend to family natural and full of optimism for the future work of Frances Willard.