Mary HUSTON-WALLACE (1844-1923)

Esther MCLEOD, Bernard HOFMAR and Mary WALLACE, 1923

Photo courtesy cousin Mary Ellen F.

George SIM > Mary Ann WALLACE-SIM > Mary HUSTON-WALLACE

Esther MCLEOD, Bertha HOFMAR

and Mary WALLACE, 1923

Photo courtesy cousin Mary Ellen F.

Early years- Mary was the eldest child of William HUSTON and Esther PARK.  She was born on 1 August 1844 in Balleymoney, County Antrim, Ireland.  She immigrated with her family to Canada between 1862 and 1864.  Her obituary states that she was 16 years old when they immigrated (1860).

Family- On her 21st birthday (1 August 1865), Mary married farmer William WALLACE (1844-1929) in Grey Co., Ontario. They had at least 12 children: Jane, Mary Ann (our ancestor), Hester, Bessie, Esther, Robert, John, William, Sarah, Thomas, Elizabeth and Rachel (AKA Rose).

Mary was a midwife.  She was also a member of the Women’s Institute of Sarawak and the Red Cross.  The Women’s Institute was responsible for maintaining local cemeteries and documenting the family histories of Sarawak.  These scrapbooks are being obtained by the Grey Roots Museum and Archives and there, we found a couple of interesting photos of Mary.



Women's Institute, circa 1920s
Rachel "Rose" and Mary WALLACE circled
http://www.greyroots.com/

Red Cross Meeting, circa 1920s
Mary WALLACE circled
http://www.greyroots.com/

Death- Mary died 29 September 1923 in Sarawak of old age and influenza according to her death registry.  The obituary states that death was proceeded by a stroke.  She was 79-years old.  Her remains were interred 2 October 1923 at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Owen Sound.

Funeral card courtesy cousin Mary Ellen F.

Obit courtesy cousin Mary Ellen F.

Visit her on-line memorial
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=116855943

Can you help ID the people in the Mystery Photos of Owen Sound?

The WALLACE Home
http://www.greyroots.com/

Bertha May SIM-HOFMAR (1901 - 1958)

Bertha, a friend, Edith ad George, about 1920, Buffalo

Photo courtesy of cousin Mary Ellen F.

George SIM's sister

Early years- Bertha was the 4th child of John Wm and Mary Ann SIM.  She was born on 9 May 1901 in Rochester, Erie Co., NY.  She graduated from high school. 

Buffalo Courier Express, 1938

Found on Old Fulton Postcards

Work history- In the 1923 marriage register, Bertha is listed as a clerk in Hackensack, NJ.  She later raised and sold show dogs (Boston Terriers).

Family- In 1923 and in Pennsylvania, at age 21, Bertha married 30 year old Bernard “Barney” Michael HOFMAR (1893-1968) of Rochester.   They later adopted son Donald HOFMAR (1929-2006). 

The marriage register had some inaccurate information, but it did indicate that Barney’s surname was originally HOFMAYR.  His father Johan HOFMAYR was born in Germany.  His mother, Mary HAUSER, was born in Rochester, NY. 

Barney was previously married to a woman named Mary according to his 1917 WWI draft card and the 1920 census.  He requested exemption status on the draft card to support his wife which may mean she was in ill health.  No additional records were found for Mary.

In the 1917 draft card, Barney was a fireman in Buffalo.  In the 1920 census, he was a Buffalo policeman.  In the 1923 marriage registry to Bertha, he was a salesman in Erie, PA.  After their marriage, he was a Buffalo policeman and in 1943, he was promoted to detective.  He died in 1968. 

I was not able to find many of the census records for the HOFMARs.  I do know that they lived at 22 Taunton Avenue between 1935 and 1940.

Interesting Facts

·       Bertha was an active member of the Golden Does, a wives club for husbands in The Elks Club.

·       Bertha and Barney declared bankruptcy in 1932. 

Death- Bertha died 20 April 1958 in Buffalo.  Her remains are interred at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Cheektowaga, NY.

 

Visit her on-line memorial

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=92262373

More news items for Barney (all found on Old Fulton Postcards):

1937 Buffalo Courier Express

1957 Buffalo Courier Express

1921 Buffalo Evening News