Mary Christina (Henningfield) Greiner (1877 - 1951)

Born 6 Dec 1877 in Burlington, Racine, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Nicolas Joseph Greiner — married 22 May 1900 in Rock Valley, Sioux, Iowa, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Mar 1951 at age 73 in Le Mars, Plymouth, Iowa, United States

Biography

Baptism 08 DEC 1877 • Burlington, WI, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church; originally christened as Anna Maria Fredericka Henningfield. It is unknown why her name was changed.

Surname was changed in the 1880's from Henningfeld to Henningfield. It is believed the surname was Henning in Germany.

Wedding Bells - Last Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock, the bells of St. Mary's church broke the stillness of the morning, harrolding forth the gladsome tidings of the marriage of Mr. Nichols to Miss May C. Henningfield. The church was filled with friends and relations, all brim full of congratulations and good wishes. After the ceremony the happy couple repaired to the home of the bride where they partook of the wedding breakfast. Mr. Greiner is a young man of whom Rock Valley may justly feel proud. For the past six years he has made his home among us. His frank, manly face with its genial smile has won all to friendship, while his honesty and clean judgment are fast making for him an envious name. The bride has passed the greater part of her young life among the hills and vales of Sioux county. No sorrow or care came to blight her life, and she gives with her hand a name free from any taint and a character as unsullied as the blue sky of heaven. We too extend congratulations to these two young people as they ripple the placid surface of the matrimonial sea with their frail bark of double blessedness. May no cloud obscure the sunshine of this May day wedding, but their journey be happy and successful.

Happily Mated - Two Rock Valley People Join Their Hearts Forever Another household was established in Rock Valley on last Tuesday morning at St. Mary's Catholic church at nine o'clock when Mr. Nicholas Greiner and Miss Mary Henningfield entered into the solemn compact of holy matrimony. Rev. Father Phelan pronounced the beautiful Catholic ring service which made them man and wife. Just at the appointed hour the musical notes sounded and the contracting parties entered the church. The groom came first, accompanied by the bridesmaid Miss Anna Henningfield, sister of the bride, then followed the bride supported by the arm of her brother Frank as groomsman. The bride was beautifully costumed in pale blue silk with veil and wreath of flowers. The bridesmaid also wore silk, a shade darker of blue than worn by the bride. The groom and best man were attired in stylish suits of conventional black. Mrs. Greiner is well known in Rock Valley, being one of her best daughters. Possessed of a sweet cheerful temperament, she is an apt hand in those things which will make house a haven for herself and husband. She is a prize and her husband is receiving the hearty congratulations of his friends on having won her for his home maker and wife. Mr. Greiner is one of Rock Valley's young business men. Enterprise, vim and progressiveness are characteristics with him. As a friend he is valued by all. Ever smiling and good natured he has made hosts of friendships and is esteemed a worthy citizen and one of the leading business man of the town. He will make a good husband. After the ceremony at the church a delicious wedding breakfast was partaken of at the home of the bride's parents. At 6:30 the worthy couple entertained a few of their friends at tea and later in the evening their numerous friends all united in the participation of a wedding ball at Parden's Hall. Here good music for lovers of the light fantastic dance and bounteous refreshments for all were furnished and the occasion was heartily enjoyed. The wedding was a propitious event and The Bee only wishes that it may ever be as pleasant for Mr. and Mrs. Greiner as at the commencement.

Last Rites for Mrs. Mary Greiner Held Here Today: Last rites for Mrs. Mary Greiner, 74, were held this morning at 9 o’clock as St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Fr. David McGoey officiated. Burial was made in St. Mary’s Cemetery (Rock Valley, Iowa). Mrs. Greiner died at the LeMars hospital on Monday morning, March 5. She was born on December 6, 1877, at Burlington, Wisconsin, and was united in marriage to Nicholas Greiner of Rock Valley on May 22, 1900. Two sons were born to this union. Survivors include one son, Henry, of Anoka, Minn.; a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lucy (Gacke) Greiner of Mt. View, Calif., a sister, Mrs. H. Rudloff of Crawford, Neb.; a brother, Frank Henningfeld, Reseda, Calif.; and three grandchildren. Her husband and a son, Frank, preceded her in death. (Rock Valley Bee March 8, 1951)

Mrs. Greiner, of Rock Valley Dies: Funeral services were held on Thursday morning for Mrs. Mary Greiner who died Monday, March 5th. Mrs. Greiner has been in poor health for some time. She passed away in the Sacred Heart Hospital in LeMars. Mary Henningfeld was born at Burlington, Wisc, on December 6, 1877. She was united in marriage to Nicholas Greiner in Rock Valley, May 22, 1900. Two sons were born to this union, one of whom preceded her in death. She is survived by one son Henry of Anoka, Minn., daughter-in-law Lucy Gacke Greiner of Mt. View, Calif., a sister Mrs. Henry Rudloff of Crawford, Nebr; a brother Frank Henningfeld of Reseda, Calif, and three grandchildren. Her son and her husband preceded her in death. Pallbearers to bear her to her last resting place in St. Mary’s Cemetery were Henry Kaskie, Herman Vandeer Well, C.H. Schemmer, Walter McNamara, William Gacke and Emmet Scanlan. (Sioux City News March 15, 1951)

The year after losing her 53-year old husband (1933), Mary lost her 85-year old father. The year ended happily, however, with the birth of another grandson - Robert Anthony Greiner.

