6 boxes

Agency History/Biographical note:
Mary J. Browning was born on September 19, 1928, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents were Robert Moriss Browning and Louise Gray Browning. Mary attended Holten Arms School in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1951 with a degree in art history. Following her graduation, she moved to Iowa City, where she worked as a radio station announcer (1951-1952). She later moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and worked in administrative positions in the Harvard University Employment Office (1952-1955) and the Ritz Carlton Hotel (1955-1958). While in Boston, she took a class at Boston University in 1957. After her father's second heart attack in 1956, she moved back to Washington, D.C. and worked in her home church, Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, as membership secretary. It was through her church that she met Edward Robert Nelson (Bob) whom she later married in August of 1958. They had two children, a daughter, Anne (Mount Holyoke class of 1980), and a son, Robert. Her father died in December of 1963 and soon after she and Nelson were divorced. Between 1963 and 1976, Mary held various elementary teaching jobs in independent schools in the eastern U.S., including Brookside School and Shore County Day School. From 1979-1981, Mary worked as an employment counselor and worked with the elderly. Later, she focused on Christian outreach ministries in nursing homes. Mary received a Congressional Citation for her work in the homes. She died in September of 1994.

Scope and Content:
The Mary J. Browning Nelson Papers contain correspondence (1930-1989); course materials from her high school (ca.1947), Mount  Holyoke (1947-1951) and Boston University (1955); newspaper clippings (1952-1984); memorabilia, including programs and a scrapbook from Mount Holyoke (1947-1951); and photographs (1947-1951). The papers primarily document her time at Mount Holyoke College, her professional career and her divorce. The correspondence from 1947-1951 discusses college life, academics and social events at Mount Holyoke. Mount Holyoke course material includes notes, papers and exams with a concentration on art history. Other course material includes notes from a religion class at Boston University and notes from a speech class in 1958 of unknown origin. Included in the memorabilia section for Mount Holyoke are various programs from student activities such as Junior Show, May Day, Founder's Day and Vespers.

Cite as: Mary B. Nelson Papers, Mount Holyoke College, Archives and Special Collections, South Hadley, Massachusetts

Access Restrictions: Materials 1964 on are restricted.

Series List:


• Correspondence , 1934-1983 , 1.3 linear feet
• Course materials , Fall 1948-Spring 1958 , 10 linear inches
• Divorce materials , June 30, 1964-Feb 15, 1968 , 2 folders
• Legal Documents , Nov. 1967 , 1 folder
• Job materials , 1953-Nov 1989 , 4 folders
• Memorabilia and clippings , 1924-1952 , 4 folders
• Biographical materials , Feb 1951-Oct 1994 , 1 folder
• Correspondence to Robert Browning , Aug 8, 1911-Aug 21, 1957 , 1 folder
• Photographs , ca. 1947-1951 , 1 folder