Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon was born on October 31, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia. She was known to her friends and family as Daisy.

Daisy was a curious and adventurous girl who cared deeply for others. She loved arts, animals, and nature.

As a young girl, she experienced several ear injuries that resulted in an almost total hearing loss, which she would have the rest of her life.

Daisy's Home/Birthplace

As an adult, Daisy fell in love with William Low, nicknamed Billow. He was not wealthy, but when his father died he inherited a fortune.

In 1886, Daisy married Billow. Together, they set up homes in both England and Georgia.

After her wedding, guests were throwing rice at the newlyweds for good luck, and a piece of rice lodged in Daisy’s ear. The resulting infection and operation to remove the rice damaged her hearing even more.

Daisy became a popular hostess among her husband’s society friends in England and Scotland. Billow enjoyed the high life, and Daisy entered into a life of hunting parties, society dances, and presentations at court.

Billow and Daisy

Daisy spent most of her married life in England, but returned often to the United States to connect with friends and family members.

She would also travel home to find support during her unhappy marriage, which ended in 1905 when Billow passed away.

After her husband’s death, Daisy embarked on a search for meaning in her life. She turned to adventure, among other things, which involved traveling to faraway places like Egypt and India.

When she returned to London in 1911, Daisy had a meeting with Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, which changed the course of her life.

Powell suggested that Daisy work with Girl Guides in England and Scotland, which was the sister group to Boy Scouts.

The Girl Guides were first organized by his sister Agnes in 1910 at his request. Daisy jumped right in, starting Girl Guide troops in London and rural Scotland.

Powell and Daisy

In 1912, Daisy went home to Savannah from England, determined to bring Girl Guiding to the United States.

She called her cousin, Nina Pape, from her home, and announced, "I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"

The Birth of the Girl Scouts

At the first gathering on March 12, 1912, Daisy had 18 girls from her cousin’s school.

She reached across class, cultural, and ethnic boundaries to ensure all girls, including those with so-called disabilities, had a place to grow and develop their leadership skills.

Daisy always said “ask the girls" whenever there was a question about what they should do next. It was the girls themselves who decided they wanted to be called “Scouts” in America instead of “Guides."

The name was officially changed to Girl Scouts in the United States in 1913.

Daisy worked hard to grow the Girl Scouts. She had to sell her valuable pearl necklace when she was low on funds, to help contribute to the success and growth.

She had a talent for fundraising due to her married life experiences. This, with her passion and determination for growing the girl scouts, ensured it was and always would be an experience that was “girl led.”

The Legacy

Daisy privately battled breast cancer for years and on January 17, 1927, Juliette Gordon Low passed away at her home in Savannah, Georgia.

Two hundred Girl Scouts attended her funeral. She was buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery, wearing her Girl Scout uniform.

The legacy of Juliette Gordon Low lives on past her death. Daisy is remembered today with camps, schools, and scholarships established in her honor.

Other tributes include postage stamps, a World War II battleship, numerous biographies, and even an opera about her life. 

Juliette Gordon Low Postage Stamp