Johanna Mansfield (Sullivan) Macy (1866 - 1936)

Born 14 Apr 1866 in Feeding Hills, Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Albert Macy — married 2 May 1905 in Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA

Died 20 Oct 1936 at age 70 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: David Randall [send private message]

Biography

Anne (Sullivan) Macy is Notable.

Annie Sullivan is best known as Helen Keller's teacher and companion.

Anne was the eldest child of Irish immigrants Thomas and Alice.^[1][2] Her mother died from consumption when Anne was seven years old.^[3] Her father was an alcoholic and abusive, and deserted his family two years later. By this time Anne was almost blind from untreated trachoma. She and her brother, James, were sent to the state almshouse at Tewksbury, Massachusetts, where James died shortly after.^[4]

Four years and two unsuccessful eye operations later, Anne was admitted to the Perkins School for the Blind, in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1880. Here she received her academic education, and graduated as valedictorian of her class. Anne had several successful eye operations at this time, which improved her sight significantly. She also learned to use the manual alphabet to communicate with a friend who was both deaf and blind.^[4]

Following her graduation, Anne accepted the Keller family's offer to come to Tuscumbia, Alabama, to tutor their blind, deaf, mute daughter, Helen. This was the start of a lifelong role as Helen's beloved teacher. Where others had failed, Anne gained the trust and confidence of the angry, rebellious child, penetrating her dark, silent world. Helen proved to be a quick and eager learner over the next 13 years, and when she was admitted to Radcliffe College in 1900 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Anne attended all of her classes, spelling all of the lectures and assignments into Helen's hand. When Helen received her Bachelor of Arts degree, it was a triumph for both women. While Anne was not officially a student, she had gained a college education.^[4]

During the years at Radcliffe, Anne met and married John Macy, Helen's 8th cousin, on May 3, 1905.^[5] However, their union was not to last. In 1914 they separated, though they never officially divorced.^[4]

Anne spent the following years living first in Wrentham, Massachusetts and then in Forest Hills with Helen and Polly Thomson, secretary to Helen and assistant to Anne. Anne's health began to deteriorate in 1916 and she was incorrectly diagnosed with tuberculosis. The women headed for the warmer climate of Puerto Rico, returning to Forest Hills, New York, when the United States entered World War I.^[4]

Despite Anne's declining health, the three women travelled widely in the United States and, after the war, in other countries. They gave lectures, vaudeville performances, and appeared in a film titled "Deliverance." In 1924, Anne and Helen began to work for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) as advocates, counsellors, and fundraisers.^[4]

In 1930-31 Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, wished to recognize Anne and Helen's achievements with honorary degrees. Helen accepted but Anne refused. A year later, at the urging of Helen and other friends, Anne reluctantly accepted the honour.^[4]

By 1935, Anne was totally blind in both eyes. On 15 October 1936, Anne had a coronary thrombosis and fell into a coma, dying five days later at her home in Forest Hills, New York.^[6][7]

Interred at Washington National Cathedral.^[8]

Anne was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.^[7]

Research Notes

Had an aunt named Mary Clarey?

Her father had an older brother named John who emigrated to Massachusetts earlier and paid for Thomas Sullivans steerage. Her father had a brother named Dan, and half siblings named Jimmie and Ellen.

Anne lived with her uncle, John Sullivan and his wife Anastacia before moving to Tewksbury Almshouse in 1876.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXHY-2TK : 1 March 2016), Johanna Sullivan, 1866.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZCT-BHV : 4 December 2014), Johanna Sullivan, Apr 1866; citing Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts, ; FHL microfilm 2,028,187.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7P2-4YX : 2 March 2021), Alice Sullivan, 19 Jan 1874; citing Agawam, Massachusetts, v 265 p 313, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 960,204.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} American Foundation for the Blind. Anne Sullivan Macy Biography. (American Foundation for the Blind, archived at Wayback Machine 2 Apr 2018, retrieved 3 Mar 2021)
5. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4HQ-9KK : 17 February 2016), John Albert Macy and Anne M. Sullivan, 02 May 1905; citing , Wrentham, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,057,623.
6. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WL9-J7T : 20 March 2015), Anne Sullivan Macy, 20 Oct 1936; citing Death, New York City, Queens, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,184,510.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Anne Sullivan," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anne_Sullivan&oldid=1006491480 (accessed March 5, 2021).
8. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #659 (accessed 30 August 2022)
   Memorial page for Anne Sullivan Famous memorial (14 Apr 1866-20 Oct 1936), citing Washington National Cathedral, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA (plot: Columbarium South); Maintained by Find a Grave.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD3Q-7JJ : 17 October 2014), Anna Sullivan in household of Thomas Sullivan, Massachusetts, United States; citing p. 42, family 331, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,115.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9RT-NY3 : 20 January 2015), Annie M Sullivan in household of Sarah W Fosdick, Cambridge city, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing sheet 1A, family 2, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,656.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2KH-JQW : 29 October 2015), Annie S Macy in household of John A Macy, Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1170, sheet 19A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,623.
• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X45J-BH7 : 25 November 2015), Anne S Macy in entry for Helen Keller, 1930.

See also:

• Braddy, Nella. Anne Sullivan Macy. The Story Behind Helen Keller. Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. 1933. (Internet Archive, https://ia802205.us.archive.org/27/items/annesullivanmacy000333mbp/annesullivanmacy000333mbp.pdf : accessed 5 Mar 2021)