Local Women in History: Mary Briggs Benn

March is National Women’s History Month, and Patch is teaming up with the Gilroy Historical Society and the Gilroy Museum to bring some amazing local women to the forefront. Throughout the month, we’ll look at women from all walks of life who made a difference despite of the oppression facing them. 

Today, we’re featuring Mary Briggs Benn, 1844-1917, who helped form the Gilroy Public Library.

Mary was born in Tennessee and moved to California from Iowa with her parents when she was a young girl. She attended San Jose State Normal School and taught for a number of years in Visalia before her marriage to Dr. John Benn.

After marrying, the Benns moved to Gilroy in 1872 and Mary served as her father's assistant during his two terms as Gilroy's postmaster. She created a library in her home prior to setting one up in Gilroy's city hall in 1907. She then urged the city council to obtain a Carnegie grant to build a separate library building.

Mary later founded the Ladies Reading Circle and served as the first librarian at the Gilroy Public Library when it opened in 1907. She held that position for eight years and resigned in 1915 because of poor health.

Some information on Mary is missing. She may have lived near the northeast corning of Sixth and Eigleberry streets.

Per the 1900 census, she was widowed, but the 1910 census states she was divorced. We don't know the story on that one!