Nancy Maria "Nettie" McCormick (néeFowler; February 8, 1835 – July 5, 1923) was an American philanthropist. Through marriage, she became a member of the prominent
McCormick family.
Early life
Nettie was born on February 8, 1835, at
Brownsville in
Ontario County, New York. She was the daughter of Melzer Fowler (1803–1835), a prosperous farmer who died a month before her birth, and Clarissa Fowler (née Spicer; 1805–1842), 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.[1]
Marriage and children
In 1857, while visiting friends in
Chicago, Nettie met
Cyrus Hall McCormick (1809–1884), the eldest son of inventor
Robert McCormick and Mary Ann "Polly" McCormick (née Hall). Cyrus and Nettie were married in 1858.
Together, they were the parents of seven children:
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 the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. However, despite Cyrus' thoughts of retirement afterward, Nettie insisted on rebuilding even larger than before.[12]
The McCormicks provided $100,000 to bring the Hanover Seminary to Chicago.[13] 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.[14] Nettie donated to over forty schools and colleges.[15] She was said to have given more money to the
Presbyterian Church than any other "citizen of the United States."[1] 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.[16]