Ann Maria is believed to have given birth to about a dozen children, but most of them died from diseases like the measles, widespread in the Appalachian area where she lived. Hoping to prevent more deaths, Ann organized public health endeavors called “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs,” with other women in her area. They raised money to provide assistance and medicine to families that needed it, inspected bottled milk and food, and taught neighbors about the importance of hygiene.
When the Civil War started, Jarvis turned her women’s groups’ attention to caring for soldiers and insisted they serve those from both sides of the war. In 1868, when tensions were still high, Jarvis organized a “Mothers’ Friendship Day” to try to restore a sense of togetherness to the community. According to historian Katherine Lane Anatolini, daughter Anna recalled once hearing her mother say, “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating [mothers] for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.”