Willard grew up in a family where her father desired to be a minister, who he took classes at Oberlin College to further his dream. Her mother also took classes with him. However, due to the advice of a doctor, her father stopped going to school and instead moved his family out to Janesville, Wisconsin Territory.
As a child, Willard was a tomboy, having short hair, she insisted on being called "Frank." As a child, there was no school for Frances to attend, and as her father saw to legislative duties, her mother began to school her.
Her education was continued inconsistently. She attended an all girls school for one semester in Janesville.
As Willard grew older, she was resentful that her brother was allowed to vote, and she was not able.
In 1857 she started to attend the Milwaukee Female College. However, after one term her father transferred her to the North Western Female College in Evanston, Ill. She graduated in 1859 as a "Laureate of Science"
After graduation she taught at a series of schools. In 1866, she became a preceptress at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, NY.
In 1861, she became engaged to Charles Henry Fowler. After several months, the engagement ended.
In 1868 Frances traveled for two years with Kate Jackson, a friend from the Genesse Wesleyan Seminary. They traveled, at the expense of Kate's father, to Europe, Russia, Egypt, the Holy Land, Constantinople, and Greece. While traveling Willard wrote articles for the newspapers at home.
In 1870, she returned from her travels and in 71 was named president of the Evanston College for Ladies. The new college was closely linked to Northwestern University.
In 1872, her ex-finance became the president of Northwestern and began to give Francis problems. He felt Northwestern had control over Evanston College. In the summer of 1873, Northwestern took over the college officially due to its financial problems.
After the closure of Evanston College Willard became a dean of women and professor of English and art at Northwestern.
In 1873 she was asked to participate in the founding of the Association for the Advancement of Women in New York City.
In 1874 she resigned her position at Northwestern due to the continued conflict with her ex.
Frances was soon asked to lead temperance movements and take a leading role at conventions. She used her position in the temperance movement and cause to also promote women's sufferage, to the disapproval of some.
In Sept of 1877 she returned to Evanston. She also resigned as national corresponding secretary of Women's Christian Temperance Union. In 1878 she was chosen for president of the Illinois W.C.T.U. She also organized the "Home Protection" petition. The petition gathered over a hundred thousand female signatures to allow women of the state of Illinois be give the vote on liquor questions. The petition died in committee, but the next election showed new people being elected.
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In 1879 she took over as national president of W.C.T.U. Under her the union became about more then just temperance. In 1883, she sent temperance missionaries to the Far East. They set up Temperance Unions and distributed the "Polyglot Petition." It asked their leaders to do something about alcohol and narcotic drugs. The World W.C.T.U. evolved from this. The first world's convention was held in Boston, 1891. Willard was elected president. |
In 1892, she moved to England where she thought and wrote. While in England, she believed that poverty was the cause of intemperance. She also believed that prohibition was not the answer, education was.
She died in 1898 due to "grippe" and anemia.
Willard, Frances by Compton's Encyclopedia
Frances W. Willard by Ohio State History
Frances Willard: books by and about
Willard, Frances Elizabeth. Writing Out My Heart. Urbana, 1995.