Actress. She is best known for playing the character roles of mothers and grandmothers. She was given the nicknames of 'The Perfect Mother of the Screen,' 'The Grand Old Lady of the Films,' and 'The Sweet Mother of Moving Pictures.' Together with the likes of Russell Bassett, Sarah Bernhardt, W. Chrystie Miller, Ruby Lafayette, Kate Meek, Matt B. Snyder, and Anna Townsend, they were the eight oldest people working in film during the 1910s. She will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Mrs. Harrison' in the film drama, "The Battle Cry Of Peace" (1915). The film which was directed by J. Stuart Blackton, and Wilfrid North, and which also starred Charles Richman, Norma Talmadge, James Morrison, and L. Rogers Lytton, tells the story of Enemy agents under the leadership of "Emanon" who conspire with pacifists to keep the American defense appropriations down at a time when forces of the enemy are preparing to invade. The invasion comes, and New York, Washington, and other American cities are devastated. She was born one of two children as Mary Birch in Morristown, Ohio, to Thomas Jefferson Birch and his wife Sarah Ann McGathlin Birch on November 15, 1844. She was educated locally and began working as a schoolteacher before turning to an acting career. She appeared first on the stage and worked with the likes of Edwin Booth, Helena Modjeska, Joseph Jefferson, Lawrence Barrett, and Robert B. Mantell, before entering films with Vitagraph Studios in 1909. She made her actual film debut playing in the film drama, "The Poor Musician" (1909), which also starred Earle Williams and Charles Kent. Besides, "The Poor Musician" (1909), and "The Battle Cry Of Peace" (1915), her many other film credits include, "Les Miserables (Part II)" (1909), "Conscience" (1910), "Convict No. 796" (1910), "The Legacy" (1910), "A Dixie Mother" (1910), "His Mother" (1911), "The Sacrifice" (1911), "The Sleep Walker" (1911), "A Quaker Mother" (1911), "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" (1911), "The Old Folks' Sacrifice" (1911), "The Sky Pilot" (1911), "Treasure Trove" (1911), "Two Wolves And A Lamb" (1911), "The Bell Of Justice" (1911), "The Second Honeymoon" (1911), "My Old Dutch" (1911), "The Three Brothers" (1911), "Her Hero" (1911), "Their Charming Mama" (1911), "Wisteria Memories" (1911), "An Inncocent Burglar" (1911), "The Life Boat" (1911), "War" (1911), "One Touch Of Nature" (1911), "The Younger Brother" (1911), "Umbrellas To Mend" (1912), "Her Boy" (1912), "A Mother's Devotion" or, "The Firiing Of The Patchwork Quilt" (1912), "The Diamond Brooch" (1912), "His Mother's Shroud" (1912), "His Mother-In-Law" (1912), "The Seventh Son" (1912), "Captain Jenks' Diplomacy" (1912), "Their Golden Anniversary" (1912), "The Picture Idol" (1912), "An Eventful Elopement" (1912), "When Roses Wither" (1912), "The Church Across The Way" (1912), "Aunty's Romance" (1912), "Conscience" (1912), "Martha's Rebellion" (1912), "The Cross Roads" (1912), "Vultures And Doves" (1912), "Her Grandchild" (1912), "Saving An Audience" (1912), "Her Choice" (1912), "Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgers" (1912), "In The Garden Fair" (1912), "Captain Barnacle, Reformer" (1912), "The Model For St. John" (1912), "O'Hara, Squatter And Philosopher" (1912), "Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy" (1912), "Adam And Eve" (1912), "The Wings Of A Moth" (1913), "O'Hara Helps Cupid" (1913), "Ma's Apron Strings"(1913), "The Locket" or, "When She Was Twenty" (1913), "The Final Justice" (1913), "O'Hara's Godchild" (1913), "The Modern Prodigal" (1913), "Checkmated" (1913), "O'Hara And The Youthful Prodigal" (1913), "Bingles Mends The Clock" (1913), "Tricks Of The Trade" (1913), "One Can't Always Tell" (1913), "The Coming Of Gretchen" (1913), "Her Sweetest Memory" (1913), "Song Bird Of The North" (1913), "A Sweet Deception" (1913), "An Unwritten Chapter" (1913), "The Carpenter" (1913), "The Diamond Mystery" (1913), "O'Hara As A Guardian Angel" (1913), "The Only Way" (1913), "The Troublesome Daughters" (1913), "The Intruder" (1913), "Father And Son" or, "The Curse Of The Golden Land" (1913), "When Women Go On The Warpath" or "Why Jonesville Went Dry" (1913), "The Tiger" (1913), "The Lost Millionaire" (1913), "Luella's Love Story" (1913), "In The Shadow" (1913), "A Game Of Cards" (1913), "The Ancient Order Of Good Fellows" (1913), "The Spirit Of Christmas" (1913), "A Pair Of Frauds" (1914), "The Portrait" (1914), "A Helpful Sisterhood" (1914), "Memories That Haunt" (1914), "The Girl From Prosperity" (1914), "The Awakening Of Barbara Dare" (1914), "The Apple" (1914), "The Man Who Knew" (1914), "Hope Foster's Mother" (1914), "The Greater Love" (1914), "Mr. Santa Claus" (1914), "The Sins Of The Mothers" (1914), "Mother's Roses" (1915), "The Man, The Mission And The Maid" (1915), "Wanted, A Nurse" (1915), "The Barrier Of Faith" (1915), "A Madcap Adventure" (1915), "Twice Rescued" (1915), "The Return Of Maurice Donnelly" (1915),"Between The Two Of Them" (1915), "The Closing Of The Circuit" (1915), "The Goddess" (1915), "The Scar" (1915), "A Keyboard Strategy" (1915), "The Good In The Worst Of Us" (1915), "Dorothy" (1915), "The Lesson Of The Narrow Street" (1915), "Rags And The Girl" (1915), "On With The Dance" (1915), "The Man Who Couldn't Beat God" (1915), "The Gods Redeem" (1915), "Sam's Sweetheart" (1915), "Is Christmas A Bore?" (1915), "The Man He Used To Be" (1916), "The Supreme Temptation" (1916), "Carew And Son" (1916), "The Redemption Of Dave Darcey" (1916), "Phantom Fortunes" (1916), "Black Friday" (1916), "The Heart Of A Fool" (1916), "The Price Of Fame" (1916), "The Dollar And The Law" (1916), "The Mainspring" (1916), "Rose Of The South" (1916), "Whom The Gods Destroy" (1916), "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" (1917), "Womanhood, The Glory Of The Nation" (1917), "Her Secret" (1917), "Mary Jane's Pa" (1917), "Transgression" (1917), "For France" (1917), "I Will Repay" (1917), "Who Goes There?" (1917), "The Woman Between Friends" (1918), "Over The Top" (1918), and her last film, "The Little Runaway" (1918), which also starred Jessie Stevens, Edward Earle, and Gladys Leslie. She retired from films shortly thereafter. During her acting career, she also used the names of Mrs. Maurese, Mrs. Mary Maurice, Mary Birch Maurice, and Mrs. Maurice. Several notable war songs were written in honor including, "That's All One Mother Can't Do," "That's My Liberty Bond," and "The Little Gray Mother." She was married to William Washington Maurice with whom she had one child, a daughter.