Mary (Sharp) Brady
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Mary Ann Parker (Sharp) Brady (1821 - 1864)

Mary Ann Parker Brady formerly Sharp
Born in Rockcorry, County Monaghan, Irelandmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married 14 Apr 1846 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdommap
[children unknown]
Died at age 42 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 20 Apr 2023
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Biography

Ireland Native
Mary (Sharp) Brady was born in Ireland.
Mary was one of the founders and president of the Ladies Association for Soldiers Relief; labored unceasingly to care for soldiers at over forty hospitals and made at least five visits to the front lines; died in service
Mary (Sharp) Brady was interred in Pennsylvania.

Mary was born 6 Dec 1821 in Rockcorry, County of Monaghan, Ireland.

Mary married Edward Brady on 14 Apr 1846 in Manchester, Lancashire, England. They had six children: Hugh, Francis Henry (died in 1850), Marion, Edward, Marg, and William F. [1][2][3]

Mary and Edward immigrated to the United States in 1849, and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Edward was a lawyer in England.

In 1850 Mary and Edward were living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. In the household were two children and nine others. The transcription indicates that Mary was born in England. [4]

HouseholdRoleSexAgeBirthplaceOccupation
Edward BradyheadM33Englandembroiderer
Mary A BradywifeF27England
Hugh BradysonM3Pennsylvania
Francis BradysonM0Pennsylvania
Elizabeth MillerF28Ireland
Catherine HempellF22Ireland
Israel HenryM20Pennsylvania
Eleanor SharpeF17England
Letitia DudgeonF19England
Mary DudgeonF16England
Margaret DudgeonF16England
Sarah DudgeonF11England
Elizabeth McIntireF20Ireland

By 1860, still living in Philadelphia, the household included five children and two servants. Edward's occupation was listed as "agent", however at some point before 1862 he had a law practice in Philadelphia.[5]

HouseholdRoleSexAgeBirthplaceOccupation
Ed BradyheadM42Englandagent
Mary A BradywifeF39Ireland
Hugh BradysonM13Pennsylvania
Marion BradydaughterF9Pennsylvania
Ed BradysonM8Pennsylvania
Marg BradydaughterF6Pennsylvania
William F BradysonM0Pennsylvania
Mary CotterservantF42Ireland
Eunice CarrservantF15Ireland
Mary RegnaultF65Ireland

In Spring 1862, thousands of sick and wounded soldiers from McClellan's Peninsula Campaign arrived at Philadelphia's Satterlee Military Hospital. Wanting to do something to help those suffering, Mary became one of the founders of the Ladies Association for Soldiers Relief, and served as president. "From that day to the hour of her death –not quite two years after — her labors were unceasing, her devotion unbounded, and her discretion unerring in the great enterprise of the sanitary well-being of the soldiers of the republic." [6] The group began visiting the soldiers, bringing them food and clothing, and often assisting the doctors.

Mary's youngest child was two years old when she stepped away from her family and devoted herself to serving the soldiers. Fortunately, the income from Edward's law practice allowed them to have servants and a nanny for the children.

Once the relief organization was running smoothly, Mary gathered up the supplies that had been collected and were not needed at Satterlee and travelled to where they were needed. She visited nearly forty Washington, D.C. hospitals and then visited troop locations and battlefields five times. Following the battle at Gettysburg, she and others spent long days and nights caring for the huge numbers of wounded and maimed soldiers. She remained in Gettysburg until August and then returned home for a brief rest.

Early in 1864, Mary again traveled to Virginia, but the exhausting work on the battlefield and in hospitals was too much for her health.

Suffering from a heart ailment, she returned home to Philadelphia in February and passed away on 27 May 1864. She died at 42 of "disease of the heart, contracted by her voluntary efforts on behalf of the sick and wounded." Hundreds of soldiers and local officials attended her burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.[7]

Note: The original headstones of Mary and Edward were buried until April 2015 when they were found during a cleanup campaign at the cemetery. The modern headstone reads: "Mary A. Brady 1822-1864, Volunteer Civil War Nurse, Died in Service".

Sources

  1. Marriage "England Marriages, 1538–1973", FamilySearch Record: NJR1-JWP (accessed 21 April 2023), Mary Ann Parker Sharp marriage to Edward Brady on 14 Apr 1846 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom.
  2. Marriage Intent "England, Cheshire, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1606-1900", citing Cheshire, England, 72, Cheshire Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 1,885,410, FamilySearch Record: FBBS-2MV (accessed 21 April 2023), Mary Ann Parker Sharp marriage on 13 Apr 1846 in Cheshire, England.
  3. Marriage Notice "British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices", citing Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, 18 Apr 1846, The British Newspaper Archive, Ireland; FHL microfilm , FamilySearch Record: QLS4-LJZ4 (accessed 3 June 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSWP-Y77Z-D Image number 00031, Mary Ann Parker Sharp marriage to Edward Brady on 14 Apr 1846 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom.
  4. 1850 Census "United States Census, 1850", citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FamilySearch Record: M4CR-94C (accessed 21 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HT-XC7S-WNN Image number 00163, Mary A Brady (27) in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in England.
  5. 1860 Census "United States Census, 1860", citing Page: 172; Affiliate Publication Number: M653, FamilySearch Record: MXRX-7QX (accessed 21 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBS8-S9TY, Mary A Brady (39) at 2nd Precinct 24rd Ward Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Ireland.
  6. Women of the War "Women of the War; Their Heroism and Self-Sacrifice", Frank Moore (Hartford: S.S. Scranton & Co., 1866) pages 36-53.
  7. Memorial Find a Grave (has image), Find A Grave: Memorial #16480344 (accessed 20 April 2023), Memorial page for Mary A. Brady (6 Dec 1821-27 May 1864), citing Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA (plot: Sect 27, Lot 119); Maintained by Karen (contributor 46633679).
  • Monumental inscription. Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. May 27, 1864 (b. Dec 6, 1921) BRADY, Mary A. Photographed by: Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery.
See also:

Acknowledgements

  • Gravesite photo posted with permission of Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery.




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