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Mary E. Graves (1862-1916) was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and died
in San Diego, California, then was buried in Wausau, Wisconsin, where she had spent the
latter part of her life. Graves was introduced to Christian Science in 1885 by Emma A.
McDonald, a student of Mary Baker Eddy's from Wisconsin. Graves took the Primary course
from Eddy in August-September 1886 and subsequently joined both the Christian Scientist
Association and the National Christian Science Association. She joined The First Church
of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 31, 1894. She was first listed
as a practitioner in
The Christian Science Journal in
Schofield, Wisconsin, in 1896, and was listed in either Wisconsin or California through
to 1916. Graves organized a Sunday School in her home in 1896, and the children's
donations were the beginning of a building fund which resulted in a branch church of
Christian Science being built in Schofield in 1898 with Graves serving as its First
Reader. She was also a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, in Fort Howard,
Wisconsin. Graves served as a maid at Pleasant View for two different periods of time in
1903 and 1904. She became a member of the General Association of Teachers in 1904, and
Eddy gave her a signed hymnal for Christmas 1904. Graves was still corresponding with
Eddy's household in 1910. She went to live with her sister in San Diego the year before
her passing. Her faith in Christian Science was mentioned in her obituary in
1916.
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