"She was spirited, she was amazing, she was effective," a few commonly used words to describe Nellie McClung. She was a petit, pretty westerner with strong Christian values and a heart of gold. Nellie spent most of her life as a wife, mother, midwife, teacher, lecturer, legislator and writer. Throughout her long, diverse career she was a potent influence on Canadian society. From a young age Nellie was advanced far beyond her years. She read every book she could get a hold of, knew women should be treated as equals, and that she was against liquor. Nellie knew women deserved more rights and that someday she would devote her life to enforce those rights through activism and literature. "Women are going to form a chain, a greater sisterhood than the world has ever known." While maintaining the role of a mother and writer Nellie was a strong and influential temperance worker and suffragist.
             Nellie had a devotion to the significance of family life. As a teen Nellie was taught that a woman couldn't be a mother and a wife and have a career, and she chose a career. "A woman had to decide early between ambition and family life: there was not so much as a hint that one might hope for both." While teaching she boarded in with a Pastor and his Family and that is where she met Wes McClung. From the moment she met him she knew he would be her husband. After dating for a while the two got married in 1896. She said it was the best choice she had made. At that point she gave up teaching and learned how to cook and be a wife since a lady wasn't allowed to be married and a teacher back then. By 1901 Nellie had three kids and motherhood suited her well. Nellie was the typical mother. She spent her days cleaning, baking, taking care of her children and entertaining her neighbours, but that wasn't enough for Nellie.
             I guess I felt like a lot of young mothers, that all children of the world were now my children...I wanted to do som...