MARY GERTS BOYNTON
Her Death Removes Beloved Figure from Community—Her Life of Helpfulness and Labor
When the two last rows of desks in the south room of our only school house seated the high school of Oak Park comfortably, there were three homes on Lake street that were represented there in large proportion: the Ingalls (now Grace church Parish House), the Gale and the Gerts homesteads. The sudden and tragic death of Mary Gerts Boynton removes the last member of that household now resident in Oak Park.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gerts came here in 1869, and from that time were prominent in the life of the village. They entertained constantly. Their house was always open and always busy. Mrs. Gerts was doing something for somebody as hard as she could and all of the time. Mary Gerts was one of the kind who are always called upon to do things. If nothing presented itself she found something. She found a little lad who needed a home and she took him and cared for him till he died. One never heard an unkind word about anybody from Mary Gerts; she was unselfish, cheerful, sweet-hearted.
She found a little missionary trying to care for a group of indigent children in a ramshackle old house, with no funds, and she got some people interested and they went about making it an institution worthy of its purpose. Mary Gerts chose the name for it: Hephzibah ("My delight is in her"). Now, properly housed and matroned, it can account for practically a quarter century of ministration to His little ones.
We had with us at one time a talented teacher and lecturer on art. Miss Gerts was largely instrumental, if not the leading spirit, in calling together a hundred women to take a course of study under the leadership of Mrs. J. C. McMurphy. Thus the Sesame was founded in 1898, to become and remain an important addition to the cultural opportunities of the community. Miss Gerts served as its first president.
After a year at a private school in Boston, Miss Gerts went abroad for travel and study—she always kept her French and German—but she returned ill from a spinal trouble, probably the result of a severe injury in her early childhood. Thru a long period of suffering she was wonderfully patient and cheerful.
In 1905 she was married to Dr. Charles Boynton of Chicago, and was happy in the affection of her good husband and a little daughter. She tried to keep up her social life. She joined the Chicago Woman's club and spurred her lagging frame to efforts beyond its strength. But the overstrained nervous system rebelled, and for some years she had been but the shadow of her old, cheery self. Strange hallucinations possessed her, and on Tuesday, February 19, she gave back her troubled spirit to her Maker and is forevermore at rest within the Everlasting Peace.
Mrs. Boynton was devotedly attached to her husband and their little daughter, Georgeanna. She leaves also a sister, Kate, who is Mrs. Todd Lunsford of Muskegon, Mich., and a brother, Walter Gerts of River Forest. Nor should the faithful care and ready-mindedness of her housekeeper, Miss Lillai Mara, pass unrecorded.
The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon at the old home, 920 Lake, the Rev. William J. Taylor officiating.
—G. R. L.
Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL) 23 Feb 1918, pp. 12-13
Boynton--Mary Gerts Boynton, wife of Dr. Charles E. Boynton, daughter of the late George E. Gerts, suddenly. Funeral from late home, 920 Lake-st., Oak Park, Ill., at 2:15 p. m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
--Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb 1918, pg. 11
Daughter Georgeanna Gerts Boynton married Joseph Franklin Hobbins.
Cared for cousin Edward Murdock before her marriage.
Her Death Removes Beloved Figure from Community—Her Life of Helpfulness and Labor
When the two last rows of desks in the south room of our only school house seated the high school of Oak Park comfortably, there were three homes on Lake street that were represented there in large proportion: the Ingalls (now Grace church Parish House), the Gale and the Gerts homesteads. The sudden and tragic death of Mary Gerts Boynton removes the last member of that household now resident in Oak Park.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gerts came here in 1869, and from that time were prominent in the life of the village. They entertained constantly. Their house was always open and always busy. Mrs. Gerts was doing something for somebody as hard as she could and all of the time. Mary Gerts was one of the kind who are always called upon to do things. If nothing presented itself she found something. She found a little lad who needed a home and she took him and cared for him till he died. One never heard an unkind word about anybody from Mary Gerts; she was unselfish, cheerful, sweet-hearted.
She found a little missionary trying to care for a group of indigent children in a ramshackle old house, with no funds, and she got some people interested and they went about making it an institution worthy of its purpose. Mary Gerts chose the name for it: Hephzibah ("My delight is in her"). Now, properly housed and matroned, it can account for practically a quarter century of ministration to His little ones.
