Mary Telfair

Mary Telfair (1791-1875) was born in Augusta, then the capital of Georgia, to Sarah Gibbons and Edward Telfair, who was serving as governor at the time. A child of keen intellect and curiosity, Mary quickly grew into a voracious reader and a woman with strong opinions about national and world events. This was strange for the 19th century, when women were not expected to be informed about the political arena. Above all, women were expected to wed.

Telfair’s inherited wealth freed her from this expectation, and she devoted her life to travel and charities. Upon her death, her will stipulated money be left to complete the building of Hodgson Hall for the Georgia Historical Society. She also endowed the Savannah Widow’s Society and founded the Mary Telfair Hospital for Women. Telfair is perhaps best known for leaving her home and its furnishings and an endowment to establish the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. Architect William Jay designed the original Telfair house, which opened its doors as a museum in 1886, earning its distinction as the oldest public art museum in the South.