Ward, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (Mary Gray Phelps, 1844-1911)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Mary Gray Phelps was born on 31 August 1844 in Boston, Massachusetts, and died on 28 January 1911 in Newton Center, Massachusetts. A prolific writer, her works advocate for women's dress reform, suffrage, female education, and marriage reform as well as labor reform, Spiritualism, and Temperance. While she does not promote veg*nism, Ward writes frequently about animal welfare in both lengthy stories and brief remarks. She typically favors domestic animals and pets, specifically dogs. Her novels Loveliness (1899), Though Life Us Do Part (1908) and, especially, Trixy (1904) use the strategies of sentimental fiction to arouse strong emotions against the practice of experimentation on live animals including the dissection of conscious animals. These texts were highly influential in anti-vivisection campaigns. In a short biography, Emily VanDette notes that Ward delivered "three impassioned speeches to the Massachusetts Legislature in support of anti-vivisection bills; ... at least two short stories; along with several pamphlets, essays, and articles that appeared in national periodicals. She corresponded with lawmakers and elected officials, including President Roosevelt, to solicit support for laws that would restrict the practice of experimentation on animals. Anti-vivisection organizations counted on her as a celebrity spokesperson for the cause.”

PUBLICATIONS