Mary Brooks
Encyclopedia
Mary Elizabeth Thomas Peavey Brooks (November 1, 1907 - February 11, 2002) directed the United States Mint
from September 1969 to February 1977.
Brooks was appointed by President Richard M. Nixon, the third woman named to the post. During her administration, she oversaw the initiation of the Eisenhower dollar
coin, as well as the redesign of America’s quarter, half dollar and dollar coins for the country’s bicentennial
.
She is also credited with saving the original San Francisco Mint building, known as the “Granite Lady,” by transferring it to the Treasury Department. The building, one of the few to survive the Great Earthquake of 1906
, had been vacant since 1937 and fallen into disrepair. It is now both a National Historic Landmark
and a California Historic Landmark. The city renovated it and located the Museum of the City of San Francisco
in the building. Brooks received the “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” Award in 1974 from the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau for her preservation efforts.
During Brooks' tenure as Director of the Mint, she famously led a tour of the United States Bullion Depository
at Fort Knox, Kentucky
for members of the United States Congress
and the news media
on September 23, 1974. This tour was, and to date still is the only time that the inside of the USBD has been seen by members of the public.
In addition, Brooks was awarded the American Numismatic Association
’s Medal of Merit in 1988, and was the first woman to receive the Alexander Hamilton Award, the U.S. Treasury Department's highest honor. She was inducted into the University of Idaho
Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame in 1970. The university also conferred upon her an honorary doctorate in 1999.
, Kansas
. Her parents moved to Gooding
, Idaho
, when she was an infant. Her father, John W. Thomas
, was appointed a U.S. Senator
from Idaho twice (following the deaths of Gooding
in 1928 and Borah
in 1940).
After graduating from high school in 1925, she attended Mills College
in Oakland
, California
, for two years before receiving her bachelor’s degree in economics
from the University of Idaho
in 1929.
Brooks took over her father’s Idaho sheep ranch after his death in 1945 and ran it until her son took it over in 1961. He said "She was just as much at home with rancher as she was with presidents." Her Idaho license plate read "MTN MARY."
The 1941 death of her first husband, Art Peavey, left her a widower.
Her second husband, C. Wayland "Curly" Brooks
, was a U.S. Senator
from Illinois
. They were married in 1945; he died a dozen years later in 1957.
She served in the Idaho State Senate
from 1963 to 1969, when she was named to head the U.S. Mint
. Her son, John Peavey
, was appointed to her seat in the state senate and served for all but two of the next 25 years. (He lost the Republican primary in 1976, then won the seat back as a Democrat in 1978.) A failed attempt at lieutenant governor in 1994 marked the end of his political career.
Mary Brooks died in 2002 at age 94 in Twin Falls
. She was survived by a son, John Peavey
, of Carey
, and a daughter, Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Eccles, of McCall
, and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
from September 1969 to February 1977.
Brooks was appointed by President Richard M. Nixon, the third woman named to the post. During her administration, she oversaw the initiation of the Eisenhower dollar
Eisenhower Dollar
The Eisenhower dollar is a $1 coin issued by the United States government from 1971–1978...
coin, as well as the redesign of America’s quarter, half dollar and dollar coins for the country’s bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
.
She is also credited with saving the original San Francisco Mint building, known as the “Granite Lady,” by transferring it to the Treasury Department. The building, one of the few to survive the Great Earthquake of 1906
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, had been vacant since 1937 and fallen into disrepair. It is now both a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
and a California Historic Landmark. The city renovated it and located the Museum of the City of San Francisco
Museum of the City of San Francisco
The Museum of the City of San Francisco, operated by the San Francisco Museum & Historical Society currently has exhibits at Pier 45 and San Francisco City Hall...
in the building. Brooks received the “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” Award in 1974 from the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau for her preservation efforts.
During Brooks' tenure as Director of the Mint, she famously led a tour of the United States Bullion Depository
United States Bullion Depository
The United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located adjacent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government.The...
at Fort Knox, Kentucky
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
for members of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and the news media
News media (United States)
Mass media are the means through which information is transmitted to a large audience. This includes newspapers, television, radio, and more recently the Internet. Those who provide news and information, and the outlets for which they work, are known as the news media.Some high-quality news media...
on September 23, 1974. This tour was, and to date still is the only time that the inside of the USBD has been seen by members of the public.
In addition, Brooks was awarded the American Numismatic Association
American Numismatic Association
The American Numismatic Association was founded in 1891 by Dr. George F. Heath in Chicago, Illinois. The ANA was formed to advance the knowledge of numismatics along educational, historical and scientific lines, as well as enhance interest in the hobby.The ANA national headquarters and museum is...
’s Medal of Merit in 1988, and was the first woman to receive the Alexander Hamilton Award, the U.S. Treasury Department's highest honor. She was inducted into the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame in 1970. The university also conferred upon her an honorary doctorate in 1999.
Personal life
Brooks was born to John and Florence Thomas on November 1, 1907, in ColbyColby, Kansas
Colby is a city in and the county seat of Thomas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,387.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Her parents moved to Gooding
Gooding, Idaho
Gooding is the county seat and largest city of Gooding County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 3,384 at the 2000 census.The city is named for Frank R. Gooding, a local sheep rancher who became a prominent political figure in Idaho in the early 20th Century, serving as both Governor of...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, when she was an infant. Her father, John W. Thomas
John W. Thomas
John W. Thomas was an American Politician. A Republican, he served on two occasions as a United States Senator from Idaho, both times appointed after his predecessor died in office.-Early life:...
, was appointed a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Idaho twice (following the deaths of Gooding
Frank R. Gooding
Frank Robert Gooding was a Republican United States Senator and the seventh Governor of Idaho. The city of Gooding and Gooding County, both in southern Idaho, are named for him....
in 1928 and Borah
William Edgar Borah
William Edgar Borah was a prominent Republican attorney and longtime United States Senator from Idaho noted for his oratorical skills and isolationist views. One of his nicknames later in life was "The Lion of Idaho."...
in 1940).
After graduating from high school in 1925, she attended Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, for two years before receiving her bachelor’s degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
in 1929.
Brooks took over her father’s Idaho sheep ranch after his death in 1945 and ran it until her son took it over in 1961. He said "She was just as much at home with rancher as she was with presidents." Her Idaho license plate read "MTN MARY."
The 1941 death of her first husband, Art Peavey, left her a widower.
Her second husband, C. Wayland "Curly" Brooks
Charles W. Brooks
Charles Wayland Brooks was a Republican U.S. Senator from Illinois from 1940 to 1949.He was born in West Bureau, Illinois and during World War I Brooks served as a first lieutenant in the United States Marines from 1917 to 1919; while in combat he was wounded several times.Wayland Brooks ran for...
, was a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. They were married in 1945; he died a dozen years later in 1957.
She served in the Idaho State Senate
Idaho Senate
The Idaho Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. It consists of 35 Senators elected to two-year terms, each representing a district of the state. The Senate meets at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, Idaho.-Composition of the Senate:...
from 1963 to 1969, when she was named to head the U.S. Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
. Her son, John Peavey
John Peavey
John Peavey is a rancher and Democratic politician from Carey, Idaho. Peavey served in the Idaho Senate from 1969 to 1976 and from 1978 to 1994....
, was appointed to her seat in the state senate and served for all but two of the next 25 years. (He lost the Republican primary in 1976, then won the seat back as a Democrat in 1978.) A failed attempt at lieutenant governor in 1994 marked the end of his political career.
Mary Brooks died in 2002 at age 94 in Twin Falls
Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 44,125 at the 2010 censusTwin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region...
. She was survived by a son, John Peavey
John Peavey
John Peavey is a rancher and Democratic politician from Carey, Idaho. Peavey served in the Idaho Senate from 1969 to 1976 and from 1978 to 1994....
, of Carey
Carey, Idaho
Carey is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States. The population was 513 at the 2000 census. Carey is primarily an agricultural city and is the location of the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Nearby recreational destinations include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, Carey Lake, Silver...
, and a daughter, Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Eccles, of McCall
McCall, Idaho
McCall is a resort town on the western edge of Valley County, Idaho, United States. Named after its founder, Tom McCall, it is situated on the southern shore of Payette Lake, near the center of the Payette National Forest...
, and six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
External links
- Coin World.com - photo of Mary Brooks
- Coin World.com - obituary - Mary Brooks
- Money.org - American Nuismatic Association - obituary - Mary Brooks
- US Mint.gov - list of U.S. Mint directors
