Mrs. Mary Jane Hartley, 'Mother' of North Park, Dies

Mary Jane "Jennie" (Tibbetts) Hartley, 1852-1940.  Image courtesy of HermitInTheValley (Ancestry user).

My final Hartley obituary related to my great grandfather George Henry Hartley (1878-1949) is his mother, Mary Jane "Jennie" Tibbetts":

San Diego Union (San Diego, CA) from GenealogyBank
10 Dec 1940
page 24 

Mrs. Mary Jane Hartley, 'Mother' of North Park, Dies 

Mrs. Mary Jane (Grandma) Hartley, 88, often referred to as "Mother" of the North Park district, died yesterday morning at her home, 3827 Thirty-first st.  She is survived by four children--Mary C. Reed, George H. and Paul Hartley, all of San Diego, and Mrs. Maude McDougall, of Berkeley. 

Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Plymouth Congregagional church, with the Revs. William Forshaw and N. C. Wallin officiating.  The Lewis mortuary will have charge.  Burial will be in Mt. Hope cemetery. 

Native of Iowa 

Mrs. Hartley was born in Waverly, Ia., in 1852, and her husband was James M. Hartley, who died here in 1904, after he had a far-seeing vision of the development of the North Park district, that is now populated by more than 25,000 persons. 

The Hartleys took a homestead at Dehesa.  Five of their children grew up there.
It was in 1894 that they bought 40 acres in the North Park district.  About the only living thing there then was sagebrush and jackrabbits. 

City Grows Rapidly 

It wasn't long until San Diego began having "growing pains," as Grandma Hartley used to tell friends.  Mr. Hartley said he would take up the lemon trees and put on a tract development.  He started it and the family knew his vision, and after his death a son, the late J. C. (Jack) Hartley, continued the development. 

Town lots were put on the market and homes began springing up as sage brush disappeared.  San Diego pioneers have regarded the North Park growth as one of the most remarkable in the city. 

Recalls 'Hard Times' 

In a birthday interview given eight years ago, Grandma Hartley said:
"People may think they are having hard times now, but should have been here back in '98.  We really did have a desperate struggle trying to make a livelihood.  But we got along all right, just kept smiling and did the best we could." 

Grandma Hartley led an extremely active life, and when there was a big civic gathering in the North Park district, she always was given a prominent place at the speakers' table.  High tribute was paid to her at such gatherings and friends and neighbors spoke of her in most affectionate terms. 

Enjoyed Three Hobbies 

She had three hobbies--flowers, her grandchildren and piecing quilts.  In one year she pieced 25 quilts that she gave to her children and grandchildren.  She was a member of the San Diego Pioneer society and the Women's Relief corps.  All her life in San Diego Mrs. Hartley was interested in social and philanthropic work.  She donated generously her time and money to charity work. 

Survivors listed 

There are three surviving sisters--May Jarvis, Olive Puryear and Jessie Lamb, all of San Diego.  Mrs. Dee Stevens, a daughter of Mrs. Hartley's, died two years ago.  There are 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. 

When the Hartleys settled in the North Park district and set out their lemon trees, they built a ranch house on almost the identical spot of the house in which Grandma Hartley died.

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.