Anna Jarvis
| Anna Marie Jarvis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Anna Jarvis May 1, 1864 Webster, Taylor County, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 24, 1948 (aged 84) West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | United States |
| Known for | founder of Mothers’ Day |
Anna Marie Jarvis (May 1, 1864, Webster, Taylor County, West Virginia – November 24, 1948, West Chester, Pennsylvania) was the founder of the Mother's Day holiday in the United States.
Anna Marie Jarvis was born to Granville E. and Ann Marie (née Reeves) Jarvis on May 1, 1864 in Webster, Taylor County, West Virginia. Her birthplace, today known as the Anna Jarvis House, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. Anna was the ninth of eleven children; seven of the siblings would die in infancy or early childhood. The family moved to Grafton, West Virginia, also in Taylor County, later in her childhood.
Ann Reeves Jarvis was a social activist, founder of Mothers’ Day Work Clubs, and a unifying force within her community during the American Civil War. Ann was friends with Julia Ward Howe, who had first advocated in 1870 for the idea of a Mother's Day as a call for mothers throughout the world to work together for peace. As a woman defined by her faith, she was very active within the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church community. It was during one of her Sunday school lessons in 1876 that Anna Jarvis allegedly found her inspiration for Mother’s Day, as Ann closed the lesson with a prayer, stating:
I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.
At the encouragement of her mother, Anna Jarvis attended college and was awarded a diploma for the completion of two years of course work at the Augusta Female Seminary in Staunton, Virginia, today known as Mary Baldwin College. Jarvis returned to Grafton to work in the public school system, additionally joining her mother as an active church member, maintaining a close link to her mother.
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