Nancy Fowler McCormick


Nancy Maria "Nettie" Fowler McCormick was an American philanthropist. She was also a prominent member of the McCormick family

Early life

Nettie was born on February 8, 1835 in Brownsville in Ontario County, New York. She was the daughter of Melzer Fowler, a prosperous farmer who died a month before her birth, and Clarissa Fowler, who died when she was seven years old. She was raised by her grandmother in Clayton, New York and attended Emma Willard School in Troy, New York.

Personal life

In 1857, while visiting friends in Chicago, Nettie met Cyrus Hall McCormick, the Shenandoah Valley born eldest son of Robert McCormick, an inventor, and Mary Ann "Polly" McCormick. Cyrus and Nettie were married in 1858 and, together, were the parents of seven children:
Her husband died at their home in Chicago on May 13, 1884. After a week's illness, Nettie died at her home in Lake Forest in Lake County, Illinois on July 5, 1923. She was buried alongside her husband at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.

Career and philanthropy

While Cyrus was working out a controversy involving his patent of the reaper they lived in Washington, DC. She had a keen business sense and became a great asset to her husband. Nettie became his financial counselor and oversaw many of the business affairs. She toured expositions in McCormick's interest making contacts for the company. In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. But, despite Cyrus' thoughts of retirement afterward, Nettie insisted on rebuilding even larger than before.
The McCormicks provided $100,000 to bring the Hanover Seminary to Chicago. The school was renamed McCormick Theological Seminary soon after Cyrus's death in 1884. Nettie continued to fund buildings, endowing professorships, and scholarships at the seminary even after his death. Nettie donated to over forty schools and colleges. She was said to have given more money to the Presbyterian Church than any other "citizen of the United States." At the time of her death she left more than $1 million to be divided among various institutions. At Tusculum College, one of the many colleges Nettie supported, every September 13 observes Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day. On this day students perform community service in her honor.