Elsie Clews Parsons

Elsie Clews Parsons studied at Barnard College and Columbia University. Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead are recorded as having studied under Elsie Clews Parsons. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is sociology, anthropology and folklore. Employment is recorded with Barnard College.

• Name — Elsie Clews Parsons • Birth Name — Elsie Worthington Clews • Born — 27 November 1875 • Birthplace — New York City • Died — 19 December 1941 • Place of death — New York City • Education — Ph.D. in Sociology, Columbia University (1899) • Occupation — Anthropologist • Spouse — Herbert Parsons • Parents — Henry Clews, Lucy Madison Worthington • Children — Elsie ("Lissa", 1901) John Edward (1903) Herbert (1909) Henry McIlvaine ("Mac", 1911)[1] • Relatives — James Blanchard Clews (cousin)

Elsie Worthington Clews was the daughter of Henry Clews, a wealthy New York banker, and Lucy Madison Worthington. Her brother, Henry Clews Jr., was an artist. On September 1, 1900, in Newport, Rhode Island,[9] she married future three-term progressive Republican congressman Herbert Parsons, an associate and political ally of President Teddy Roosevelt.[10] When her husband was a member of Congress, she published two then-controversial books under the pseudonym John Main.[11] Parsons became interested in anthropology in 1910. She believed that folklore was a key to understanding a culture and that anthropology could be a vehicle for social change.[12] Her work Pueblo Indian Religion is considered a classic; here she gathered all her previous extensive work and that of other authors.[13] It has, however, been criticised as having been based on intrusive and deceptive research techniques.[14][15]

Parsons' feminist beliefs were viewed as extremely radical for her time. She was a proponent of trial marriages, divorce by mutual consent and access to reliable contraception, which she wrote about in her book The Family (1906).[17]

• The Family (1906) • Religious Chastity (1913) • The Old-Fashioned Woman (1913) • Fear and Conventionality (1914) • * • Social Freedom (1915) • Social Rule (1916)

• The Social Organization of the Tewa of New Mexico (1929) • Hopi and Zuni Ceremonialism (1933) • Pueblo Indian Religion (1939)

• Mitla: Town of the Souls (1936) • Peguche (1945)

• Folk-Lore from the Cape Verde Islands (1923) • Folk-Lore of the Sea Islands, S.C. (1924) • Micmac Folklore (1925) • Folk-Lore of the Antilles, French and English (3v., 1933–1943)

* * * • Parsons, Elsie Clews (1996). Pueblo Indian Religion. 2 vols. Introductions by Ramon Gutierrez and Pauline Turner Strong. Bison Books reprint. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press.

Elsie Clews Parsons was recorded at birth as Elsie Worthington Clews. She also worked under the name John Main. The authorities additionally record the headings Elsie Worthington Clews Parsons, Elsie Parsons, Elsie Worthington Parsons, John Main and Elsie W. Her recorded languages were English and American English. She was the child of Henry Clews and Lucy Madison Worthington. She married Herbert Parsons. One child is recorded: Elsie Parsons. Other recorded relations include Louise Timpson and James Blanchard Clews. Career and activity. Parsons worked in sociology, anthropology, folklore, ethnography and folkloristics. She was employed by Barnard College.

Elsie Clews Parsons is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded as anthropologist, historian, sociologist, university teacher and journalist.