My Genealogy Hound

MARY ROBERTS LIVEZEY, daughter of Hugh and Alice A. Roberts, is a native of Wilmington, Delaware, where she was born Tenth- month (October) 25, 1847. Her earlier years were spent in that city, in Cecil county, Maryland, and in Bucks, Philadelphia, and Montgomery counties of Pennsylvania, the family having changed their location from time to time. She attended the public schools in these various localities, and also obtained such knowledge as was gained in the schoolrooms where she was engaged in the instruction of pupils of various ages and acquirements.

In 1861 Hugh Roberts, having sold the farm in Maryland which he had owned for several years, removed to Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and thence after two years to Philadelphia, locating in Gwynedd, Montgomery county, and still later to Norristown.

Mary Roberts became a teacher in the public schools at Franklinville, in Whitpain township, in the fall of 1866, it being located near the farm on which the family resided for nearly twenty years. Meeting with much success in her calling of teacher, she remained in that position six years, when she became principal of what was later the Audenried school, in Cheltenham township, where she remained another six years. In this position one of her directors was Thomas Williams, for many years president of the Cheltenham school board and an active friend of education, and a friendship was formed between the two which lasted until his death, a few years ago.

In Eleventh-month, 1877, Mary Roberts became the wife of Samuel Livezey, son of Thomas and Rachel (Richardson) Livezey, of Plymouth Meeting. They have one child, Thomas Hugh Livezey, born Tenth-month 18, 1879, who is employed in a responsible position at the Pencoya Iron Works. He married Tenth-month 1, 1902, Joanna M., daughter of William (deceased) and Caroline R. Miller, of Blue Bell.

Samuel Livezey was employed for many years in one or another of the great packing houses of Chicago, and thither he removed again with his family soon after the birth of their child, remaining there several years but returning again to Plymouth Meeting and locating finally in Norristown, on Marshall street, above Stanbridge (No. 908) Norristown, Their son resides a few doors above, at No. 938 Marshall street. Samuel Livezey has been for some years retired from business.

Mary R. Livezey has taken a very active part in aiding the Montgomery County Historical Society to clear of debt its property on Penn street, adjoining the public square, having officiated as chairman of five annual suppers held for that purpose on Washington’s birthday, and having, with the aid of an organization of women whom she called around her, raised about two thousand and five hundred dollars in this way.

She has also been active in the society of Friends, taking an active part in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and in First Day School and Philanthropic work generally, as well as in the movement for equal rights for women, of which she is an earnest advocate, holding that the antiquated idea that man is a superior being and woman is inferior is an error that should be banished from the statute books of the state by appropriate legislation of a more liberal character than that now existing. The society of Friends has always recognized the equality of the sexes and its influence has been exerted for the two centuries and a half of its existence in favor of the enfranchisement of women.

Educated in such a school, Mary R. Livezey has profited by its lessons and is an able and fearless advocate of other reforms, including temperance, personal purity and kindred objects. She has been useful and effective in these and other channels, taking her stand with the progressive and earnest men and women of the day in efforts to enlighten the public mind, break down the authority of tradition and superstition and point the way to a better era than any which the world has ever seen.