Mary Edwards Walker: First and Only Woman to Win the Congressional Medal of Honor

Mary Edwards Walker was born in the town of Oswego, New York on November 26, 1832 to Alvah and Vesta Walker. Mary had four older sisters, Aurora, Luna, Vesta and Cynthia, and a younger brother, Alvah named after his father. The Walkers were a family before their time and they saw to it that their children received a formal education. All five of the Walker daughters became school teachers but Mary's restless spirit led her to believe that she wasn't contributing to society in a useful way.

Mary Edwards Walker decided to become a doctor and soon quit teaching. In June of 1855 she enrolled in the Syracuse Medical College. Mary chose Syracuse Medical College because it was not biased and women were accepted equally with men. She was the only woman enrolled in Syracuse at the time. Syracuse required that medical students attend three thirteen-week semesters of medical training. The cost for each semester was $55. Mary graduated from medical school when she was 23 and was the second woman in this country to become a doctor.

After she graduated Mary moved to Ohio to begin her medical practice. She was there only a short time when she met Dr. Albert Miller. After a whirlwind courtship, Mary Edwards Walker and Dr. Albert Miller were married. For her wedding, Mary chose to wear trousers and a man's coat. Mary did not take Albert's name; she preferred to be known as Dr. Walker. Eventually they moved to Rome, New York to open a medical practice but in the 1800s a woman doctor was unacceptable. Thus, Mary and Albert's practice was doomed and soon had to close. Even though Mary and Albert's marriage appeared to be happy in the beginning, the stress of a failing medical practice put a strain on the marriage. Mary divorced Albert in 1859 when she learned he was having an affair. Circumstances prevented their divorce being granted for another ten years.