C. H. Ley

C. H. Ley
A native of
Baden, Germany
Died
Sept. 24, 1878
Aged 48 years
Gone but not forgotten
LEY

Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales

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Biography 

According to his tombstone Charles H. Ley was born in Baden, Germany. The census records of 1870 lists him as 36 years old (born about 1834). In that census (1870 census of Nueces County, page 155) he is three years younger than his wife Mary Catherine Ley. Her tombstone reports that she was born in Hessen (Hesse Cassel according to the 1880 census) on or about April 14, 1831 (see her age given at time of death on stone). She apparently was married prior to meeting Charles because the daughter listed with the couple in the 1870 census is too old (10 years old) to be theirs (they married in 1869). Moreover, in the 1880 census (E. D. 116, page 8/4D) the daughter of Mary C. Ley is listed with her maiden name as "Vanderboon". The marriage records of Nueces County (volume C, page 453) note the marriage of "Christsostomus" Ley to "Mary C. Vanderboon" on 28 December 1869 (only a year before the 1870 census). Presumably Mary Catherine married when she was in her twenties and then at about 38 years old she married Christsostomus "Charles" H. Ley. The fact that her daughter Mary was born in Louisiana may mean that Mary Catherine came into the United States by way of New Orleans and initially settled there. Charles Ley was a tailor and was of some means as his value in 1870 is $2000 (a good amount at that time). However, he died relatively young on 24 September 1878. He would have been only about 44 years old at the time of his death. Mary Catherine did not marry again, but remained in Corpus Christi where she died after a short illness that many believed was brought on by a fire that cost her most of her possession and her financial security. She died shortly after the fire while she was residing at the home of Mr. Molauder on 27 July 1892.

Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell