Mary F. Hoyt

Mary Francis Hoyt (also Mary Francis Moses; June 17, 1858 – October 19, 1958), a Vassar College graduate, was the first woman to receive a position in the United States federal civil service which was followed by hundreds of thousands of women filling these government positions. She was a centenarian.

Mary F Hoyt in 1957 at age 99
US Civil Service Commission Seal

Genealogy and early life

Hoyt was born in Southport, Connecticut on June 17, 1858, the only child of James Eli Hoyt and Mary Riley Hoyt. She was the tenth generation of her Hoyt family line in the United States. She is a niece of General William Tecumseh Sherman.[1] Her original American ancestor, Simon Hoyt, immigrated from England in 1628 and landed in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Later, he moved to Windsor Locks, Connecticut. In 1653, he moved once more to the city of Norwalk, Connecticut, and settled there permanently.[2]

Hoyt was born in her grandmother's house as Mary Francis Hoyt[3] and went by her childhood nickname "Minnie". She was raised and grew up in Norwalk. After high school, she attended Vassar College in New York City, graduating in 1880.[4] Her first job was a favorable position for a young lady, a clerk with the Census Bureau in Washington, D.C.[5][6]

Career
The 19th-century US Treasury Department paid women $900/year, and men $1200/year.

Hoyt was the first woman selected to a US civil service position. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, also known as the Civil Service Act, is a federal law established in 1883 which decided that government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit and examination scores instead of political affiliation. US president Chester A. Arthur signed the act in the spring of 1883, with the first official examination taking place on July 12. Hoyt produced the highest score.[7] On September 5, she became the second person employed based on this examination and the first woman appointed to a federal position through the new Civil Service Act.[8][9] She was appointed a clerk in the Bank Redemption Agency of the Treasury Department, holding the position for five years at an annual pay of US$900.[5][10]

Awards

A letter from President Dwight D. Eisenhower was delivered to Hoyt by the chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission, Harris Ellsworth.[2] He read the letter to Hoyt at her retirement home in New York City a day before her one-hundredth birthday,[11] Hoyt having lost her eyesight in her early nineties. Eisenhower's letter explained that a door had been opened for women's opportunities in civil service, and that she was the leader for these opportunities.[5] Hundreds of thousand of women followed in Hoyt's footsteps.[2] In 1958, one fourth of the United States federal service was women.[2] Ellsworth, at the time, was preparing to celebrate the Civil Service Commission's 75th anniversary.[12]

Later life

Hoyt met her husband, Brice J. Moses, while working at the US Census Office. She took a hiatus and discontinued her career in 1888 to marry him and start a family. They had four children: Roger (b. 9/12/1889), Truman (b. 11/4/1893), Alan (b. 10/9/1894), and Elinor (b. 2/15/1896).[6]

Moses later left the Census Office and took a position with the Washington Loan and Trust Company. He also was a treasurer of the Washington Stock Exchange. Moses died in 1928 and Hoyt moved to 350 Central Park West in Manhattan, New York City, living there for the rest of her life. Her favorite pastime was baseball and she followed the New York Yankees baseball team on the radio. She lived to be 100 years old[13] and died on October 19, 1958.[14] At the time of her death, her sons Roger and Alan were still living.[15]

References
  1. The Abilene reflector, July 30, 1885, page 8 – first column of eight, upper left top.
  2. "Centenarian Passes / Mrs. Brice Moses dies; Aged 100 – Member of Old Norwalk Family was Honored by President". Norwalk Hour. Norwalk, Connecticut. October 20, 1958. President Eisenhower wrote to her: "A door was opened to a new world of careers for women in our land and you were the first to enter through it. Since then hundreds of thousands have followed your example. Therefore, as the symbol of the women now comprising one-fourth of the entire Federal service, you have a special place in our hearts."
  3. New Ulm weekly review. (New Ulm, Minn.), 23 June 1886; column 5 at bottom
  4. Miscellany 1888, p. 99.
  5. Read 1992, p. 219.
  6. "Mary Francis "Minnie" Moses".
  7. Commire & Klezmer 2007, p. 906.
  8. "Notable Deaths from Everywhere". Simpson's Leader-Times. Kittanning, Pennsylvania. October 20, 1958. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "First Woman in Civil Service Dies at 100". Garden City Telegram. Garden City, Kansas. October 20, 1958. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "First Woman in Civil Service Position Dies". Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood, Michigan. October 20, 1958. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Presidential Greeting". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. June 28, 1958. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "President Greets Woman at 100". New York Times. New York City. Jun 17, 1958. p. 19. Mrs. Brice J. Moses, who in 1883 was the first woman to be appointed to a Federal Civil Service post, quietly celebrated her 100th birthday a day early yesterday in her home at 350 Central Park West.
  13. "Pioneer Employee Dies". Logan Daily News. Logan, Ohio. October 20, 1958. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Pioneer Employee Dies". The Circleville Herald. Circleville, Ohio. October 20, 1958. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Mrs Moses Dead; EX-U.S. AIDE, 100". The New York Times. New York City. October 20, 1958. p. 29. Mrs Brice J Moses, first woman appointed to a Federal Civil Service post, in 1883, died yesterday in her home.....

Sources
  • Commire, Anne; Klezmer, Deborah (2007). Dictionary of Women Worldwide: A-L. Thomson Gale. ISBN 978-0-7876-7676-6. Received the highest score on the 1st Civil Service examination administered and became the first woman appointed to a federal position under provisions of Civil Service Act (1883).
  • Miscellany, Vassar (1888). The Vassar Miscellany. Vassar College.
  • Read, Phyllis J. (1992). Women's Firsts. Random House Information Group. ISBN 978-0-679-40975-5. The first Civil Service examination was administrated on July 12, 1883. Hoyt received the highest score, and on September 5 she became the first woman (and the second person) to be appointed to a federal position under the provisions of the Civil Service Act.
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