Mary Louise Santelman-Brase was born 19 Jan 1861 in Hay Creek, Goodhue Co., MN to Heinrich Christoph August & Maria (Meinke) Santelman. She was the second of 11 children, though her older brother Willie died in infancy. Mary grew up and was educated in Goodhue Co.
She married Heinrich 'Henry' Brase, the immigrant son of Herman & Anna (Fistchen) Brase, on 20 July 1879 in Hay Creek, MN. Henry had immigrated to the USA at age 17, in Dec 1874 and came to live with an Uncle, Cord Fitschen, in Lake City, MN until he was of age.
Mary and Henry moved to Warren in Marshall Co. MN and later they homesteaded in Ada in Norman Co., MN. After 5 years on the homestead they moved to Valley City, ND and lived in Barnes and Cass Co. the rest of their lives.
Mary ran a boarding house in Fargo, ND after her and Henry moved off the farm into town, while Henry worked for the railroad until his health failed. Henry died in 1921 and Mary carried on with her family.
Mary died 1 Mar 1938 in Fargo, ND and was buried beside Henry in Riverside Cemetery. There are only the markers on their graves place there by the cemetery, no tombstones for the couple were ever purchased.
Mary was survived by children: Lydia (Charley) Senff of Dazey, ND, Louise (Jake) Marshall of Minot, ND, Clara (Harvey) Carroll of Hettinger, ND, Laura (Max) Smith of Argusville, ND, Emma (William) McDonald Gardner, ND, Esther (Harry) Toohey of Fargo, ND, Leon (Emma)Brase of Olympia, WA, Ida Barnes and Della Brase of Fargo, ND, and Earl (Margaret) Brase of Fargo, ND; siblings: Henry (Ida) Santelman of Red Wing, MN, Emma (Lorenzo) Kruse of Red Wing, MN, August (Mary) Santelman, Jr. of Red Wing, MN, Minnie (Henry) Holst, of Red Wing, MN, George (Elizabeth) Santelman of Fontenac, MN, and Benjamin (Frieda) Santelman of Frontenac, MN.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Henry; her daughter, Lillian Brase; her sister Sophie (Oscar) Kruse, and brothers, Willie Santelman, & William (Anna) Santelman.