Mary Jones Bracewell

Danville Commercial News ~ Feb. 18, 1925
PIONEER RESIDENT OF CITY IS DEAD
Mrs. Mary Bracewell, 85, Passes Away; Funeral Thursday Afternoon.
Mrs. Mary Bracewell, 85, widow of James Bracewell, residents of the South Side for 40 years, and herself a resident there since 1866, died Tuesday afternoon at 4:45 o’clock at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Watkins, 208 South Railroad street. Death followed a long illness, which began early last summer when she suffered a stroke of paralysis. Her health had been gradually failing since that time.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o’clock Thursday afternoon at (cannot read) in which organization she had been a member since its inception. At that time it was known as the Welsh Reformed church. The pastor, Rev. W. C. Reeder will officiate, assisted by Rev. James Hayes, former pastor of the church. The interment will be at Springhill cemetery at the side of the husband, who died Nov. 18, 1902.
Mrs. Bracewell, formerly was Miss Mary Jones, daughter of Rev. Enoch Jones, one of the early ministers of the South Side. She was born at Brierly Hill, Staffordshire (cannot read), Sept. 9, 1839 and came to America with her parents in the spring of 1842. They first settled in Pennsylvania, but after a brief residence removed to Richmond, Va. Where they lived for seven years, then removed to (some place) Ohio. It was there that she met and married James Bracewell, also a native of England. The date of the marriage was May 18, 1856. Ten years later they came to Danville and located on the South Side. In 1865 she joined the Methodist congregation that built the Kimber church, but a few years ago, with the organization of the church on the South Side, she transferred her membership.
She was the mother of a large family, of whom five are living. They are Edwin and Harry Bracewell, Mrs. Jessie Comrie, Mrs. Lillian Bracewell and Mrs. Emily Watkins. There are also eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. A sister Mrs. Emma De Laney, also survives.