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Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey

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Birth	:	30 Oct 1861 Wallaceburg, Chatham-Kent Municipality, Ontario, Canada
Death	:	10 Nov 1923 Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Burial	:	Ivy Green Cemetery, Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate	:	47.5736008, -122.6461029
Description	:	John Bruce was her father and she also had a brother named John Bruce. Mary Eliza Bruce was the eldest child of Susanna Cody Bruce and Capt.John Robert Bruce, both born Prince Edward Island, before Canada was a Dominion. John Bruce died in Buffalo, NY when Mary was about ten years old. He had captained the Juliette, a two masted lake schooner on Lake Erie, and became ill on board. His crew tied up in Buffalo and carried him off of the ship to the hospital where he died, four days... Read More	John Bruce was her father and she also had a brother named John Bruce. Mary Eliza Bruce was the eldest child of Susanna Cody Bruce and Capt.John Robert Bruce, both born Prince Edward Island, before Canada was a Dominion. John Bruce died in Buffalo, NY when Mary was about ten years old. He had captained the Juliette, a two masted lake schooner on Lake Erie, and became ill on board. His crew tied up in Buffalo and carried him off of the ship to the hospital where he died, four days later. He left a widow and four small children. He owned some canal boats and other vessels, so they had an income. Sadly, the Juliette foundered in a storm and sank that November, all hands but one lost. Susanna later married Owen Doyle, and Mary and the others loved him as he was good to them. When Owen died of pneumonia at Medicine Lake, Susanna sold the farm and moved west. Mary married John Joseph 'JJ' Gearey of Cottrellvile, St. CLair County, Michigan, who grew up on the opposite bank of the St. Clair river near present day Marine City. With son, Michael, Mary and JJ moved the family and his elderly mother, Catherine Kean Gearey, to the Dakota Territory in 1883. At the time, Sitting Bull was still living, and the Ghost Dance era, wherein the Indians believed that if they danced the Ghost Dance, all of the dead Indians would come back to life and their clothing would repel white man's bullets,did not end until 1890. They danced until they dropped. Their frenzied pace and whooping scared settlers all over the West. The Lakota Sioux were the predominant tribe in the area. There were still Indian depredations on the settlers and the mail carriers at that time, but mostly they lived a peaceful life, farming and raising horses and other farm animals for sale to the Cavalry at nearby Fort Totten, and to Tim Mahaney at the livery stable in Minnewaukan. There was formed a Vigilance Committee when horse thefts increased. Their unregistered brand was J/J or J, then a diamond shape, and a J for the J Diamond J Ranch. The diamond shape caused infection, and J/J brand did not, so was used. As their children grew, lack of a schoolhouse became an issue, and JJ and others built one on adjoining land, naming it the Isabel school. Isabel Duffy was the first schoolteacher there. The Gearey children could walk or ride a pony to school. It was a one room schoolhouse with a woodstove for heat. JJ was the clerk of the school district. Son Darwin had many tardies. Mary, local midwife and sole source of medical care until a doctor arrived, was then his assistant in surgeries. In the horse and buggy era,the operating theatre was seasonal, a door on saw-horses outdoors in sunlight, or kitchen table inside with kerosene lighting, depending upon the season. Her life was very busy. JJ built a two story house of lumber, with cellar. They owned the original 160 acres of land and bought an adjoining 160 acres. JJ's mother, the widow Catherine Kean Gearey, also homsteaded. At her death, she was buried on Boot Hill as there was no cemetery. She was later moved when one was established. JJ inherited her land. He also owned the Gearey Dry Goods store and a saloon, The Little Gem. Both burned to the ground in time. Prairie living, with water drawn by windmill, milking the cows, making butter, buttermilk and cheese, baking bread, sewing clothing, keeping the books, then being called to births and emergencies kept Mary busy. Darwin was born in 1891 and Mary Violet/Violet Mary in 1894. Their daughter, Susie, wed Martin Shaughnessy and had three children. In 1913, pregnant with her third child, George, Susie developed Toxemia of Pregnancy and within 24 hours of his birth, died. Mary and JJ took the children in so Martin could run the cream store, buying and selling milk and cream. At 51, Mary had a stroke,losing the use of one side of her body. JJ hired a governess to care for the three little ones until their father moved with them back to his birthplace, Canada. Their son married the goveness. JJ and Mary moved to Medicine Lake, Montana,where Mary's mother lived. JJ raised horses there, then moved to Couer 'd Alene, Idaho where Mary's sister, Amelia Bruce Cyr lived with her husband, Ed. They later moved to Bremerton, Washington, where brother John Bruce was living near their mother. Mary died in 1923 and was buried at the beautiful Ivy Green Cemetery, which is now a city park, in Bremerton, Kitsap, Washington. JJ, son Michael, mother Susanna, and others are buried there with her. The red hair in the family came from Capt. John Bruce's Scottish line. Mary had red hair, as did her brother, John. Biographical information by ggranddaughter PW 1900 census lists Marys birth as Oct1862 Canada: Mary Garrey in the 1900 United States Federal Census Name: Mary Garrey [Mary Gavey] Age: 37 Birth Date: Oct 1862 Birthplace: Canada Home in 1900: Township 153, Benson, North Dakota Sheet Number: 12A Institution: 60-01 Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 233 Family Number: 236 Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Wife Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: John Garrey Marriage Year: 1881 Years Married: 19 Father's Birthplace: Canada English Mother's Birthplace: Canada, England Mother: number of living children: 4 Mother: How many children: 4 Can Read: Yes Can Write: Yes Can Speak English: Yes Mary Bruce Gearey in the Washington, Deaths, 1883-1960 Name: Mary Bruce Gearey [Mary Bruce Bruce] Gender: Female Birth Date: abt 1861 Death Date: 10 Nov 1923 Age at Death: 62 Death Location: Bremerton, Kitsap, Washington Father: John Bruce Mother: Susana Cody Record Source: Washington State Death Records Thanks Nannette for the info!!

