JESSIE (MALLORY) THAYER/O'NEAL Part 4 of 4 Frank D. Myers Jessie (Mallory) Thayer/O'Neal seems to have lived a rich, fulfilling and luxurious life in Florida, both before and after her marriage to William R. O'Neal. During 1920, she decided to sever one of her final ties to Lucas County by returning to Chariton to supervise the removal of her father's body from the Chariton Cemetery, its cremation and transfer to Orlando's Greenwood Cemetery. The tombstone that had marked his grave, in the shape of a large cross, also was removed and shipped to Orlando, although the remains of her first husband, Deming J. Thayer, were left undisturbed. The final disposition of Smith H. Mallory's body was reported as follows in The Chariton Leader of Thursday, 24 June 1920, Page 1: MALLORY BODY REMOVED "The body of S. H. Mallory, buried for seventeen years in the Chariton cemetery, which was recently taken from the grave, has been cremated and the ashes sent to Orlando, Florida, where the family resides. "Mr. Mallory, at the time of his death, owned "Illion" (sic, Ilion), at the north edge of town, which has become known for its association with the things of the day in which he lived. Mr. Mallory was for many years a railroad contractor, a man widely known, and frequently were the doors of "Illion" opened to receive as guests men of state and national reputation. "He was at that time president of the First National Bank of Chariton, which in later years became and is now known as the Lucas County National. "The body was taken up from the local cemetery on June 9. A daughter, Mrs. Jessie O'Neal, of Orlando, was in Chariton and went with the body to Des Moines, where cremation took place on the following Friday. The monument which had been placed here was shipped to Orlando, where it will again perpetuate the memory of this man who was one of Chariton's foremost citizens." Three years later, on the 21st of March 1923, Jessie's mother, Annie Louise (Ogden) Mallory, died in Orlando, in her 82nd year. She was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, next to the relocated remains of Smith H. Mallory. Although no obituary was published in Lucas County, her death was reported as follows in The Chariton Patriot of 22 March 1923: MRS. MALLORY PASSES AWAY "A message received in Chariton yesterday morning by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Stroud announces the death of Mrs. Annie L. Mallory, widow of the late S.H. Mallory, which occurred at her home in Orlando, Florida. She had been in ill health for some time. Funeral services will be held at Orlando this afternoon, followed by interment at that place by the side of her husband, who passed away on March 6, 1903. She is survived by one daughter, Miss Jessie O'Neil (sic), of Orlando. Mr. and Mrs. Mallory and daughter came to Chariton in 1867 and were prominent residents of this place for many years. About sixteen years ago the mother and daughter went to Orlando, Florida, where they have since resided. Many old time friends will learn of the death of Mrs. Mallory with sorrow and will extend sincere sympathy to the surviving daughter, Mrs. O'Neil." A few months later, Jessie Ogden (Mallory) Thayer/O'Neal became critically ill herself, and died on 16 November 1923, about two months past her 60th birthday, in her 61st year. The following obituary was published on Page 6 of The Chariton Herald-Patriot of 22 November 1923. It is elaborately embroidered and contains a few obvious errors, but despite that, it portrays a remarkable woman. Notes within brackets are mine. DEATH OF MRS. JESSIE MALLORY O'NEAL "A message was received in this city last Friday afternoon conveying the sad intelligence of the death of Mrs. Jessie Mallory O'Neal, which occurred that afternoon at her home in Orlando, Florida. She underwent an operation about ten days previous for appendicitis, which revealed other complications of a serious nature. With her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Mallory, she came to Chariton in 1867, when but a little girl, and grew to young womanhood in this city, residing here until about sixteen years ago. She was always prominently identified with the affairs of this community, and her passing away has brought sadness to the hearts of many friends here. From the Evening Reporter-Star of Nov. 17th, published at Orlando, we take the following sketch: "Yesterday afternoon there was a wave of grief passed over the city when it was rumored that Mrs. W. R. O'Neal had passed away and this grief widened when the rumor crystallized into sorrow-bearing certainty. Though her previous condition had been known for several days, many shared her own hopefulness, for she said she did not feel she would die as long as she was being upheld by the fervent prayers of her friends. Though she had been ill for a long time, there was no immediate danger, but she considered her condition from all sides, and decided that to increase her powers of usefulness to her fellow man, which was being cramped by her sickness, she would go to the hospital for the needed operation. "She did not burden her friends with any knowledge of her condition or of her plans. "On Tuesday of last week, she attended the Sorosis Club and was as bright and useful in her work as treasurer as she always was. At the close of the meeting she told Mrs. Shearer, the president, that she found she would not be able to do her work for