Biographical Dictionary of American Educators - Vol. 3

RAMBAUT, Mary Lucinda Bonney. B. June 8,1816, Hamilton, New York, to Benjamin and Lucinda (Wilder) Bonney. M. 1888 to Thomas Rambaut. Ch. none. D. July 24, 1900, Hamilton, New York.

Mary Lucinda Bonney was educated at the Hamilton ( New York) Academy and later at Emma Willard's Troy ( New York) Female Seminary. She then spent fifteen years teaching at numerous positions in various locations: Jersey City, New Jersey; New York City and DeRuyter, New York; Troy Female Seminary, Beaufort and Roberville, South Carolina; Providence, Rhode Island; and Miss Phelp's School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Because of the experiences she gained as both a student and a teacher in private schools, Bonney appreciated the value of educating young women. In 1850 she opened the Chestnut Street Female Seminary in Philadelphia with the aid of a friend and former Troy Seminary teacher, Harriette A. Dillaye. In 1883 the school moved to Ogontz, Pennsylvania, and was renamed the Ogontz School for Young Ladies, with Bonney its senior principal until her retirement in 1888.

As a social reformer Bonney played an active part in creating public awareness of unjust government policies against the American Indians and served as first president of the Woman's National Indian Association. Under her leadership, the association developed educational programs for Indians and sponsored missions, libraries, schools, and loan funds.

Bonney also helped found the Woman's United Missionary Society. While the society delegate to a world missionary convention in London, England, in 1888, she met and married the Reverend Thomas Rambaut, a fellow delegate and former president of William Jewell College.

REFERENCES: AC; DAB; NAW; NCAB ( 6:100); TC; WC; WWW ( I); NYT, July 26, 1900, p. 7. Karen L. Hadley

RANDALL, Samuel Sidwell. B. May 27, 1809, Norwich, New York, to Perez and Betsey Parker (Edmunds) Murray Randall. M. October 29, 1829, to Lucy Ann Briede. M. to Sarah Bassett Hubbell. Ch. five. D. June 3, 1881, Morrisania, New York.

Samuel Sidwell Randall was educated at Oxford ( New York) Academy and at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he studied for two years. He studied law in a Norwich, New York, law office and was admitted to the bar in 1830.

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