Mary was slender, 5'7" or 5'8" in height. She wore her gray hair pulled back in a bun. She lived next door to her son Frank and his family, and across the street from her son Henry and his family and was always a good housekeeper. Extremely religious, she went to each of the Sunday masses and prayed her rosary during mass.

Lorraine Dunn recalls:

I went to Mary's home when I returned to Rock Valley after I was married. One night, I woke up and heard her praying. She prayed endlessly. I remember when she and I were the only ones for the night at a wake. and we prayed. She loved the rosary. She had no German accent but would say grace in German. She used to sit on her porch with her grandson, and give him the cores of cut cabbage and apples to eat. She loved to use old saying and emphasized words with strong nodding.

As accounted by Irene Greiner Curtright:

We lived right across the street from grandpa Nic and grandma Mary. She always kept her house immaculate and we were only allowed through the front door on special occasions. She had a front parlor with doors that slid into the walls. On Christmas or Easter or other special occasions - like my birthday - I was allowed to sit on the hallway floor and she would open the doors so I could look into the parlor. I was never allowed in there and Heaven forbid I should ever touch one of her things. There were paintings on the wall and a beautiful carpet on the floor. The furniture was covered with velvet and looked new (probably because no one was ever allowed to sit on it). Hand painted china and gleaming silver serving pieces were scattered around the room. I was just in awe. After a short time, grandma Mary would come and close the doors so not too much dust would get in.

Mary eventually moved into a nursing home in LeMars Iowa, where she died on March 5, 1951. She is buried beside her husband in St. Mary's Cemetery in Rock Valley.

Rock Valley Bee - 6-16-1911

Mrs. Nic Greiner and children went to Bancroft, Iowa, to visit relatives

Last Rites for Mrs. Mary Greiner

Last rites for Mrs. Mary Greiner, 74, were held this morning at 9 o'clock at St. Mary's Church. Father David McGoey officiated. Burial was made in St. Mary's Cemetery.

Mrs. Greiner died at the LeMars (Iowa) hospital on Monday morning, March 5 (1951). She was born on December 6, 1877, at Burlington, Wisconsin and was united in marriage to Nicholas Greiner on May 22, 1900. Two sons were born to this union.

Survivors include one son, Henry, of Anoka, Minnesota, a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lucy (Gacke) Greiner of Mountain View California, a sister (Anna) Mrs. H. (Henry) Rudloff of Crawford, Nebraska, a brother Frank Henningfeld of Reseda, California and three grandchildren (Irene Greiner of Anoka; Robert and Francis of Mountain View). Her husband and a son, Frank, preceded her in death.

NOTE: She was also survived by Henry's wife Margaret Rader Greiner

NOTE: As Mary had only one surviving son - Henry - her entire estate was willed to him. He the lived in Anoka, Minnesota, but of course traveled with his wife and daughter to Rock Valley for the funeral renting a truck in which to load up the household goods. After Henry and his family attended the funeral and the dinner afterward, he and some friends went to pack up the truck. When they arrived at his parents' house however (less than a block north of the church, everything was gone except the piano. He later found out some of Mary's distant relatives had skipped the funeral mass, burial and dinner, emptied the household and left town. The piano was probably too heavy or too awkward to move. Not wanting to start a family feud by demanding the remainder of the estate be returned, he loaded up the piano to take back to Anoka. Henry, his daughter Irene and Irene's daughter Cynthia all played. After Irene' s death, Cynthia moved to a small apartment in which the piano didn't fit. As such one of Frank's daughters came to take it home with her so - to this day - it remains in the family. 11 Jan 2019

Sources

• Personal Information
• 1885 Iowa State census Settlers, Sioux Co., IA
• 1900 Federal census Rock, Sioux Co., IA (spelled Griner)
• 1930 Federal census, Rock Valley, Sioux Co., IA (spelled Greener)
• newspaper articles as cited above
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 January 2019), memorial page for Mary C Greiner (1877–1951), Find A Grave Memorial no. 69453847, citing Saint Marys Cemetery, Rock Valley, Sioux County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by Bruce Braaten (contributor 47314418) .