Beloved Mary Welch Monteith Meets a Tragic End

Mary Welch Monteith

ANDREW MONTEITH > ROBERT WARDROPE MONTEITH m Mary L Welch

Robert Wardope Monteith was born in Penninghame, Wigtownshire, Scotland, on 04 Mar 1880 to Andrew Monteith and Isabelle Hendry.  Most of the children came to the US in the late 1840s and to Wisconsin in the early 1950s, so I would presume a similar path was taken by Robert. In 1860, he was living in Liberty Township, Grant County, with his parents and brothers, John, David, and Samuel (John and Samuel would go on to fight in the Civil War and Samuel would be killed in battle). David stayed on the farm and cared for his parents in the retirement.

Robert joined Co H, Wisconsin 7th Infantry Regiment as a First Sergeant on 29 Aug 1861. He would then be promoted to 2Lt in Dec 1861.He was promoted to 1Lt a year later and to Captain in Oct 1863. He would serve on the Field & Staff roster as adjutant for the 7th prior to be named company commander of Company H after his promotion to Captain. His brothers John and Samuel also served in his company.

After the war, he married Mary L. Welch, daughter of John D and Sarah H (Ogden) Welch, born in Madison, Dane, Wisconsin on 20 Nov 1849. They hailed from New York and John was a carpenter. The wedding was held on 19 Oct 1871. She wore a gold cross at her wedding which two generations later would be worn at the wedding of her granddaughter, Jessie Davis to Robert Hall in 1937.

The couple had three children, Robert, Jessie (who died at 31 in 1907), and Ida Jean.

Tragically, Mrs. Monteith, who was very very active in Madison social and club circles, was crossing the street on the evening of 23 Oct 1929 to take her evening meal with Mr & Mrs H H Van Wagenen, when she was struck by an auto driven by a Mr Dreger. The accident was partially attributed to the ongoing storm and he was not charged.

Mrs Monteith was a member of the Woman's Club and the John Bell Chapter of the DAR as well as many other organizations. The will was read shortly after her death. She left $164,500 to her heirs. The executor was The Central Wisconsin Trust Company in Madison.

MRS MONTEITH LEFT $164,500
Children and Grandchildren Share in Estate of Woman Killed by Automobile
An estate of $164,5000 was left by Mrs Mary Welch Monteith, who died her Oct 23, from injuries received when struck by an automobile, according to the petition to prove the will filed in county court today.

Of the $164,500 left by Mrs Monteith, $125,00 is in personal property and the remaining $40,000 in real estate. Indebtedness is listed at $500. Under terms of the will, her grandson, Robert Monteith, Jr, Milwaukee will receive $10,000 in cash, her mahogany furniture, two oriental rugs, a piano and half the silverware. A second grandson, Edwin, brother of Robert, receives $5,000 in cash and the other half of the silverware.

Her son, Robert, Milwaukee, receives $10,000 in cash; her granddaughter, Jessie Louise Davis, Madison, $5,000 in cash and two oriental rugs, and her daughter Mrs Jean Monteith Davis, Madison, $10,000 in cash and all personal jewelry.

The balance of the estate is to be divided equally between her son, Robert, her grandson, Robert Jr., and her daughter, Mrs Davis. The Central Wisconsin Trust Company is named as executor."
Madison Wisconsin State Journal October 29, 1929 (note this was the day of the big stock market crash of the biggest depression in US history - it appears this financial institution did okay, merging with another bank in 1932)