Etta Angell Wheeler

Etta Angell Wheeler (June 14, 1834 – December 5, 1921) was the rescuer and advocate of Mary Ellen Wilson, whose infamous abuse story led to the creation of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

……..Across the table lay a brutal whip of twisted leather strands and the child's meager arms and legs bore many marks of its use.

[1]After her initial contact with the family, Wheeler spoke to Pastor Frank Jameson about how to intervene on the child's behalf, but was told that they could not interfere.

[1] In search of other options, she spent numerous months trying to locate an agency that would assist her in removing the child from the home, but of the dozens of children's charities she contacted she was told that they were not allowed to interfere in family matters.

[2] That day Etta Wheeler went to both buildings where the Connolly family lived in the past few months, collecting witnesses and documenting the incidents of suspected child abuse.

[1] Wheeler's thorough investigation provided sufficient evidence for Bergh to present to a Supreme Court Judge which not only granted them a case but also grounds to remove Mary Ellen Wilson and apprehend her mother.

[1] On December 15, 1874, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was established with co-founders Henry Bergh and Elbridge T Gerry, the prosecutor of Mary Ellen Wilson's case.

[citation needed] Directly after the trial, Wheeler fought to ensure the child was placed in an adequate home and appealed to the judge to have Mary Ellen placed with her family in upstate New York.

In dedication to her heroic actions which provided services and hope to future abused children, on October 13-16th, 1913, Wheeler was invited to attend the 37th annual meeting of the American Humane Association's national conference in Rochester, New York.