some weeks, so wanted to turn in her papers, which were made up to date, over for some one else to care for, and it was not until Wednesday night that she told Mrs. Shearer, who stood close among her friends, that she was going to the hospital the next morning. "She was operated upon on Thursday, and stood it well, and for two or three days she improved. Then a local paralysis began, and a second operation became necessary, since which time there seemed but slight hope, though she herself never despaired. "Jessie Mallory O'Neal was the daughter of Stephen (actually Smith) and Anna L. Mallory, and she was born in Napierville (Naperville), Ills., where her father was one of the pioneers in the development of the state. "Her parents moved to Chariton, Iowa, when she was very young, and here she was reared. She was educated entirely abroad, chiefly in Germany (?!?). She was fond of travel and visited Europe many times, as well as seeing her own country thoroughly, and her travels broadened a mind already rich in character. "She was married twice. Her first husband was D. J. Thayer, of Boston. It was after his death that she first came to Florida, locating at Florence Villa. After the big freeze, in 1894-95, she came to Orlando, later buying the handsome home of Mr. Ollie Poyntz, on what is now known as Lake Cherokee. This home she beautified with exquisite taste, placing in it gems of art collected from her travels and here with her mother and adopted daughter she lived with an ever widening circle of admirers. In October, 1914, she married Mr. W. R. O'Neal. "It seems impossible to gather all the lines of her usefulness, for these were so widespread and so important. It was her ambition that women should be given the rights to a position side by side with men. "She was a most enthusiastic leader in the great suffrage question, and since the passage of the amendment, has never failed to cast her vote on the side she felt was the right, nor faltered in upholding the man or woman who could advance humanity. "She never considered herself, but gave freely of her strength and intelligence in every cause she espoused. She was a born leader, and led not by aggressiveness, but by force of personality and the upholding of the right. Her work as president of the Church Service League was its chief upbuilding, and she was a power in the Sorosis Club, as well as in the Rosalind, where she served as president. She was a prominent D.A.R., having been its regent for several years and was foremost in the Federation of Women's Clubs, having held a state as well as a national office in this, and at one time was state director of the International Relations Committee. "During the call of the Red Cross for the war, she was among the leaders here in all the work. It was she who organized the Cemetery Improvement Association, serving as its president till a short time ago, and she belonged to numerous societies and associations for the advancement of the city. She also held prominent positions in various organizations in her native state and she was national president of the P.E.O., one of the strongest societies in the West. "In character she was gracious and courteous with a personality that won friends wherever she went. She was friendly to all, but held only a few close to heart, grappling these few to her with such strong affection that to them must be given the deepest sympathy in their sorrow. "Her judgment was clear and unbiased and her justice was never failing; even her own feelings did not prevent her seeing clearly another's viewpoint and she was ever at the service of those who sought her advice. "When she decided to make Orlando her home, Mrs. O'Neal had the body of her father brought from Chariton, Iowa, with the monument that was over him, and placed in Greenwood cemetery, where last year her mother was laid beside the husband, who had gone before so long ago. With her parents, she will rest in Greenwood, the funeral service to take place on next Tueday at 4 o'clock. Pending this long rest in the cemetery she has done much to make beautiful, she lies in a quiet, beautiful sleep in her own room in her loved home, with about her the many flowers that represent the love of friends and relatives. "She leaves beside her husband, an uncle, Mr. A. D. Mallory, with his sons, Dr. Meredith Mallory, of Orlando, and Richard and Bolton Mallory, of Omaha; Mr. John Harvey, another uncle, and her cousins, Mr. George Harvey, Mrs. S. A. Johnson and Mrs. Thomas Brodwater, and Mrs. William Crossley, whom she reared and held as her own daughter." Jessie was buried on the O'Neal lot in Greenwood Cemetery, where her second husband, William R. O'Neal, joined her in death 23 January 1946. The woman she apparently looked upon as her daughter, Polly, Mrs. William Crossley, survived at least into the 1950s. A letter from Polly describing life at the Ilion was read during the April 1955 party that was the last social event held there, shortly before its demolition. Because Jessie had neither children nor siblings, her death firmly closed the door on many aspects of a fascinating chapter in Lucas County history. We do not know now, at least, if artifacts of the Mallory lives survived. In Lucas County, other than the courthouse clock, Deming Thayer's grave and a few battered souvenirs, nothing is left other than newspaper accounts, court records and legends. Sic transit gloria mundi.