Lorenza Haynes

Lorenza Haynes (April 15, 1820 – June 6, 1899) was an American librarian, minister, school founder, suffragist, and writer.

Hayne began her early career as a teacher, working at schools in Lonsdale, Rhode Island, as well as Leicester and Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1854, she opened a private school in Rochester, New York, and from 1856 through 1860, was the principal of a young women's seminary there. Ill health forced a temporary retirement of four years, after which she served six years as the first librarian of the Waltham, Massachusetts Public Library. During this period, she became intimate with the Rev. Olympia Brown and Mary A. Livermore. In 1872, after retiring from the library, she entered St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, and before completing the course there, was called to the pastorate of the Universalist Church in Hallowell, Maine. She delivered her first sermon as pastor on July 26, 1874. While occupying this place, she officiated as chaplain in the House of Representatives and also in the Senate, in Augusta, Maine; this was the first instance of a woman acting in that capacity in that State. She also served as chaplain of the Soldier's Home at Togus. In 1876, she went to the Marlboro, Massachusetts Church, and afterward, she held pastorates in Fairfield, Maine, Skowhegan, Maine, Rockport, Massachusetts, and Pigeon Cove, Massachusetts. Haynes, Phebe Ann Coffin Hanaford, Mary H. Graves were the first Massachusetts women to become ordained Christian ministers.