The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-09
A ROMANTIC CAREER.
Singular History Of 8 Well
Known Montana Lady.

II view 1OTK sun puDllS0e6 q
story concerning the unusual person
al history of Mrs. Mary L. Relyea,
who was formerly we'll known in
Virginia City ~ Mn. J. 8. Rookie.
Teller. With the exception Of some
errors of detail, which we have taken
the liberty to correct, the following IL
the suns story:
mrs. Mary l.: Relyea, q public
school teacher, with al unusual per.
sonal history, died at the residence of
her brotherin-in-law, Mr.. Coggeshall,
at 81 Sydney place, leaving an eight
year-Old daughter.
Mrs. Relyea was the sister of Gen
eral Hugh McNeill, who won fame
during the war. She was in her mai
denhOod the belle of Brooklyn, her
beauty resembling that type Of (which
Mrs. Scott-Siddons is noteworthy
example. She was married to J. s.
Rockefeller, of the Standard OIL
Company, and went with him to live
in Montana, where he held q State
office and lived in luxury. They had
a costly home and abundant means,
and life was most happy with them
until his health broke down. He felt
that If he could breathe the air of his
native place, Bound Brook, N. J., he
would be better, and he and his wife
started across the plains. He died at
Salt Lake. Her husband possessed q
large estate when he died, but his
Western agent is said to have de-
spoiled the widow of it all and she
was left so poor that she became q
pupil in Peter Cooper's school of
telegraphy.
When she was a girl she had a
most ardent lover in MI. Relyea,
whose life was almost blighted by
the disappointment occasi0ned by
her first marriage and he broke up a
prosperous career in New York to 20
into the s~tock-raising business In
Montana. When he heard she was q
widow he started East and renewed
his suit, with poor. success at first,
but his persistence ended in her e
ond marriage.
She experienced then q transition
from poverty to aff1uence, and went
again to Montana. She came East
after a time for health, and after the
birth of her child her husband sold
his ranch, pocketed the proceeds,
amounting to over $4,000 in cash, |
and started East. He has never been
heard from since, and she believes, as |
do her friends, that he was murdered
and robbed on the way East.
Mr.. William Orion, the President of
the Western Union TELEGRAPH
became much interested
in her, and as she could telegraph
he placed all of the Western
Union lines at her disposal, and she
searched by wire everywhere for
some trace of her husband, but in
vain. She was then given a position
as a telegraph operator, and until
William Orton's death be. provided
pleasant positions for her, but her
health succumbed to arduous work
when her protector died. At length,
through John Williams, President of
the Fulton Bank in Brooklyn, she
secured a position as teacher in Pub
lie School 80, at President and Hoyt
where she taught until a few
days ago. She died of pneumonia"
Nothing is known here of Mr.. Rel
yea, or of her return to this Territory,
and it is probable that the Sun errs
IN reference to the location of the
ady's residence after second mar
'iage. Mrs. Rockefeller will be re-
as the wife of J. 8. Rookie
eller, once Auditor of this Territory,
md her sad career will elicit sympa-
by from many old time friends in
his Territory.