Ellen Cheney Johnson

Biography

Ellen Cheney Johnson devoted her remarkable energy to reforming the conditions under which women and girls were held within the criminal justice system. Born in 1829, she became a leading advocate for reformatory treatment over punishment, traveling to institutions to report on their practices and to urge more humane discipline.

Her years of advocacy helped shape establishments that aimed to teach trades, build confidence, and offer spiritual guidance rather than to simply lock away offenders, and she shared her ideas through speeches and writings that touched audiences across New England. Even as she aged, her name remained a clarion call for mercy paired with accountability.