Hannah Mather Crocker
Hannah Mather Crocker (1752-1829) was a notable early feminist from Massachusetts, deeply rooted in a prominent New England family; she was the granddaughter of influential Puritan minister Cotton Mather and the daughter of minister Samuel Mather. Married to Joseph Crocker, a Revolutionary Army officer, she became a mother of ten. Crocker emerged as an advocate for women's rights during a time when such views were largely marginalized. Her 1815 work, *A Series of Letters on Free Masonry*, not only addressed the behavior of the Society of Free Masons but also served as a platform to advocate for the social standing of women. In her 1818 publication, *Observations on the Real Rights of Women*, she argued for women's rights through a biblical lens, suggesting that logic and scripture supported her claims for equality. Additionally, Crocker tackled issues like excessive drinking in her 1816 work, *The School of Reform*, advising moderation while acknowledging social realities. Through her writings and advocacy, Crocker contributed to the discourse on women's rights and laid the groundwork for future feminist movements.
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Hannah Mather Crocker
Author
- Born: June 27, 1752
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts
- Died: July 11, 1829
- Place of death: Roxbury, Massachusetts
Biography
Hannah Mather Crocker, an early nineteenth century United States feminist, was born in Massachusetts in 1752. Crocker was the daughter of Samuel Mather, a minister, and Hannah Hutchinson. Hutchinson’s brother was a crown-appointed governor of Massachusetts. Crocker was the granddaughter of colonial American Puritan minister Cotton Mather. She had ten children with husband Joseph Crocker, a Revolutionary Army officer.
Crocker’s A Series of Letters on Free Masonry, published in 1815, ostensibly took up the question of the Society of Free Masons. In 1810, Masons had been accused of eschewing decorum at their meetings, and Crocker was solicited by the Reverend Thaddeus Harris to put the behavior of certain members in the context of the greater organization. Crocker made no excuses for lapses in behavior, while extolling the Society she helped found in 1778. In her response to questions (likely posed by herself), Crocker used the venue as a pretext to argue for the improved social standing of women.
Crocker addressed excessive drinking in The School of Reform: Or, Seaman’s Safe Pilot to the Cape of Good Hope in 1816. Crocker advised sailors to drink more responsibly. Crocker was practical, though, as she did not counsel completely forswearing the bottle.
Observations on the Real Rights of Women, with Their Appropriate Duties, Agreeable to Scripture, Reason, and Common Sense was published by Crocker in 1818. The title of Crocker’s publication heralded the arguments she made for women’s rights. Crocker cited a biblical basis from which rights extend to all Christians. Crocker wrote that human thought had progressed to the point that logic should prevail in any question about the rights of people. Furthermore, Clocker submitted that the issue of women’s rights was not dissimilar to America’s struggle to exercise the rights denied it by England.