-
Birth name
Mary Belle Blake
-
Place of Birth
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
-
Place of Death
Howard Community Hospital, Kokomo, Indiana, US
-
Burial Place
Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery, Kokomo, Inidana, US
Documented History
On 16 January 1908, Mary Elizabeth Beyl and Charles Arthur Blake had a little girl at 3 pm. They named her Mary Belle Blake.

They lived at 634 East Georgia Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, at the time. Charles was 30, and Mary was 29. Charles was a solicitor and driver.

According to the 1910 United States Federal Census, Mary Belle Blake lived at 910 Bates Street, Center Township, Indiana, with her parents, Charles Arthur Blake and Mary Elizabeth Blake, and her sister, Helen Marie Blake. Charles was 31 years old at the time, and Mary was 30. Helen was 10 years old, and Mary was 2 years old. Charles was a wagon driver for an Oil company.
Marriage
Mary married Richard McNally on November 23, 1928, according to Indiana Marriage Indexes, Indiana Marriage Certificates, and the US Newspapers Marriage Index.

Based on information from the 1930 United States Federal Census, in 1930, in the bustling city of Indianapolis, Mary McNally, a 22-year-old homemaker, resided with her husband Richard in a modest home on Randolph Street. Born in Indiana around 1908, Mary had tied the knot at the age of 21. She and her husband could read and write, with a strong command of the English language. Their small household of two reflected a close-knit family unit, rooted in their Indiana heritage. The McNallys’ dwelling, nestled in Ward 10 of the city, stood as a testament to their early journey into married life in the heart of Marion County.

On Tuesday, June 05, 1934, a legal notice in The Kokomo Tribune notified Mary that she was a defendant in a cause pending in the Howard Circuit Court entitled Union Bank & Trust Company regarding a petition to sell real estate to pay debts. The notification said she needed to appear before the judge on July 14, 1934.

Based on information from the 1940 United States Federal Census 1940, in Kokomo, Indiana, Mary McNally, a 32-year-old married woman, resided with her husband Richard and their three sons. Mary, a white female born in Indiana around 1908, had completed the third year of high school but did not attend school or college in 1939. Despite not working or having any income that year, Mary was part of a household of five, living on Plate Street at house number 1026. The family had been residents of Kokomo since 1935 and did not live on a farm. The details of their household, including the presence of three young sons, paint a picture of a family unit amid the challenges and circumstances of the time.

Mary’s husband, Richard, registered for the WWII Draft at 34 years old while living at 1026 S Plate Street in Kokomo, Indiana. He lists his birthdate as September 1, 1906, in Rochester, New York. He worked at Continental Steel at the time.

According to the 1950 City Directory for Kokomo, Indiana, Mary and Richard lived at 1423 S Wabash Avenue, and Richard worked as a steelworker at Continental Steel.

Based on information from the 1950 United States Federal Census 1950, Mary B McNally, a 41-year-old married woman, resided at 1423 Wabash Street in Kokomo, Indiana. She worked as a Receiving Inspector in a radio factory, working 40 hours a week. Mary completed 11th grade and was part of a household of five, including her husband Richard L McNally and their three sons. With an income of $2268, Mary contributed to the family’s financial stability. Born in Indiana to American parents, Mary’s role as a working wife and mother in the bustling town of Kokomo paints a picture of a woman dedicated to her family and career in the evolving industrial landscape of post-war America.
Death
Mary Belle passed away on 31 May 1979 at Howard Community Hospital in Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana. She was married to Richard McNally, who was a Laborer with Delco Electronics. Her birthdate is listed as 16 January 1908. They had been living at 1911 W. Madison Street, Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana.

Her father is listed as Charles A. Blake, and her mother is listed as Unknown. Her cause of death appears to have been Corcunda of the bladder, which seems to be related to bladder cancer. She was also dehydrated. She was 71 years old when she passed.

According to her obituary in The Kokomo Tribune on Thursday, May 31, 1979, Mary was 71 years old and lived at 1911 W. Madison Street when she died at 12:33 am on the same day. She was in Howard Community Hospital at the time. It confirms her birthdate of January 16, 1908, in Indianapolis, and confirms her father was Charles Arthur Blake. It also confirms her husband was Richard L. McNally, whom she married on November 23, 1928, and that her three sons were Richard, Ralph, and Robert McNally. Robert lived in Sharpsville while Richard Jr and Ralph lived in Kokomo. Mary was employed by Delco Electronics’ Division and was a member of First Christian Church, Order of Eastern Star, and United Auto Workers, Local 292.

Mary Belle was buried at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery in Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana, on 2 June 1979, according to her obituary and Indiana Death Certificates, 1899-2011. This is confirmed along with her birth and death dates on her U.S. Find A Grave Index record. Her husband and three sons are listed on the Find A Grave record as Richard L. McNally, Richard A. McNally, Robert Andrew McNally, and Ralph Frederick McNally. According to the Howard County, Indiana, U.S., Cemetery Index, Mary rests in Section 2, Row 12, Lot/Crypt 15, Grave 1 of Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery.

So that’s what I have for Mary Belle Blake at the moment. As always, I will update this page as I find additional information on her life story. If you know something, I’d love for you to let me know in the comments section below.
Until next time,
~Kris

Mary Belle Blake
(1908 - 1979)