Mary Ann Brown Patten

Biography

Mary Ann Brown Patten was a young wife and mother from Maine who became a symbol of steadfast resolve when, during a transatlantic voyage, her husband fell gravely ill and she stepped into the captain's role aboard the clipper Neptune's Car.

Her successful navigation of the vessel back across the Atlantic drew admiration from seafarers and the press, and though her own life ended soon after, she left a legacy of courage that encouraged others to trust in their own strength.