The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-10-11

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since 1869, moving here from
Mankato. Her husband, J. c.
Haupt, st. Paul business man,
died nineteen years ago. Four chill
dren, Mrs. c. D. Strong, Mrs.
Lillian Yost and Miss Anna
Haupt of st. Paul, and S. n.
Haupt of RitzviIIe, WASH, sur
vive.
Intense regret is expressed by
members of the Woman's Relief
corps and Grand Army of the Re-
public in Mankato over the death
of Mrs. Mary Starkweather of Min
neapolis. She was very well known
in Mankato. She had lectured here
before the summer schools and ad-
dressed meetings of the corps and
Grand Army.
Mrs. Starkweather was the wife
of former Alderman Perry l.. Stark
weather of Minneapolis. With her
husband Mrs. Starkweather had
gone at midnight to the st. Paul
union station to take a train for
Madison, Wis, where she was to
have conferred with the Wisconsin
to have spoken before the Wiscon-
sin Federated Women's club at
GAINESVILLE. Near train time Mr.. and
Mrs. Starkweather went out into the
train sheds. They were standing
there when Mrs. Starkweather tot
tered and fell into her husbands
arms. She was carried inside the
station and physicians were sum-
moned, but Mrs. Starkweather died
half an hour later.
Mrs. Starkweather had been suf-
fering from heart trouble for ten
years and medicine for her ailment
was found Sunday night in her
purse. She is said to have been
recently advised by physicians to
give up her work, but so great was
her interest in the welfare of WORK
ing women and children that she
refused.
Only last week. Mrs. Starkweather
returned from Kansas City, where
she had addressed the Commercial
club. She had accepted invitations
to speak before the legislatures OF
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Wiscon-
sin next winter on the bill which
created her department in the labor
bureau. She was known all over
the United States as an authority
on working conditions among wom-
en- and children Lazy
Her Work for Old Soldiers.
The woman's building at the
state Soldiers Home at Minnehaha
park was built largely through the
efforts of Mrs. Starkweather," said
Captain w. H. Harries, command
ant at the home. Mrs. Starkweath-
er started the movement for the
woman's building" said Captain
Harries. "She began a campaign
some six or seven years, ago for
building in which the wives, moth
ers and widows of soldiers could be
cared for. At first the Grand Army
camps were not altogether friendly
to the idea, but she won them over.
The building now at the home is
the admiration of other states, which
have nothing like it, 1t now con-
tains 105 women, and a wing was
added to it two years ago, through
her efforts. She was always an
earnest and active worker for the
welfare of the old soldiers and their
women folk. She often visited at
the home, giving cheer to the veter-
ans and their wives"
Many of the veterans and their
wives and widows, who are able,
probably will attend the funeral"
Captain Harries added.
Mrs. Starkweather was educated
in a convent near Utica, N. Y. She
was married in 1870 to Warren F.
chi
her, B. w. Thayer of Minneapolis
and Mrs. Nellie Thayer Collins of
st. Paul: In 1897 Mrs. Starkweath-
er married Mr.. Starkweather. They
lived in Minneapolis until "a year
and and a. half ago.
Appointed to Labor Bureau.
Mrs. Starkweather was appointed /
by Governor John A. Johnson in !
1906 to investigate the needs of I
the working women and children of
the state. Later when depart
ment for women and children was :
created in the state labor board, ,
Mrs. Starkweather was placed at
it's head by Governor A. o. Eber-
hart. She was interested in child
labor and other legislation and only
a few weeks ago, before the state
federation of Womens clubs at
Dodge Center, obtained the cooper
alton of the organization in cam /
paign to prevent children from ap-
pearing on the stage. Mrs. Stark
weather was also largely instru-
mental in obtaining the approval by
the legislature of the plan to have
a. building at the Soldiers Home,
where veterans and their wives
could live together. She was active i
in the work of the Woman's Relief i
corps.
Mr.. Thayer, Mrs. Starkweather's
son, left last night for Kansas City
and was informed of his mothers
death by wire. Mrs. Collins, the
daughter, became hysterical when
she heard of her mothers death. I,
Funeral Held This Afternoon
orly lei