The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-17
AUNT MARY OF TARRYT0WN
MANNERS AND Speech TINT MYSTI-
FLED THOSE VINO HE1RD HER.


HcgViug from Door 60 Door for Twe nty-three |
Ncars-DIing with ~ Secret Ninety-three |
Years OF Age -- Her Remarkable Life.
Onlya few persons followed n stained pine |
coffin to the cemetery in Tarrytown on Tues
day. tho 4th inst, although tho body in 1t was |
that Of a woman known by almost every man,
woman. and child in the village. The narrow
side street in North Tarrytown from which it
was taken has no room for many carriages but
at times the carriages OF several wcllto-do resi-
dents have stood in front Of the narrow two
story frame house in which tho woman lived
with three other aged women. Ladies wearing
rich furs and silks have stepped carefully up
the rickey doorstcps aud crossed the threshold
into the little front room lighted by two win
dows with pancs that had not been washed. OK
cept by storms for a score OF years.
Thcso ladies' had lttlo dclicaces in their
hands. and often the coachmen carried
in larger parcels. because tho occupant
OF the little room was poor more than
ninety years Of ago and had seen better
days. She was Mary McLoughlan. the
widow OF Charles McLoughlan. known by some
Ms "Old Mary" and called by others - Aunt
Mary" For twenty three years she was beg
gar, or at least she lived on charity. Five days
before her death she had a stroke OF paralysis.
Ncighbors attended her although when In
health she seldom noticed them. much less
spoke to them. They are also poor. being wash
orwomcn. mechanics and laborcrs' wives. and
factory women. They knew that she was on
her dca,hbcd. and they minstcred to her. Her
death was followed by rumors of tho finding
" money and papers in which her former life
WIS described. But creator interest was created
WHOM IT was said that she was the daughter ot
General in the Revolutionary war with Gen.
Washington whose name, she slid; shal
not ho diSsra''d hy me. u heggar child"
AitnrtN ' funeral. the few pieces OF old-insh-
lone. furniture and a small number OF trnkets
wcrs taken away by Mrs. Hcnshaw. KIND
hearted ueg,nor. who took upon herself the
greater uart of the caro- Of the INVALID. II WIS
the desire of the aged woman that her nurse
and helper should hnve what little WAS left IRON
made Tor money. Int only S2Gj i'm n mcmornn.
dun book tied tightly with cord. aud forty-twp
pennies in q hug. were found, and only u tow
pagers. mostly recommondnions that shc wns
q worthy woman. were with them. Nothing
definite hoing known ~ her former life. except
| hy four or five oi her kindc-t friends. the gos-
| sips took advantage Of the failure Co inl any
! frWrd "i Nrr Nltih Hht WNIt"g'. 10 M'1N" tnh-
! clnd ruman"rS and conjecture Impossible litirs
/ Shc hal wrapped herself in mystery when ia
! Tia" prrson'r oi most " those who sought her
| or aided her. and what lttlr She did disclose
| W. ,ii-i" nted and impcrlect. But % ne hrv.
| Mr. Su'u""r OF Christs Church, Aunt Mary
WIS somewhat communicative. She gave him
| wnlt llttr money She could grt Co kc"p for hor
ceurc was rr.lxcd. and lhc connected remarks
| form kind of history oi her carly life.
| up to within u fcw days OF her death her
tours among the fnmilic. that were willing 10
nil her were made in all kinds of Weather.
| Size wits known aS the woman with basket
| when she first appeared in the village Muen-
| ever she went out she carried % small basket
ON her arm. Generally it was fun Of food and
! rn."ri.s when sh" returned.
Aunt Mary was thankful n books or news
| papers wcr" lent Co her. and She often request
| 900 thut poetry be- cut from Arm and given to
| her. 81" Hhhurrcd coarse lood and liquor AMI
| Il WAS almost impossible for friends 10 COMPEL
| her to take tablespoonful oi sherry IN Elu~s
ct hot water and sugar TO reviv. her after her
! long truuu-. Once. when asked GO como again
! Tor food. She turned quickly and said; I've
never before been asked 70 come again. Most
persons dislike To- sec me- cannot eat some
| things that are given me. That has always
been trouble with me. and suppose II always
Her appearance in late years was striking.
| Shc wac stout but her frame was bent over ~
| the weight Of ninety aud odd yoars. md
She tottered "a she walked. Sh" supported her
self upon astout cane Her dress was 81 cheap
! material. with short skirt. dark shawl or "A
coarse cape covered her shoulders. From be-
meath mick hood her coarse gray hair
iurr'wcd 10y Time. but 1t was sometimes
III" "ii''n sp"sa hnr-,,iy y il,,m. b .i"rt Sic
| died. however. she stud 20 friend. " Pray for
u". ,h't may tr i"r-iv"n i9r many Things !
! han" said tNIt W"ro WrUu., Tor uu uu" knew
unN often tie r,~.oIl,rtious " ito tim" when all
uy vuu, and wishes wcr" rsar'i'i. whom /
syWputhies oi my follow hriuss drove mo
alan +, Co madness. AMI now i't iuc say tlai
there Us moth ng 80 much value - ono kind
Hrr husband lied six yegr- aso. He was
buried hy tie society of CHRIST Church Soon
| aN.r his death Aunt Mary wont 90 10"
| county poOgnouse % few miles baeK OF
| r.rrytuwn She had been tA.r' only a
-tr.,n- t-rtus. She said ilat -lr WIS ill treated
aud 90 l"d. and th.t nearly beg thns- wrrl
| tahru from her The E'v. Nr. spencer took
hrr away and placed her in "a nouse ln the yii-
huge. but 80" did not stay there ne. Sic
bari names Her trinAri- aud her. cloihins
begun O. b" miss us. snaw.- such shawl
STOLEN. sh" alleged. She vowed That she would
| not stay there aud the minister PLACED her in
fhr house in which her husband died. She
lived there ulon" IN one room Three other
| poor nErd women occupied other rooms, Lat
she seldom took notice of tAem. Onc day, she
WAS found almost starved 20 death on her l-d
Il was with dini'ulty that she was revived boy
on" II the ladies' who had brought her food.
| la the past year she repeatedly expressed a
tnncc. She asked one Of her lady visitors u
bring pen. ink: and paper the next time she
visited her; hut when that time arrived. she
said very little After few notes had been
taken. She said that she would tell more later
messed n DESIRE 10 20 thorc. +" But you must
rrm"mhcr, that all your iriSnds Were buried
replied with considerable cnrncstne,s. " II
WAS put in tho streets of Charleston, would
soon prov, to some 81 the best iamili,s there
| VINO Anl. once II was lnho'en!ly I'iiarArI
that she had hern Goycrness - Goycrn.ssP
she exclaimed. and her eyes flashed and hei
'orm became moro erect. Never ! was
brought w in luxury" Her recollection OF III,
old families Of New York was remarkable. Sht
could recall the names 81 some NJ the Knlckcr
h,cGor families without nm effort, seemingly
She WIS very nervous and rrsi.rts toward tIt
u-t When her nurse renonslrated because
-5t '3 sH. ' G@d To- '9"N do ""ilN to ro"y,
hermind. ThornooilHiions " more than tnrrn
through her mint. and chasing one anotp"
Ike lightning flashes. It rs believed tnat nom
ty, iau -n,tl-. WHO wcre buried long AGO.
.I-tgr. she sl /. WAS buried IN TRINITY church