We had with us at one time a talented teacher and lecturer on art. Miss Gerts was largely instrumental, if not the leading spirit, in calling together a hundred women to take a course of study under the leadership of Mrs. J. C. McMurphy. Thus the Sesame was founded in 1898, to become and remain an important addition to the cultural opportunities of the community. Miss Gerts served as its first president.
After a year at a private school in Boston, Miss Gerts went abroad for travel and study—she always kept her French and German—but she returned ill from a spinal trouble, probably the result of a severe injury in her early childhood. Thru a long period of suffering she was wonderfully patient and cheerful.
In 1905 she was married to Dr. Charles Boynton of Chicago, and was happy in the affection of her good husband and a little daughter. She tried to keep up her social life. She joined the Chicago Woman's club and spurred her lagging frame to efforts beyond its strength. But the overstrained nervous system rebelled, and for some years she had been but the shadow of her old, cheery self. Strange hallucinations possessed her, and on Tuesday, February 19, she gave back her troubled spirit to her Maker and is forevermore at rest within the Everlasting Peace.
Mrs. Boynton was devotedly attached to her husband and their little daughter, Georgeanna. She leaves also a sister, Kate, who is Mrs. Todd Lunsford of Muskegon, Mich., and a brother, Walter Gerts of River Forest. Nor should the faithful care and ready-mindedness of her housekeeper, Miss Lillai Mara, pass unrecorded.
The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon at the old home, 920 Lake, the Rev. William J. Taylor officiating.
—G. R. L.
Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL) 23 Feb 1918, pp. 12-13
Boynton--Mary Gerts Boynton, wife of Dr. Charles E. Boynton, daughter of the late George E. Gerts, suddenly. Funeral from late home, 920 Lake-st., Oak Park, Ill., at 2:15 p. m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
--Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb 1918, pg. 11
Daughter Georgeanna Gerts Boynton married Joseph Franklin Hobbins.
Cared for cousin Edward Murdock before her marriage.
MARY GERTS BOYNTON
Her Death Removes Beloved Figure from Community—Her Life of Helpfulness and Labor
When the two last rows of desks in the south room of our only school house seated the high school of Oak Park comfortably, there were three homes on Lake street that were represented there in large proportion: the Ingalls (now Grace church Parish House), the Gale and the Gerts homesteads. The sudden and tragic death of Mary Gerts Boynton removes the last member of that household now resident in Oak Park.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gerts came here in 1869, and from that time were prominent in the life of the village. They entertained constantly. Their house was always open and always busy. Mrs. Gerts was doing something for somebody as hard as she could and all of the time. Mary Gerts was one of the kind who are always called upon to do things. If nothing presented itself she found something. She found a little lad who needed a home and she took him and cared for him till he died. One never heard an unkind word about anybody from Mary Gerts; she was unselfish, cheerful, sweet-hearted.
She found a little missionary trying to care for a group of indigent children in a ramshackle old house, with no funds, and she got some people interested and they went about making it an institution worthy of its purpose. Mary Gerts chose the name for it: Hephzibah ("My delight is in her"). Now, properly housed and matroned, it can account for practically a quarter century of ministration to His little ones.
We had with us at one time a talented teacher and lecturer on art. Miss Gerts was largely instrumental, if not the leading spirit, in calling together a hundred women to take a course of study under the leadership of Mrs. J. C. McMurphy. Thus the Sesame was founded in 1898, to become and remain an important addition to the cultural opportunities of the community. Miss Gerts served as its first president.
After a year at a private school in Boston, Miss Gerts went abroad for travel and study—she always kept her French and German—but she returned ill from a spinal trouble, probably the result of a severe injury in her early childhood. Thru a long period of suffering she was wonderfully patient and cheerful.
In 1905 she was married to Dr. Charles Boynton of Chicago, and was happy in the affection of her good husband and a little daughter. She tried to keep up her social life. She joined the Chicago Woman's club and spurred her lagging frame to efforts beyond its strength. But the overstrained nervous system rebelled, and for some years she had been but the shadow of her old, cheery self. Strange hallucinations possessed her, and on Tuesday, February 19, she gave back her troubled spirit to her Maker and is forevermore at rest within the Everlasting Peace.
