Mary Ligon Shapard (c. 1882 – c. 1950s), also known as Mary Ligon Christensen, Mrs. Charles R. Shapard, or Mary Myers, was an American author and peace activist who was nominated by United States Senator Morris Sheppard for the Nobel Peace Prize for her World War I-era recommendation that a nonpartisan "league of nations" be established by world leaders to reduce the likelihood of future armed conflicts between countries engaged in international disputes. Reportedly the first American to advocate for the formation of a "league of nations," she was also reportedly the author of the original text used by United States President Woodrow Wilson to create his proposed covenant for the League of Nations, which was subsequently formed on January 10, 1920."Pact Originator Is Salt Lake Visitor: Woman Who Suggested League of Nations Up for Nobel Prize." Salt Lake City, Utah: The Salt Lake Telegram, September 20, 1920, p. 3 (subscription required).Baines, May Harper. Houston's Part in the World War, pp. 133-136. Houston, Texas: May Harper Baines, 1919."Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption). Houston, Texas: The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28 (subscription required).Norderval, Ingunn. Women and the Nobel Peace Prize, pp. 32-34. Lake Oswego, New York: Dignity Press, 2021.Christian, Stella L. The History of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, pp. 272 and 281-282. Houston, Texas: Dealy-Adey-Elgin Stationers and Printers, 1919.
She also urged that women's voices be heard and heeded:"Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption), The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28. "We are today living in a period of prejudice and misrepresentation. England and France have their historians and photographers at the front, so as to keep the record straight, and now is the time to give a correct register of the American women who are so patriotically responding to our country's needs."
Formative years Born as Mary Ligon in Mississippi, circa 1882, in a house that had been previously used as a Union Army headquarters building by United States General Ulysses S. Grant prior to his capture of the city of Vicksburg during the American Civil War, Mary Ligon Shapard was a daughter of Buxton T. Ligon (1839-1894) and Sarah Cornelia (Barrett) Ligon (1849-1932). Her father, who had been a soldier in the Confederate States Army (CSA) during that war, had served as a private with Company A of the 1st Mississippi Light Artillery, which was assigned to the CSA's Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana."Pact Originator Is Salt Lake Visitor: Woman Who Suggested League of Nations Up for Nobel Prize," The Salt Lake Telegram, September 20, 1920, p. 3.
By February 14, 1901, she was using the married surname of Christensen, according to a notice in The Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi, which announced that she and her parents, "Baxton" T. and Sarah C. Ligon, and siblings Allen Ligon, Eugenia B. Ligon, J. Allen Ligon, John P. Ligon, Kate Ligon, Minnie Ligon, and Cornelia McGary, were "commanded to appear before the Chancery Court of the first district of Hinds county, Mississippi, on the 2d Monday in March, A.D. 1901, to defend the suit ... of W. J. Caesar, and others.""Citation Notice." Jackson, Mississippi: The Clarion-Ledger, February 14, 1901, p. 7 (subscription required).
By 1911, Mary L. Christensen moved to Wichita Falls, Texas. On February 9 of 1911, she was elected as secretary of that community's Civic League and presented the following resolution:"Tag Day Is Set for February 18." Wichita Falls, Texas: Wichita Weekly Times, February 10, 1911, p. 1 (subscription required). "Our State Institutions are erected and maintained by taxation, levied alike on men and women, regardless of political parties or administrations.
Whereas, It has been the practice of the incoming governors to oust the heads of State Institutions, and to appoint such heads as will strengthen them politically, therefore be it
Resolved, That all State Institutions be kept out of politics; that no administration of any State Institution be changed on account of political preference; or for any reason whatsoever except for the betterment of such institutions; where competent executives are now in charge of State Institutions they be retained so long as the good of such institutions required their service."
Two months later, she was appointed to the civil service reform committee of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs.Christian, The History of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, pp. 272 and 281-282, 1919. By March 1913, she was a member of the executive committee of that statewide organization."Other Chairmen Named," in "Fifth District Clubs Meet at San Marcos." Galveston, Texas: The Galveston Daily News, April 16, 1911, p. 18 (subscription required)."Entertainments and Meetings for Tomorrow." Wichita Falls, Texas: Wichita Falls Times, March 31, 1913, p. 3 (subscription required). By April 1913, she was chair of the Peace Movement Committee of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and honorary vice president of the International Peace Forum. A delegate to the Fourth American Peace Congress in late April, she lobbied for the creation of an international peace court to resolve international disputes and prevent future wars."Women Request Peace Court." St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 25, 1913, p. 16 (subscription required). In August 1913, she was one of two delegates to represent Texas at a peace conference that was held in The Hague, Netherlands."Mrs. Hertzberg's Letter." Austin, Texas: Austin American-Statesman, August 17, 1913, p. 13 (subscription required).
