LESHER, Mary Elizabeth

Mrs. Mary Major Lesher Claimed By Death Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Lesher, 80, resident of Yavapai county for more than 70 years, died yesterday in a local hospital, following a long illness. She had resided in Cottonwood for a number of years. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon in the Baptist church in Cottonwood, with the Rev. Henry R. Buhler officiating. Burial will be in the Cottonwood cemetery. The Hunter-Dougylass mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Lesher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Watt Barrington, was born near Little Rock, Ark., April 23, 1871. The family moved to Phoenix when she was 10 years old and soon afterwards came to Prescott. They lived for some time in the Groom Creek area, where Mr. Barrington was interested in mining. Mrs. Lesher's first husband was Frank Major, who died in 1924. She was married in 1931 to John Lesher, who died in 1943. She was the mother of nine children, six of whom survive: Mrs. Ray (Younda) Wolfe, of Tapco; Mrs. William (Kathryn) Fitzgerald, of Prescott; Mrs. Johnston A. (Ruth) Born, Mrs. Grace Boren, Harry Major, of Cottonwood; and Paul Major, of Morenci. There are 19 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren. The Irving D. Major Post, American Legion, was named for her son, who lost his life in France in World War I. Another son, Ben Major, was awarded the Carnegie Medal for heroism for pulling a live fuse which threatened the life of a fellow miner trapped in a rock slide in the open pit mine of the United Verde in Jerome. He died in Cottonwood and another son, Charles Major, died in Clarkdale. Mrs. Lesher was never out of the county except on two occasions: once, as a member of the party of Gold Star Mothers who visited France, and the other, a trip to the Grand Canyon, when she was 62 years old. Found in Newspaper by Patricia Ruth Major Miller. Patricia is the granddaughter of Mary Elizabeth Barrington Major Lesher. Mary Elizabeth's mother was Elizabeth Ann Shanberger Barrington whose mother was Elisabeth Heckert Shanberger born 8 October 1818 in the Duchy of Hesse, Germany.