Thursday, March 7, 2019

REHOBOTH HISTORY MARY ANN MEREDITH SULLIVAN OF MARY ANN INN OLIVE AVENUE.

REHOBOTH BEACH HISTORY
MARY ANN MEREDITH SULLIVAN
PROMINENT CITIZEN
During my newspaper research I came across an ad in the Rehoboth Coast Press News in the
year 1931 for Mary Sullivan's “Halsey By The Sea Inn” on Brooklyn Avenue. I do not know
just where it was . I do know Brooklyn Avenue is a short street, a block and half off the middle of Philadelphia Street to the boardwalk. In 1936, there was the Star of the Sea Catholic Church on the
SE corner at Boardwalk and Brooklyn. I also think there was a summer retreat for Catholic Nuns between Brooklyn and Hickman Streets. On the beach at the ocean and Brooklyn are the ship wrecks
of Rehoboth.
The question I have here is this the Mary Ann Meredith Sullivan that was at 8 Olive Avenue
with the Mary Ann Inn later I the 1930's My answer is “it has to be cause there are no more Mary Ann Sullivans listed in the census of Rehoboth” in that time. Her obituary has her coming to Rehoboth in 1927 to become a beloved friend and prominent citizen of Rehoboth Beach.
Mary Ann Sullivan's name was synonymous with Rehoboth Beach, not only with the
permanent residents but with the summer visitors as well. Practically an institution, she had her hand
in the town projects, it's welfare for the aged and underprivileged , a moving spirit in the
establishment of the Epworth Methodist Cemetery as it's finance chairman while on the official
board of stewards, president of Epworth Woman's Society, member of Rebekah Lodge and Chamber of Commerce.
Mary Ann Merideth was born 16 October 1889 in Caroline Maryland, perhaps the village of
American Corners near Federalsburg, to Alfonso and Anna Wilhelmina Horsey Merideth, Alfonso being from Stockton, Worcester County, Wilhelmina born in Caroline County.
Mary Ann Meredith married around 1915 to Howard Peter Sullivan , born 3 November 1889 in Caroline County Maryland and died 1965 in Baltimore. In 1915 Mary Ann and Howard were living in the Bronx, New York, he was a stenographer , there they had their son Howard , Jr., in 1915 and daughter Elleen in 1917. In 1920 census the Sullivans were living in Denton Maryland.
Mary Ann Meredith Sullivan, at age 69, died 4 April 1958 in El Paso Texas, then living with her daughter's family I nearby Alamogodo, New Mexico.
Her body lay in state in the parlor of the Olive Avenue Mary Ann Inn of Rehoboth, where it was estimated 1000 persons paid tribute. The Epworth pastor, Rev. Ira Doyle, conducted the service and she was buried in the Epworth Cemetery. Surving are Howard, her husband, daughter Mrs. James Steel of Almagordo, New Mexico, two sisters, Daisy Rice of Denton and Ruth Finley of Philadelphia.

Abstract: Newspaper Abstract, Delaware Coast Press, Ancestry.com, by Harrison H. for
www,delmarhistory.blogspot.com & facebook's 'growing up in Rehoboth'
page. 03/07/19

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