McCreery, Maria (1883–1938)

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McCreery, Maria (1883–1938)

American suffragist and labor organizer. Name variations: Maud McCreery. Born Maria Maud Leonard, Feb 24, 1883, in Cedarburg, WI; died April 10, 1938, in Milwaukee, WI; dau. of Sylvester S. Leonard (stockbreeder and veterinary surgeon) and Anna (Reilly) Leonard; m. Rex Irving McCreery (lawyer), Nov 28, 1902 (div. June 1918); James Walter Walker (carpenter), Oct 17, 1923 (div. 1931); children: (1st m.) 1 son.

Helped organize Political Equality League in Brown Co., WI; campaigned for suffrage throughout US (1912–17); suffered bout of TB (1917) and afterward redirected energies toward Socialist and labor causes; hired as woman's page editor at Milwaukee Leader (1917); wrote widely distributed pamphlet How I Won My Fight Against Tuberculosis; toured Midwest for labor and Socialist-oriented news service, Federated Press; became organizer for Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America in WI and IL; served as editor-in-chief of weekly New Deal (1934–36); was part of union negotiating team and counseled strike families during AFL's unionization campaign at Kohler Co.; was highly respected and effective worker in trade union labor movement in Wisconsin.

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