caroline maria seymour was born on january 12, 1820, in canandaigua, new york, the daughter of a banker, orson seymour, and his wife caroline m. clarke. after a conservative upbringing, she married theodoric c. severance, who was called "t. c.", an abolitionist banker from cleveland, ohio. she became the mother of five children, one of whom died in infancy. she credited her marriage with turning her into a social activist. caroline severance became an abolitionist and a pioneering activist for women’s rights and social justice. she was the founder of the new england women's club in 1868, the first of its kind, a place where women could meet to discuss social issues, literature, and art, as well as direct their efforts towards the betterment of society as a whole. having devoted her life to the creation and support of organizations for women, she moved to los angeles in 1875, where she was known as "the mother of clubs".