STORIES    OF    MARY    LYON

There are two stories told about Mary Lyon alone, neither one is really a ghost story though.

The first story is about Mary Lyon's portrait, the one that hung in the original Seminary building. It is said that when the building burnt in 1897, her portrait was the only bit of the furnishings that survived. And although the building was completed destroyed, no one was injured. Was it the spirit of the founder watching over her school that saved so many lives?

The second story is about Mary Lyon's grave on campus and whether or not she is really buried there. Well, really there are a number of variations of this story. Here's the one "Tina" Tanaka '78 and Maura Fallon '78 told Matt Witten in 1977:

Mary Lyon was buried at the gravesite on the College campus which bears her gravestone. Some students from Wheaton College, which Mary Lyon also founded, decided that her proper resting place was at Wheaton and they spirited her casket there. Some students from Mount Holyoke got wind of this and brought the casket back to Mount Holyoke. However, there is still some doubt as to whether Lyon is buried at the proper gravesite; some say that the casket is empty, far-sighted Wheaton College students having removed the body. In any case, the Mount Holyoke authorities have hushed this up.

In another version of the story it is Wellesley College that stole the bones, forcing Mount Holyoke to buy them back for a large sum of money. In yet another version half of her returned here to Mount Holyoke while the other half stayed at Wheaton. There is also the supposition that her bones are really resting in a grave in Buckland, her hometown.

©Mount Holyoke College. Witten (1977), p. 31-32. Webpage created and maintained by Nancy Birkrem. Last updated Oct. 10, 2001.