Mary Cardiff emigrated in 1854 from Ireland to the USA. It seems likely that this is the same Mary Lee who appears in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 Censuses for Washington township, b. ca. 1810 in Ireland, married to Michael Lee b. ca. 1800. If so, their children were sons Thomas (b. ca. 1833), Edward (b. ca. 1840), Christopher (b. ca. 1853), and daughters Ellen (b. ca. 1840) and Kath (b. ca. 1848), all born in Ireland. She was enumerated with husband Michael in 1860 and 1870, and daughter in law Eliza in 1880. Her son Thomas married Margaret and they had Mary (1855), Katy (1858) and Christopher (1867). Her son Edward married Eliza and they had Elizabeth (1858), Edward (1859) and Thomas (1866). Her son Christopher married Anna and they had Michael (1875), Christopher (1977) and Rose (1879).
Mary was recorded in the census of 18 June 1900 in the household of Robert Winters in Washington, Dutchess County, New York State, USA, and described as “Mary Lee, Mother in Law, a white female aged 98, born Aug 1801 in Ireland to parents b. Ireland, widowed, 10 children with 4 still living, immigrated 1854 and spent 46 yrs in US, can read & write”.
Mary Lee’s obituary was reported as follows:
“Mrs. Mary Lee, 101 years old, died Friday, May 6, 1904, at the home of her son-in-law, Robert Winters, at Shunpike. In the death of this woman, a picturesque figure passes from this neighborhood. Mrs. Lee was a remarkable woman in many ways. She was possessed of a great amount of vitality and it was this that kept life in her body for several months past. Born in Ireland, she came to this country over 50 years ago. Her husband, Michael Lee, was a farmer and they were the parents of 10 children. He died 32 years ago.
For many years, Mrs. Lee made her home with her children. She passed a great deal of time reading books and magazines and, up until six years ago when she became blind, was considered one of the best posted women on topics of the day in this vicinity. She was a great student of the Bible and when over 90 years of age, she walked the two miles to Millbrook to attend Mass at St. Joseph's Church of which she was a devout member and communicant.
This story is told of her which happened many years ago: One day she walked to Millbrook to take the market wagon—as it was then called—to Poughkeepsie. The wagon had gone before she arrived and she, nothing daunted, walked the entire distance to Poughkeepsie: attended to her business, and then walked all the way home again. The story has never grown old.
Mrs. Lee was a woman who was the center of affection in her family circle as well as outside of it. Many people attended her funeral held from St. Joseph's Church at 11 a.m. Monday. High Mass was read by Father Donahue and the casket was carried on the shoulders of four young men. The honorary bearers were: Michael Donahue, Jerry Donahue, Thomas Hannigan, Patrick Wetheral, Lawrence Maroney and Patrick Barron.
Of Mrs. Lee's 10 children, four are living: Ellen Winters, with whom she lived for the past 14 years; Mary McKinty of Esperance, Schoharie Counly, N. Y.; Katherine Roake of New York City; and Christopher Lee of Bangall. Of her 24 grandchildren, 17 are living; of her 17 great-grandchildren, 12 are living. She is also survived by two great-great grandchildren and her youngest living child is 53 years old.
Mrs. Lee was ill only two weeks and died of old age. The only portrait of her in existence is not a photograph and could not be reproduced in half-tone.”.
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