Mary Matteson Wilbur, 1872-1957

Mary Matteson Wilbur (1872-1957) was born in Seville, Ohio, to Horace Elias Matteson and Mary (Hulburt) Matteson. She grew up with one sister, Ida, and five brothers: Charles Freemont, Claude Lorraine, Clifford Virgil, Halsey Hulburt "Burt," and David Maydole "Dick." Mary graduated from Seville High School in 1888 and in 1890 attended the Spencerian College of Stenography in Cleveland, Ohio. Between 1891 and 1893, she worked as a secretary at an insane asylum outside of Cleveland, Ohio. After leaving the asylum, Mary studied voice and music at Ohio Wesleyan University, but with the encouragement of friends, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to study voice, and lived there on and off between 1894 and 1897. She eventually obtained a position as a voice instructor at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, teaching there for three years. Mary continued her interest in music throughout her life.

In 1901, Mary and Hollis Adelbert Wilbur married in Seville, Ohio. Hollis (1874-1964) was born in Honeoye, New York, to Dr. Leonidas Franklin Wilbur (graduated Harvard Medical School, 1856) and Caroline Frances Martin. Hollis worked his way up in the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), becoming general secretary of the Dayton (Ohio) YMCA, during which time its membership doubled. The young couple spent the early part of their marriage in Dayton, Ohio, then in 1909 moved to Japan, where Hollis became general secretary of the Kobe YMCA. Mary and Hollis had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood: Elizabeth (1904-2001), C. (Clarence) Martin (1908-1997), and Halsey (1912-2000); Hollis Jr. lived 7 months and Rosemary lived three weeks.

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