Mrs. Boynton was devotedly attached to her husband and their little daughter, Georgeanna. She leaves also a sister, Kate, who is Mrs. Todd Lunsford of Muskegon, Mich., and a brother, Walter Gerts of River Forest. Nor should the faithful care and ready-mindedness of her housekeeper, Miss Lillai Mara, pass unrecorded.
The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon at the old home, 920 Lake, the Rev. William J. Taylor officiating.
—G. R. L.
Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL) 23 Feb 1918, pp. 12-13
Boynton--Mary Gerts Boynton, wife of Dr. Charles E. Boynton, daughter of the late George E. Gerts, suddenly. Funeral from late home, 920 Lake-st., Oak Park, Ill., at 2:15 p. m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
--Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb 1918, pg. 11
Daughter Georgeanna Gerts Boynton married Joseph Franklin Hobbins.
Cared for cousin Edward Murdock before her marriage.
Her Death Removes Beloved Figure from Community—Her Life of Helpfulness and Labor
When the two last rows of desks in the south room of our only school house seated the high school of Oak Park comfortably, there were three homes on Lake street that were represented there in large proportion: the Ingalls (now Grace church Parish House), the Gale and the Gerts homesteads. The sudden and tragic death of Mary Gerts Boynton removes the last member of that household now resident in Oak Park.
Mr. and Mrs. George Gerts came here in 1869, and from that time were prominent in the life of the village. They entertained constantly. Their house was always open and always busy. Mrs. Gerts was doing something for somebody as hard as she could and all of the time. Mary Gerts was one of the kind who are always called upon to do things. If nothing presented itself she found something. She found a little lad who needed a home and she took him and cared for him till he died. One never heard an unkind word about anybody from Mary Gerts; she was unselfish, cheerful, sweet-hearted.
She found a little missionary trying to care for a group of indigent children in a ramshackle old house, with no funds, and she got some people interested and they went about making it an institution worthy of its purpose. Mary Gerts chose the name for it: Hephzibah ("My delight is in her"). Now, properly housed and matroned, it can account for practically a quarter century of ministration to His little ones.
We had with us at one time a talented teacher and lecturer on art. Miss Gerts was largely instrumental, if not the leading spirit, in calling together a hundred women to take a course of study under the leadership of Mrs. J. C. McMurphy. Thus the Sesame was founded in 1898, to become and remain an important addition to the cultural opportunities of the community. Miss Gerts served as its first president.
After a year at a private school in Boston, Miss Gerts went abroad for travel and study—she always kept her French and German—but she returned ill from a spinal trouble, probably the result of a severe injury in her early childhood. Thru a long period of suffering she was wonderfully patient and cheerful.
In 1905 she was married to Dr. Charles Boynton of Chicago, and was happy in the affection of her good husband and a little daughter. She tried to keep up her social life. She joined the Chicago Woman's club and spurred her lagging frame to efforts beyond its strength. But the overstrained nervous system rebelled, and for some years she had been but the shadow of her old, cheery self. Strange hallucinations possessed her, and on Tuesday, February 19, she gave back her troubled spirit to her Maker and is forevermore at rest within the Everlasting Peace.
Mrs. Boynton was devotedly attached to her husband and their little daughter, Georgeanna. She leaves also a sister, Kate, who is Mrs. Todd Lunsford of Muskegon, Mich., and a brother, Walter Gerts of River Forest. Nor should the faithful care and ready-mindedness of her housekeeper, Miss Lillai Mara, pass unrecorded.
The funeral was held on Thursday afternoon at the old home, 920 Lake, the Rev. William J. Taylor officiating.
—G. R. L.
Oak Leaves (Oak Park, IL) 23 Feb 1918, pp. 12-13
Boynton--Mary Gerts Boynton, wife of Dr. Charles E. Boynton, daughter of the late George E. Gerts, suddenly. Funeral from late home, 920 Lake-st., Oak Park, Ill., at 2:15 p. m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
--Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb 1918, pg. 11
Daughter Georgeanna Gerts Boynton married Joseph Franklin Hobbins.
Cared for cousin Edward Murdock before her marriage.
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