10/11/2026
Did you know that the origins of America's child protection movement are closely tied to the ASPCA?
In 1874, nine-year-old Mary Ellen Wilson was discovered living in horrific conditions after years of abuse, including beatings, confinement, and having her face cut with scissors.
With no established child protection system to intervene, a concerned neighbor alerted a local mission worker, who eventually sought help from Henry Bergh, founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Bergh and attorney Elbridge Gerry helped secure Mary Ellen's rescue through the courts. Her case attracted national attention and helped inspire the establishment of America's first child protection agency in 1875.
"My name is Mary Ellen McCormack. I donโt know how old I am. I have never had but one pair of shoes, but canโt recollect when that was...I have never been taken on my mammaโs lap, or caressed or petted. I never dared to speak to anybody, because if I did I would get whipped..."
More than 150 years later, her story remains a powerful reminder of the importance of advocating for vulnerable children.
Read more from the Historical Society of the New York Courts:
On April 10, 1874, a little girl appeared before Justice Abraham R. Lawrence in the New York County Supreme Court. Jacob Riis, the famous โฆ More Mary Ellen McCormack and the Early Case that Shined Light on Child Abuse in Gilded Age New York ยป