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey's memorial?
Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey's memorial is located at: Ivy Green Cemetery, Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA.
When did Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey death?
Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey death on 10 Nov 1923 in Bremerton, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Mary Eliza Bruce Gearey's memorial?
Latitude: 47.5736008
Longitude: -122.6461029

Family Members:

Parent

Susanna “Grandma Doyle” Cody Doyle

(1841 - 1937)

Spouse

John Joseph “JJ” Gearey Sr.

(1859 - 1937)

Siblings

Susanna “Susie” Bruce Leonhardt

(1866 - 1958)

John Bruce

(1869 - 1928)

Children

Michael Patrick Gearey

(1882 - 1952)

Darwin John “DJ” Gearey Sr.

(1891 - 1960)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Ivy Green Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5736008, -122.6461029

2. Phinney Bay Indian Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5819970, -122.6680240

3. Saint Pauls Episcopal Church Memorial Gardens
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5859300, -122.6283100

4. Forest Lawn Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5694008, -122.6860962

5. Miller-Woodlawn Memorial Park
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5724983, -122.6881027

6. Sunset Lane Memorial Park
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5368996, -122.6278000

7. Knights of Pythias Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5349998, -122.6280975

8. Washington Veterans Home Cemetery
Retsil, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5402600, -122.6115400

9. Tracyton Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6185989, -122.6611023

10. Sidney Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5204600, -122.6445600

11. Colby Cemetery
Colby, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5337700, -122.5517380

12. Brownsville Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6451683, -122.6119995

13. Hillcrest Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6131570, -122.5332960

14. Bethel Cemetery
Bethel, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4853200, -122.6333530

15. Port Blakely Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6011140, -122.5199390

16. Island Center Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6457000, -122.5647600

17. Saint Antony of Egypt Episcopal Church Garden
Silverdale, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6557750, -122.7075170

18. Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6278800, -122.5351500

19. Bethany Lutheran Church Columbarium
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6355330, -122.5361840

20. Silverdale Pioneer Cemetery
Silverdale, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6643333, -122.7154999

21. Sedgwick Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5043983, -122.5282974

22. Island Lake Cemetery
Poulsbo, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6801580, -122.6392060

23. Fraola Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4686012, -122.5633011

24. Mountain View Cemetery
Silverdale, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6938500, -122.6748300