s ▁potential ▁was ▁being ▁suppress ed ▁by ▁social ▁bar riers ▁against ▁women ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁Mary ▁Gar rett ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁a ▁wealth y ▁household . ▁After ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁B & O ▁Rail road , ▁the ▁Gar rets ▁moved ▁into ▁a ▁m ansion ▁in ▁Mount ▁Vern on ▁Place . ▁Although ▁living ▁in ▁a ▁lux ur ious ▁house ▁in ▁the ▁most ▁prosper ous ▁part ▁of ▁Baltimore , ▁Gar rett ▁had ▁a ▁lon ely ▁and ▁unh appy ▁child hood . ▁Her ▁young est ▁brother ▁was ▁ 5 ▁years ▁older ▁than ▁her , ▁and ▁the ▁age ▁difference ▁made ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁her ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁her ▁brothers . ▁Moreover , ▁according ▁to ▁her ▁mem oir , ▁she ▁had ▁serious ▁trouble ▁with ▁the ▁b one ▁of ▁her ▁right ▁an k le ▁until ▁she ▁received ▁effective ▁treatment ▁at ▁the ▁sp as ▁of ▁Cape ▁May . ▁ ▁Gar rett ▁learned ▁about ▁char itable ▁works ▁in ▁her ▁young ▁age ▁as ▁both ▁her ▁parents ▁and ▁grand par ents ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁phil anth ropy . ▁Furthermore , ▁she ▁e aves dro pped ▁on ▁her ▁father ' s ▁convers ations ▁with ▁famous ▁polit icians ▁and ▁business men ▁at ▁home , ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁greatly ▁influenced ▁by ▁other ▁Maryland ▁women , ▁who ▁offered ▁significant ▁assistance ▁to ▁Union ▁soldiers ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁by ▁providing ▁water , ▁refresh ments ▁and ▁n urs ing ▁care . ▁ ▁School ▁life ▁and ▁self - ed uc ation ▁ ▁Gar rett ▁went ▁to ▁Miss ▁K um mer