Mayo, Mary Anne Bryant

Mary Anne Bryant Mayo, née Mary Anne Bryant, (born May 24, 1845, near Battle Creek, Mich., U.S.—died April 21, 1903, probably Michigan), American farm organizer, noted for her efforts toward farm-community improvement as part of the Granger movement in the United States.

Mary Anne Bryant became a district school teacher after her graduation from high school. In 1865 she married Perry Mayo, who shared her interest in self-improvement and in community betterment organizations. In the early 1870s they became active in the Patrons of Husbandry (known as the Grange) and in the organization of Farmers’ Institutes, and both were elected to offices in the county organization. Mary Mayo in particular became a highly active and effective organizer for the Grange. She served as lecturer, as chairman of the woman’s work committee, and from 1891 as chaplain of the state Grange. She traveled constantly throughout Michigan, visiting township Granges and local gatherings of every sort to forward the work of the organization.

Mayo was especially concerned with bringing women and children into full participation in Grange organizations and Farmers’ Institute meetings. Under the aegis of the Grange she developed the “Fresh Air” plan, whereby children of the urban poor were taken into Granger homes for country vacations. She laboured long to establish separate women’s meetings and courses within the Farmers’ Institute framework, and she also succeeded, after more than 10 years of effort, in securing the creation of a women’s department (1897) in its own building (1900) at Michigan State Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). She also served on the board of the Michigan State Industrial Home for Girls in Adrian. In September 1931 a new dormitory for women at Michigan State Agricultural College was named in her honour.