stimson was born in st. louis, missouri on october 10, 1890, to henry albert stimson and alice wheaton. she was the granddaughter of a former president of dartmouth college, and a cousin of former united states secretary of war henry l. stimson. stimson graduated from vassar college in 1912 with a bachelor's degree. she later studied at columbia university, from which she earned a master's degree in 1913 and doctorate in 1917. her dissertation was titled "the gradual acceptance of the copernican theory of the universe". it was at the suggestion of james harvey robinson that stimson pursued this subject.