Mary Wrather

Hettie Louise
Born Mar. 29, 1866
Died July 24, 1907

WRATHER

Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales

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1.  Biographical information from Pathfinders of Texas, 1836-1846

 

2.  Photograph in case

Provenance:  Mrs. Willie Lee Biggio Jones and Rebecca Lee Jones

 

3.  Photograph of case

Case is tortoise shell with mother of pearl inlay bordered by small twisted silver rope

Provenance:  Mrs. Willie Lee Biggio Jones and Rebecca Lee Jones

 

4.  Photograph of case interior

Covered in red velvet with an impressed medallion

Provenance:  Mrs. Willie Lee Biggio Jones and Rebecca Lee Jones

 

5.  Sketch of headstone

Provenance:  Corpus Christi Public Libraries

 

6.  Photograph

Provenance:  Mrs. Willie Lee Biggio Jones and Rebecca Lee Jones

 

7.  Photograph of Wrather home

Mary Wrather to the right; Mrs. Peyton Smythe to the left

Provenance:  Mrs. Willie Lee Biggio Jones and Rebecca Lee Jones

    A.  News article about home

 

8.  Obituary

Mrs. Mary Wrather

Aged Resident of City

Is Dead Here

 Mrs. Mary Wrather, one of the best known pioneer citizens of Corpus Christi and probably the oldest continuous resident of the city, died at 7:15 yesterday morning at her home, 923 Chaparral street.  Mrs. Wrather had been practically an invalid for several years following a stroke of paralysis, and it was rarely she was able to be about much.  She had been a resident of Corpus Christi 75 years up to the time of her death.

Mrs. Wrather was born in Wurtenburg, Germany, in 1842 and came to America with her parents when two years of age.  The family first landed at Galveston, and when little Mary Woessner, was 5 years of age, her father moved to Corpus Christi, where she has since resided.  On August 14, 1865, she was married to William B. Wrather, a stockman and later a merchant.  Mr. Wrather conducted a merchandise business in the building where Mrs. Wrather yesterday morning died.

There are surviving one daughter, Mrs. Annie Clark of Rockport, widow of John Clark; three grand children, Mrs. William J. Biggio, of Corpus Christi, William Wrather Clark of West Columbia and Katie Lee Clark of Rockport.  There are also surviving two great grand-children: Roy Anderson Crossley and Willie Lee Biggio.

Mrs. Wrather was held in the highest esteem by all who knew her and her declining years were made pleasant by attention of scores of friends who called at her home and visited with her.  It has for several years been a custom among Mrs. Wrather's friends to make her birthday an annual feature.

On July 20 of each year, her birthday, the Wrather home was crowded during the day with visiting friends, bringing flowers, presents and well wishes for a continued happy life.  Those visits were made by men, women and children and Mrs. Wrather looked forward to the event with a great deal of pleasure.

Mrs. Wrather was a consistent and devout member of the Episcopal church for many years, and was one of the original members of the Dorcas Sewing society of that church.  It was through the efforts of the Dorcas society and their sewing that the present church property was purchased, it is said.

The funeral of Mrs. Wrather will be held this morning at 10 o'clock, with interment in the family burial ground at Old Bay View cemetery.  Funeral arrangements will be in charge of David Peel, with Eli Merriman, Royall Givens, Judge Walter F. Timon, C. W. Crossley, John Jordt and Herman Meuly as honorary pall-bearers.  The active pall-bearers will be Hugh R. Sutherland, George C. Westervelt, T. D. Ward, Julius Lichtenstein, Alex Well and Thomas Southgate.  Rev. Budlong, rector of the Episcopal church of Kingsville will conduct the funeral services, due to the absence of Dr. J. W. Sykes from the city.

Source: Corpus Christi Caller, July 8, 1922, p. 2, col. 4
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Rosa G. Gonzales

 

Mrs. Wrather is Buried

The body of Mrs. Mary Wrather was buried at 10 o'clock yesterday morning in the family plot at Old Bay View cemetery beside that of her husband who died several years ago.

The funeral was largely attended by former friends and many who knew her only of her life.  In the death of Mrs. Wrather Corpus Christi has lost the oldest continuous resident and one who was held in the highest esteem by practically every citizen of the town and all the older residents of Nueces and San Patricio counties.

Source: Corpus Christi Caller, July 9, 1922, p. 7, col. 5
Research by: Msgr. Michael A. Howell
Transcription by: Rosa G. Gonzales