#WCW Lucy Read Anthony
Everyone knows Susan B. Anthony, but what about her mother, Lucy Read Anthony? Lucy Read was born in 1793 to a Universalist father and a Baptist mother. The Read’s farm just outside of Adams, MA was adjacent to the farm of the Anthony family. It was common practice for wealthy Quaker families to use their home as a local school for the area’s children. This is how Daniel Anthony met the lovely Lucy Read. Although he was the master teacher of the school and Lucy was a student, he was actually only one year older than her.
They grew up knowing each other and enjoyed spending time together. They fell in love but faced serious obstacles. The Quaker religion was quite austere and required a strict simple and plain life. Lucy would have to give up many things like dancing and singing to be with Daniel, and he would have to face the anger of his community and family for marrying outside the faith. They did it anyway, but right before the marriage, Daniel let Lucy have one last night of revelry while he sat patiently on the sidelines watching her dancing with partner after partner until 4 am! After the wedding they took a sightseeing tour across the state of New York. Then it was time to settle down and build a house for themselves.
By all accounts, their marriage was an extremely happy one and they had eight children together. Although not an activist herself, Lucy was hard working, loving, and loyal. She never converted, but the children were all raised as Quakers. Susan B. Anthony had very fond recollections of her parents and grandparents on both sides being loving and supportive. Lucy Read Anthony died in 1880.
https://www.adamshistorical.us/collections/susan_b_anthony/index.html