Mary Christena Mayer

Mary Christena Mayer was also called "Nana," a name invented by her great-grandson Howard DeVoe as a baby and later used by other members of the family. Her middle name was sometimes spelled "Christina." She also called herself "Tena."

Mary Christena Mayer was born on 15 June 1860 in Clarksville, Illinois.^1,2,3 She was the daughter of John Jacob Mayer and Christina Wegenast.

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 14 July 1860 at Dolson Township, Clark County, Illinois, in the household of her father; her name was recorded as Cristina.¹ When her father died on 18 October 1877, she had no other relatives, so went to live with her older half-sister Mary (Mayer) Bell and Mary's husband James Henry Bell in Terre Haute, Indiana.⁴

Mary Christena Mayer married Samuel James Hannah, son of Samuel P. Hannah and Ellen Hair, on 27 March 1880 in Vigo County, Indiana.⁵

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 6 June 1880 at 1620 Oak Street, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, with her husband in the household of her father-in-law.⁶

Mary Christena Mayer and Samuel James Hannah moved from Terre Haute to Haverstraw, New York shortly after Ella May Hannah was born in 1881.⁴

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 9 June 1900 at Hudson Avenue, Haverstraw Village, Haverstraw Township, Rockland County, New York, in the household of her husband; she is recorded as being the mother of 2 children, 1 living.² The last item agrees with Martha (Josselyn) DeVoe's recollection that Mary Christena Mayer had a son who died young, probably before Ella May Hannah was born.⁷

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 15 April 1910 at Hudson Avenue, Haverstraw Village, Haverstraw Township, Rockland County, New York, in the household of her husband; she is reported as being the mother of one child, one living.⁸ She and Samuel James Hannah were not compatible and lived mostly apart in their later years.⁴

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 21 January 1920 at 12 First Street, Weehawken, Hudson County, New Jersey, in the household of her husband.^9,10,11 12 First Street was on the northeast side of the street, about one-third of the way along the block from its intersection with Louisa Place.¹² First Street in Weehawken was renamed Cooper Place about 1940.¹¹ Martha (Josselyn) DeVoe, when shown a photo of 12 Cooper Place, recalled that the second floor bay window was the living room, the window to its left was where Elizabeth May Bell did her sewing, and the gable on the third floor must have been added after 1940.¹³ She recalled that the church at the east end of First Street across Louisa Place, a Dutch Reformed Church, was the one that Mary (Mayer) Hannah attended.^14,15

Mary Christena Mayer appeared on the census of 5 April 1930 at 12 First Street, Weehawken, Hudson County, New Jersey, in the household of her husband.¹⁶ Martha (Josselyn) DeVoe recalled that someone in the Mayer family was in Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders. One of the Mayers lived in Texas. A young son of this Texan visited her family in Pleasantville, probably after 1931.¹⁷

Mary Christena Mayer was quite good at bridge and bowling; she went bowling once a week with a crowd.¹⁵

Mary Christena Mayer was ill with cancer in 1939. The DeVoe family drove down to Weehawken to visit her on a cold day at Christmas time, even though Howard was recovering from a touch of influenza.^18,4

Mary Christena Mayer died of carcinoma of the stomach on 1 February 1940 at her home at 12 First Street, Weehawken, New Jersey, at age 79.^19,20,21 The funeral was held at 3 pm on 3 February 1940 at the S. R. Sharpe Funeral Home, 525 45th Street, Union City, New Jersey; Rev. Miner Stegenga, pastor of Grove Reformed Church, North Bergen, officiated.^20,21

Mary Christena Mayer was buried on 3 February 1940 in Grove Church Cemetery, North Bergen, Hudson County, New Jersey.^{19,22,20,21,23} The deed to this cemetery lot was dated 18 March 1940.²⁴ Ella (Hannah) Josselyn would have preferred to have her mother buried in Terre Haute, Indiana, but couldn't afford the expense; she later learned that her father's employer, the New York Central Railroad, would have paid for the coffin, transportation, and burial, but by then it was too late.¹⁵