Known As Hatchet Granny, She Was An Anti-Alcohol Activist Who Got Arrested Over 30 Times For Smashing Saloons With A Hatchet During The Temperance Movement

dcorneli - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
dcorneli - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

In the late 19th century, an anti-alcohol activist named Carry Nation went to great lengths to stop people from getting drunk. She believed that drunkenness was the root cause of many societal problems.

When she started using violence to make her case, she gained national attention. Throughout her life, she remained opposed to drinking. Her efforts contributed to the passing of the 18th Amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States.

Carry was born in Kentucky in 1846. Her family moved around a lot. After the Civil War, Carry met a man named Charles Gloyd, a doctor from the Union Army who became a teacher.

She was intrigued by him, as he seemed educated and sophisticated. Her parents disapproved of him because of his excessive drinking, so they started to court in secret. Then, they got married in 1867.

Immediately, Carry regretted going through with the marriage. Gloyd was drunk at the ceremony and didn’t spend much time with her. Eventually, she moved back home with her parents. She was pregnant, and it was clear that her drunken husband wouldn’t have the means to support her.

Six months after she gave birth to their daughter, Charlien, Gloyd died. Records show that his death was related to his severe drinking problem.

Carry became a teacher to support her child and make ends meet. However, she was fired for teaching kids unconventional pronunciation of words. Soon, she met David Nation, a minister and lawyer who was 19 years older than her.

They got married in 1874, but they weren’t very happy together due to financial troubles and personal differences. Carry focused on her career of managing hotels. Over the years, she grew increasingly religious. She kept having visions that she took as a sign from God to fight drunkenness.

At that time, women were unable to vote, but they were still becoming more involved with politics. Temperance, the prohibition of alcohol, was backed by many women activists. After her family moved to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, she organized a chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. In 1900, she embraced an uncommon approach of convincing people not to drink.

dcorneli – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

Carry walked into saloons and caused quite a ruckus. She read Bible verses, sang hymns loudly, and smashed everything in her path, including bottles of booze, with a hatchet. As she gained more attention, she began to sell hatchet pins to spread her message and finance her work.

She also held lectures about the evils of alcohol. In 1901, she founded a newspaper in which she wrote about anti-alcohol content.

Carry was arrested more than 30 times for destroying private property and disturbing the peace, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing the temperance cause.

Aside from fighting against alcohol, she participated in acts of charity. She helped people experiencing poverty, the homeless, and even inmates, believing that alcohol had led to all their troubles. However, she is best remembered for smashing saloons.

Carry died in 1911, just nine years before Prohibition began. She collapsed during a speech. Despite the lack of rights women had, Carry’s work paved the way for two amendments in the U.S. Constitution—the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of alcohol—and the 19th Amendment, which allowed women to vote.

Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.

Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan

More About: