Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-02
MISS EMMA MAYO DEAD.
May BE Buried In the Oak Coffin Made for
Her Years Ago.


Miss Emma r. Mayo, niece by mar
and in her dav one of the most handsome
women in Elizabeth, n. j., died there on
Tuesday of pneumonia, after few days
illness. Miss Mayo was fortv-eight years
old when she died. and at the period OF
the civil war was one of the leaders in So
ciety at Elizabeth, where her family
moved in the highest circles and were
noted for their aristooratIc lineage. Ihey
were cousins of the famous Mayo family
of Richmond, Va. after whom Maayo's
bridge across the James river is named.
An elder sister of Miss Mayo married
General Archie Grace6, of the Confederate
army, and another sister is the wife OF
LAWYER Howard Richards, of Elizabeth,
prominent officer in the State Charities
Aid Association of New jersey.
Miss Emma Mayo years ago surprised
her friends by entirely withdrawing from
society and becoming very austere ana re-
ligious in her manner and deyoting her
life to charitable works. She was. con-
sidered rather eccentric and freak of hers
about that time gave her widespread noto-
riety.
sHE TRIED 1T ON.
She had an oak coffin made at cost of
5000 in which she announced her lnten-
ton of being buried. After Undertaken j.
G. Ogden, of Elizabeth, had the coffin
built according to her express directions
she visited his store to find out by actual
measurement whether it would answer the
purpose. 1t is alleged she lay in the coffin
and expressed herself as entirely satisfied
with it.
In some way the story leaked ont and
got into the newspapers, and scores OF
fashionable ladies hocked 10 Undertaken
Ogden's to see Miss Mayo's coffin. The
crowd of curiosity-seekers about his place
became so great that couple of policemen
were sent for to keep the sidewalk clear.
Mr.. Ogden was very much annoyed at the
publicity given the affair. but his anger was
not a circumstance to that of Miss Mayo,
whose indignation knew no bounds. She
blamed the innocent undertaken because
the fact that she had prepared beforehand
for death leaked out and she absolutely
refused TO pay. for the cofhu, which was
thus left on Mr.. Ogden's hands, and he
still hes il in his possession. He has charge
of her obsequies and she will probably be
buried in the casket she originally Sc
lected.
NEVER MARRIED.
Miss Mayo never married. and although
there was q report of blighted love TO.
nance changing the current OF her life,
the story was probably only gossip.
She was tall woman, of queenly form, q
pronounced brunette, and devout Epis.
copalian. She regularly attended church:
She belonged to Christ church, and used
TO assist in decorating the edlfce for
Christmas, Easter, and other important
festivals. She had warm, kindly heart
for the poor and distressed, and probably
no person in the city did as much for
them.
Miss Mayo always wore plain garb Of
deep black and at first sight would be
taken for member of some religious con-
fraternity. She was truly a ministering
angel, and no religieilSe ever was more sim
cere in her profession. Every Friday
morning regularly for a number of years
Miss Mayo could be found at the Union
county Jail administering spiritual conso-
lation to the prisoners and taking part in
the services which Rev. i. III. McAllister,
of Trinity church, conducted. She had a
sweet voice and used to lead in singing
the hymns.
BY her demise the poor of Elizabeth will
miss O devoted, generous, and unselfsh
friend who has spent all her wealth and
the better portion Of her life in aiding
them, and the Episcopal Church loses one
of its most zealOus and faithful members,