Mary Bertha McKenzie Toland (1825–1895), publishing under the pen name M. B. M. Toland, was an American poet, writer, and prominent social leader in nineteenth-century San Francisco. Born Mary Bertha McKenzie (with some sources noting Morrison), she was known by the surname Gridley after her first marriage, and later Toland following her marriage to Dr. Hugh Toland. Her husband was a distinguished figure in the medical community who founded the Toland Medical College.\n\nThroughout her life in California, Toland was a woman of significant financial means, which she used to support various civic causes. She became a central figure in San Francisco's high society and served as a key benefactor and mainstay for numerous local charitable institutions. Following the death of her husband, she began to devote a substantial portion of her time to her creative writing and literary pursuits.\n\nToland achieved her greatest recognition through her poetry. Over her career, she published multiple volumes of verse, which were typically released as specially designed holiday editions. Her work and philanthropic contributions made her a highly visible and respected representative of San Francisco's late-nineteenth-century cultural and literary landscape.
