Anna Jarvis

For her mother, the social activist and community organizer during the American Civil War era, see Ann Jarvis.

Anna Jarvis
Born
Anna Maria Jarvis

(1864-05-01)May 1, 1864
Webster, Taylor County, West Virginia, U.S.
DiedNovember 24, 1948(1948-11-24) (aged 84)
West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeWest Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Known forFounder of American Mother's Day

Anna Maria Jarvis (May 1, 1864 – November 24, 1948) was the founder of Mother's Day in the United States. Her mother had frequently expressed a desire to establish such a holiday, and after her mother's death, Jarvis led the movement for the commemoration. However, as the years passed, Jarvis grew disenchanted with the growing commercialization of the observation and even attempted to have Mother's Day rescinded. By the early 1940s, she had become infirm, and was placed in a sanatorium by friends and associates where she died on November 24, 1948.[1] A legend exists that a portion of her medical bills were paid for by florists.[2]

  1. ^ Phillips, Kristine (May 7, 2024). "She invented Mother's Day — then waged a lifelong campaign against it". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 13, 2024. By the early 1940s, Jarvis had become undernourished and was losing her eyesight. Friends and associates placed her in a sanitarium in West Chester, Pa. She died Nov. 24, 1948.
  2. ^ Breunig, John (May 12, 2024). "John Breunig (opinion): How a CT woman got the mother of Mother's Day arrested". New Haven Register. Retrieved May 13, 2024. According to legend, some of her last bills were paid off by florists.