A resident of Port Arthur, Texas, she was widowed sometime around late 1913 or early 1914 and took a nearly year-long break from her advocacy work for the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs before returning in November 1914."Texas Federation of Women's Clubs." Liberty, Texas: The Liberty Vindicator, November 27, 1914, p. 4 (subscription required)."To the Texas Federation Women's Clubs—Greetings." Waco, Texas: The Waco Times-Herald, November 15, 1914, p. 9 (subscription required).
Having recently relocated to Houston in September 1915, she became involved in planning the Texas Woman's Fair."Great Mothers Highest in Ranks of Womankind: Mrs. M. L. Christensen, a Recent Comer to Houston, Joins Work of Woman's Fair." Houston, Texas: The Houston Post, September 18, 1915, p. 7 (subscription). Still known as Mary Ligon Christensen (alternate spellings "Leigon" and "Christinsen"), she was documented by newspapers as the mother of Will Christensen of Houston, but changed her surname again when she married Charles R. Shapard shortly before or during 1918."Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption), The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28.Baines, Houston's Part in the World War, pp. 133-136, 1919.
Activism and writing It was while living in Houston and Port Arthur, Texas before and during World War I that Shapard truly achieved nationwide and international prominence. A member of multiple civic organizations and women's clubs, she was actively involved with the American Red Cross and the sale of Liberty Bonds and Thrift Stamps to raise funds to support war-time operations of the state and federal governments. A chair of both the women's and children's departments of the Council of National Defense, she also volunteered with the state's food distribution network."Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption), The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28.Baines, Houston's Part in the World War, pp. 133-136, 1919.
During October 1918, Shapard resided at The Rice Hotel in Houston, where she researched and began writing a series of articles and a book on prominent American women who were involved in professional and volunteer work related to World War I. Newspapers reported that she was receiving support for her efforts from United States Senator Morris Sheppard, who wrote, "I am glad to know you contemplate writing a history of Texas women and I commend the project most heartily.""Receiving Encouragement from Writing Book." Houston, Texas: The Houston Post, October 16, 1918, p. 8 (subscription required).
She also spent time at the Houston home of her friend and fellow women's club member, Mrs. R. R. Dancy. By November of that same year, she had decided on two possible titles for her book, "Patriotic War Women and War Mothers of America" and "War Mothers and Patriotic Women,""Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption), The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28. and was collaborating with Ida Howie Walker, who was helping her locate and collate data. Shapard also attended the state council meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Dallas during the first week of that month."Personals." Houston, Texas: The Houston Post, November 5, 1918, p. 7 (subscription required).
Nobel Peace Prize nomination In 1918, Shapard was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by U.S. Senator Morris Sheppard in recognition of her post-World War I recommendation that a nonpartisan "league of nations" be established by world leaders to reduce the likelihood of future armed conflicts between nations engaged in international disputes. Reportedly the first American to advocate for the formation of this type of international arbitration body, she was also reportedly the author of the original text used by United States President Woodrow Wilson to create his proposed covenant for the League of Nations. The League of Nations was later officially founded on January 4, 1920."Pact Originator Is Salt Lake Visitor: Woman Who Suggested League of Nations Up for Nobel Prize," The Salt Lake Telegram, September 20, 1920, p. 3.Baines, Houston's Part in the World War, pp. 133-136, 1919."Mrs. Charles R. Shapard" (photo with caption), The Houston Post, October 13, 1918, p. 28.
According to The Salt Lake Telegram, Sheppard's nomination of Shapard was supported by nominations from the International Peace Forum in New York City, current and former governors of Texas, the governor of Alabama, and multiple organizations, including the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, the Texas Press Association, the University of Texas, and "all religious, civic and educational organizations of the state of Texas.""Pact Originator Is Salt Lake Visitor: Woman Who Suggested League of Nations Up for Nobel Prize," The Salt Lake Telegram, September 20, 1920, p. 3.
In offering their support, members of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs and the Texas Press Association, wrote and published the following resolution of support for Shapard's nomination:Baines, Houston's Part in the World War, pp. 133-136, 1919."Official Notes T.F.W.C. Waco, Texas: Waco Daily Times-Herald, March 21, 1915, p. 18 (subscription required). "Whereas, God, in His all wise [sic] infinite wisdom and mercy has seen fit to use our present national administration as His handiwork in negotiating treaties of peace among nations of the world thereby making sudden warfare practically preventable between the nations that have signed these treaties.
And, whereas sudden warfare is no longer to be dreaded, therefore there appears to be no longer a need of maintaining a large standing army and navy that is such an enormous expense to maintain. It costs the United States 43 percent of all our national revenue to keep prepared for war in time of peace and in addition 29 per cent in time of peace to pay pensions for past wars. Seventy-two percent per annum all told is the cost of keeping prepared for wars and in the past for pensions.
And whereas, if this ever increasing [sic] expense for maintaining standing armies and navies is stopped there will be more money for educational purposes and to aid in the economical problems that confront us; in lessening the burden of taxation; in the advantageous marketing of our products and in making farm life more attractive.