Mary Barret Dyer

 

Mary Barret Dyer was born in England, she and her husband left England and settled in Boston. She and her husband were members of the Puritans’ Congregational Church where she became friends with Anne Hutchinson, a fellow Puritan. Hutchinson disagreed with the theology and the ministers of the Puritan Clergy. The clergy members were angry at Hutchinson for questioning their authority and she was brought to trial and banished. The Dyer family supported her and followed Hutchinson.

Mary returned to England where she became a member of the Quakers. She liked the society because of the equality of genders, which she saw that the Puritan society lacked. When the Quaker faith arrived in Massachusetts anti-Quaker laws were designed. Mary Dyer became a Quaker preacher and minister and went to Massachusetts several times to plead for the lives of the jailed Quakers. She returned several times but on October 27, 1659 she and two other Quakers were condemned to death. In response to the sentencing Dyer responded, “yea, and joyfully I go". The two others were hung, but at the last minute she was given a reprieve. June 1^st,1660 she purposely returned to Massachusetts,and was banished again, this time there was no reprieve and she was hung. 

 Some claim that she was ahead of her time; searching for a society and a religion that held women and men equal.

Works Cited:
Louise, Bernikow. "Mary Dyer Hanged on Boston Common." Womens Enews. N.p., 25 06 2003.  Web. 5 Mar 2012. <http://www.womensenews.org/story/our-story/030625/mary-dyer-hanged-boston-common>.

"The Martyrdom of Mary Dyer: “Yea, and Joyfully I Go” ." Facing History and Ourselves. George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

"Mary Barret Dyer." National Women's Hall of Fame. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar 2012. <http://www.greatwomen.org/welcome>.

 by Jaleesa Smith