Abigail McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Abigail Quigley McCarthy (April 16, 1915, Wabasha, Minnesota
– February 1, 2001, Washington, D.C.
) was an American academic and writer, best known as the wife of politician and presidential contender Eugene McCarthy
. She predeceased her estranged husband by almost five years.
They met as teachers in Mandan, North Dakota
and were wed on June 5, 1945 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Their first home was in Watkins, Minnesota
at an agriculture commune formed by Catholic couples. In later years, following their separation (see Eugene McCarthy
), they lived separately, however they never divorced. She had an apartment in Washington, D.C.
on Connecticut Avenue, which is where she died in 2001, aged 85.
) in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1936. She received her M.A. from the University of Minnesota
in 1942 and did post-graduate work at the University of Chicago
and the Middlebury School of English.
, a liberal Catholic magazine, from 1974-1999. She wrote reviews for The New York Times
and
The Washington Post
. She founded and was first president of Church Women United, a lay Catholic group.
Wabasha, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,599 people, 1,062 households, and 665 families residing in the city. The population density was 318.4 people per square mile . There were 1,166 housing units at an average density of 142.9 per square mile...
– February 1, 2001, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) was an American academic and writer, best known as the wife of politician and presidential contender Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
. She predeceased her estranged husband by almost five years.
They met as teachers in Mandan, North Dakota
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
and were wed on June 5, 1945 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Their first home was in Watkins, Minnesota
Watkins, Minnesota
Watkins is a city in Meeker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 962 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
at an agriculture commune formed by Catholic couples. In later years, following their separation (see Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
), they lived separately, however they never divorced. She had an apartment in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on Connecticut Avenue, which is where she died in 2001, aged 85.
Children
Eugene and Abigail McCarthy had four children: Michael Benet McCarthy, Ellen McCarthy, Margaret Alice McCarthy and the late Mary Abigail McCarthy (died July 28, 1990).Education
Abigail Quigley graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa from College of St. Catherine (now St. Catherine UniversitySt. Catherine University
is a private university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. It was established first as a women's junior college in 1966 and became a women's four-year university in 1988. It became a co-educational university in 2004.-External links:*...
) in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1936. She received her M.A. from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1942 and did post-graduate work at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and the Middlebury School of English.
Career
Abigail Quigley McCarthy was a Catholic author, educator, and activist. She wrote several successful books and was a regular columnist for CommonwealCommonweal
Commonweal is a American journal of opinion edited and managed by lay Catholics. It is headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City.-History:...
, a liberal Catholic magazine, from 1974-1999. She wrote reviews for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and
The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. She founded and was first president of Church Women United, a lay Catholic group.