A Headstone for Mary

Hi Everyone, thanks for stopping by. I'm Erin Moulton (author and genealogist). This fundraiser is to purchase a headstone for my ancestor, Mary Dainty.

 

Mary met an early death, at the age of 12, in New Britain, CT, in 1925. The events leading up to her death are somewhat convoluted. Her cause of death, according to her autopsy, was Septicemia, likely due to an abortion, but it's unclear who conducted it. One thing that is abundantly clear is that she was a victim of sexual violence.  According to newspapers, on her death bed, she gave a statement that resulted in charges brought against her father, brother and brother's friend. They were charged with "carnal knowledge of a female minor."

"Serious Charges Brought," Hartford Courant (Harford Connecticut), 2-23-1925, p. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com

The father was sentenced to 8 years in Weathersfield Prison for making an indecent assault. The others got off nolles. No one was charged in terms of her death as it was ultimately an infection that killed her. Mary was buried in an unmarked grave and subsequently forgotten...until recently.

Courtesy of the New Britain Public Library

She was behind in school, at the time of her death, being in the 4th grade. She had attended Girl Scout meetings at South Congregational Church in New Britain and was invested as a tenderfoot Girl Scout the year before she died. She had black bobbed hair, bluish-grey eyes and an appendectomy scar. Much of her short life was lived in poverty.

 

We  would very much like to make reparations by purchasing a headstone and giving her a proper funeral. Funds will be used to purchase a headstone, installation, cemetery fees and a graveside service in 2022.

We deeply appreciate your generosity and support in making Mary -- and her story -- more visible.