Mary Sears McHenry (December 30, 1834 – July 26, 1912) was an American charitable organization leader who served as the eighth National President of the Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) in 1890, which at the time, was the largest fraternal association in the country.

[1] Mary Sears was a native of New Boston village, in the town of Sandisfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, December 30, 1834.

[3] David G. Sears, after the birth of his daughter Mary, resided successively in Hartford, Connecticut and in New York City, engaged in the mercantile business.

The family subsequently settled in Ogle County, Illinois, where the father purchased a section of land and applied himself to farming.

In the stress of patriotism, marriage plans were held in abeyance and the young man enlisted for three years of service.

[2] In July 1883, at the WRC convention in Denver, Colorado, of all the women's societies in the country that were working for the GAR, McHenry was an unauthorized representative from Iowa.

She was elected President thereof, her secretary was Hannah Cope Plimpton, and was active in the work throughout the State.

At the convention held in Tremont Temple, Boston, in July 1890, McHenry was elected National President of the WRC, to succeed Annie Turner Wittenmyer.

At the next national convention, in Detroit, Michigan, in August 1891, McHenry gave a detailed and interesting account of the year's work.