Obituary for Mary Sibbet Copley Thaw

Obituary for Mary Sibbet Copley Thaw

Altoona Mirror Newspaper from Altoona, Pennsylvania, dated June 10, 1929, front page of the Monday evening edition reads as follows:

MRS. MARY C. THAW DIES OF PNEUMONIA

Head of Famous Pittsburgh Family and Mother of Harry K. Thaw, Succumbs After Long Illness.

(by United Press)

PITTSBURG. June 10,-Funeral services probably will be held Wednesday for Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw, mother of Harry K. Thaw and the oldest member of that prominent Pittsburgh family, who died at her Beechwood boulevard mansion yesterday.

Pneumonia, which developed in the past few days after Mrs. Thaw had been bedfast for four years, was the immediate cause of her death. She has been confined to her bed since 1925 when she fell from the steps of her church and fractured a hip.

Had Mrs. Thaw lived until Friday, she would have been 87 years old.

Two of her four living children were with her at the time of death-Harry K. Thaw and the Countess de Perigny of Paris, formerly Margaret Carnegie Thaw. The daughter arrived here Saturday from Paris.

Another son, Josiah Copley Thaw, now in France, has been notified of his mother's death and he is expected to return to Pittsburgh at once. The other daughter Mrs. Geoffrey G. Whitney, [Alice] of Boston, is expected here today.

Mrs. Thaw was born June 14, 1842, at Appleby Manor near Kittanning, Pa. Her father, Josiah Copley, was a well known writer and editor of Pennsylvania. He learned the printer's trade in Indiana, Pa. and from 1825 to 1833 he was editor of the Kittanning Gazette. He later was connected with the Pittsburg Gazette.

Mrs. Thaw married William Thaw, millionaire steamship and railroad operator, in 1867. And they were the parents of seven children. He died in 1889.

Harry K. Thaw, for whom the aged woman suffered so much, was reported deeply affected by the death of his mother and best friend. He asked to be excused from any discussion of funeral plans.

The aged woman was perhaps closer to her wayward son than to any of her other children. Her loyalty in him during his trial for the murder of Stanford White has been pointed out as an example of mother love seldom equalled. She was estimated to have spent several million dollars in his defense. She welcomed him in a touching scene when he at length attained his freedom. His presence at Oaklawn, the Thaw estate, always gave her pleasure.

Mrs. Thaw was noted for her philanthropies and loved for the quiet graciousness with which she gave of her money. Even on her death bed she continued her good works, directing and financing the building of a chapel for lepers in Slain.

Among the charities were the sponsoring of a mission among the Pima Indians in Arizona and donations to Presbyterian mission boards, the Pittsburgh Association for Improvement of the Poor, the OmahaTheological seminary, the Missionary home at Wooster college and the Home for Epileptics, at Rochester, Pa.