Mary Esther Daniells was born circa 1856 to Nelson and Olive Daniells in Watertown Township, Clinton County, Michigan. Her father, Nelson, was a merchant. The family was affluent and employed a live-in servant.
Mary attended Michigan Agricultural College from 1870 to 1871 and studied agriculture. Her older brother, James W. Daniells, was also part of the 1870 freshman class.
“Ladies as Students” from the 1870 annual report to the State Board of Agriculture
A few years after leaving college, Mary married Francis (Frank) C. Brisbin on January 21, 1878 in Wacousta, Michigan. The family lived in Watertown Township, where Frank worked as a merchant and a farmer.
The Brisbins listed on the 1880 U.S. Census (downloaded from Ancestry.com)
Mary and Frank had five children together: Olive (December 17, 1878 – July 9, 1956), James Daniells (June 12, 1881 – May 28, 1931), Harry Nelson (March 23, 1881 – 1961), Francis Cramer, Jr. (November 29, 1884 – April 1918), Clara Olive (February 21, 1889 – December 4, 1975).
Mary died on June 3, 1894 of heart failure, at age 38 or 39. She was interred in the Wacousta Cemetery. Many of Mary’s descendants attended MSU and were influential members of the greater Lansing community.
Written by Megan Badgley-Malone and Susan O’Brien. Original Blog Post.
