MARY TOBIN, b. 1885, d. 16 Jan 1962



Mary Tobin was born 31 August 1885 in Fargo, North Dakota to Richard and Mary Tobin.

Noteworthy:  There is confusion on Mary's birth date as her death certificate and cemetery headstone state 1882 as her birth year.  However, I have taken the earliest document on Mary, her christensing certificate, and choose to believe that 31 August 1885 is the truest information [see research notes below].

Mary never married.  She lived with her folks on the ranch until her mother died, and then she moved to Helena, Montana.

Great-niece, Benda Lee Evans Neuenswander, said of Mary, "She never married and lived out on the Tobin ranch most of her life until Uncle John and Aunt Margaret took her into their home to live. She died shortly after. I remember her as a thin quiet lady with soft sad eyes."

According to Jeff Tobin, Justine Tobin, and Benda Neuenswander:  Mary was thought to have been "slow" or mildly mentally challenged.

Mary Tobin died 16 January 1962, Helena, Montana. Internment in Resurrection Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana. Her death certificate states the following medical conditions: chronic myocarditis (onset of 2 years), artero-sclerosis (onset of 15 years), and arthritis "defosimaus" (onset of 20 years).



left to right: John L. Tobin holding his son "Bud" Tobin, Ella Tobin, ?, Mary Tobin, "Mugs" Tobin.  Photo taken on the Tobin Ranch.  A special thank you to Benda Neuenswander for this photo.

Mary Tobin

Mary Tobin



Back Left:  Gary Nutter, Joe Tobin, Helen Leffler, ?, Ella Tobin, Dick Tobin, Oscar Gumprecht.  Front Left:  Ann Tobin, Johanna Tobin, child ?, Mary Tobin, Frank Gumprecht.  Photo taken at the Tobin Ranch circa 1915.  [Photo courtesy of Benda Neuenswander]

Left to right:  Richard Tobin, ?, Margaret Ann Tobin, ?, Grandma ?, Mary Tobin, Mary Tobin, "Mugs" Tobin, "Bud" Tobin, John Tobin.  [Photo courtesy of Justine Tobin]

RESEARCH NOTES:



Mary Tobin's christening certificate states she was born 31 Aug 1885 in Fargo, North Dakota.  NOTE:  father is Richard Tobin and mother is listed as Mary RICHARDS.  A special thanks to Benda Neuenswander for this document and sourcing Mary's birthday.

LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY CLERK/RECORDER, HELENA, MT: 
~ Records Search on 18 January 2011 ~
My brother, Kevin Butt, and I discovered a patent document (AKA homesteading) in the name of Mary Tobin dated 22 Nov 1917.  This patent is dated the same day as an Ella Tobin received a patent and both documents are listed one after the other.

"Pursuant to the Act of Congress of 20 May 1862 'To Secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers in the Public Domain' ... Mary Tobin has been established and duly consummated...for the Lots three and four of section thirty-one in Township eleven north of Range four west of the Montana Meridian, Montana, containing two hundred fifty-seven and three hundreths acres."  

We also discovered a second document, a deed, where Mary Tobin is selling this land to Joseph Tobin dated 23 Nov. 1917.  NOTE:  The Tobin family must have learned there was land still available to homestead and since homesteading can only be done once in their lifetime, both sisters, Mary and Ella, made claim to the this land which was located next to their parents land.  Their brother, Joseph, was 21 years old at the time of these documents and both Mary and Ella after legally establishing their homestead patents, deeded their lands to Joseph the very next day. 

Noteworthy:  While searching documents, I came across several deeds for Mary's brother, John Tobin and his father-in-law, Henry Kolf, where land is deeded in the year 1918.  Henry Kolf is listed as an attorney, and it is possible the Tobin family was being advised from him about homesteading land availability, etc.






Death certificate indicates father is Richard Tobin and mother is listed as Mary KELLY.  Also shows date of birth 1 Sep 1882 (incorrect according to christening certificate) and birthplace listed as Philadelphia, PA (incorrect according to christening certificate).  Informant was Mary's niece Avis Ann "Sanny" Tobin. 



The Tobin family plot with a headstone "TOBIN" and foot stone information listed as follows: front row left =Father Richard Tobin b. 1849 and Mother Mary Tobin b. 1855. Back row left = Sister Mary Tobin b. 1882 and Brother Joseph Tobin b. 1896.

Resurrection Cemetery, Helena, MT.  [Photo taken by Karylyn Bliss, August 2009].  Noteworthy: the birth year is incorrect according to her christensing certificate.