Person:Mary Wecker (1)

    Mary Wecker was born  February 15, 1827 in Burglinster, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg per photograph death card and her obituary in the  bellevue, Iowa Newspaper. Mary immigrated with husband Matt Shiltz shortly after their marriage in 1850 according to her obituary, however the 1900 Federal Census list her immigration date as 1857. This date is not possible since son John Shiltz was born in Iowa in 1855. 
    In the 1860 Federal Census Dudley, Mary, and family are living in Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa.  

Dudley Devlin, age 45, Born Ireland, Farmer Mary Devlin, age 32 Mary Devlin, age 2, Born Iowa Eliza Devlin, age 1, Born Iowa John Shilas, age 5, Born Iowa

    In August 1862 her husband Dudlkey Devlin enlisted to fight in the Civil War. He was to serve 3 years but didn't even serve a year before being discharged. 
     In the 1870 Federal Census Page# 9,  Dudley, Mary,  and family are living in Bellevue Jackson County, Iowa.

Dudley Devlin, age 55, Born Ireland, Value of Real Estate 3000, Value of Personal Estate 1800, Farmer Mary Devlin, age 40 Mary Devlin, age 13, Born Iowa Elizabeth Devlin, age 11, Born Iowa Edward Devlin, age 9, Born Iowa Margaret Devlin, age 7, Born Iowa James Devlin, age 6, Born Iowa Phillip Devlin, age 3, Born Iowa Nicholas Devlin, age 3, Born Iowa Sarah Devlin, age 1, Born Iowa

    Mary's husband Dudley Devlin committed suicide July 22, 1873.   After Dudley's death continued collecting his disability pension thinking it was right to sign his name and not report his death. After about 15 years this was found out and the pension cancelled. On July 23, 1890 Mary applied ( Application #435338) for a widow's pension with the help of Jon Weiss and others. The certificate # was 295067. No papers showing she got it. Later December 1912 tried again.
    In the 1880 Federal Census Mary and family are living in Bellevu, Jackson County, Iowa. Two of her sons are living with her brother Bottis Wecker.

Mary Develn, Self, age 52, Born Luxembourg, Keeping Houe Johan Shiltz, Son, age 25,Born Iowa, Farmer, Parents born Luxembourg Philip Develn, Son, age 12, Born Iowa, Farm Laborer Nickolas Develn, Son, age 12, Born Iowa, Farm Laborer Mary Develn, Daughter, age 17, Born Iowa Sarah Develn, Daughter, age 10, Born Iowa, At Home

          On the 1900 Federal Census Mary is living in Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa.

Mary Develin, Head, age 71, Born February 1827 Germany, 9 of 13 children still living, Widow, Immigration 1857, 43 yrs. in United States

    Mary died July 22, 1913 at her daughter Mary Ann Devlin Dempewolf's home in Blaine, Pottowatomie County, Kansas, according to her obituary and her photograph death card. According to her greatgrandson Merrill Geraghty, Mary was the second person buried at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Blaine, Pottawatomie County, Kansas.

                                                                     FORMER RESIDENT DIES

    Miss Mary Wecker was born in Burchlinster, Luxembourg in 1827 and died at Blaine, Kans., July 23, 1913 of old age.
    She was married to Matt Shiltz in 1850, and shortly after sailed for America, locating at Bellevue, Iowa. Mr. Shiltz died four months after their arrival. In 1853 she was married to Dudley Devlin. Mr. Devlin

served four years in the civil war was wounded and contracted a disease which caused his death in 1873.

    Mrs. Devlin was the mother of nine children, all of whom survive her: John Shiltz of New Cambria, Mo., Mrs. Mary Peters of Dubuque, Mrs. Lizzie Sholtes of Lamotte, Mrs. Sara Weis of Paxton, S.D., Ed and Nick and Philip Devlin, Woonsoocket, S.D., James Devlin, Chile, South America, Mrs. Mary Ann Dempewolf of Blaine Kans., where she was at the time of her death.
    Grandma Devlin as she was familiarly known in her home neighborhood was a woman of strong personality and keen intellect. At the age of 86 she was youthful in spirit and did not look older than 65. Her memory never failed. Her cheerful disposition was felt by all whom she came in contact with and will be missed most by the grandchildren with whom she spent the last few days of her life and froliced with just a few hours before her death. 
    She realized that death was approaching and was very anxious to live until after the return of a friend from Luxumburg, her early home.
    She was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery at Blaine, Kans.
    "Tis hard to break the tender cord
    When love has bound the heart
 'Tis hard, so hard, to speak the words
    Must we forever part
    Dearest Grandma, we have laid thee
        In the peaceful grave's embrace
    But thy memory will be cherished
      'Till we see thy heavenly face."

Dudley Devlin was a member of the 31st Iowa infantry. They were sent to the Western theater of the Civil War where Ulysses Grant and William T Sherman were attempting to capture or defeat all Confederate forts and towns along the Mississippi , among other strategies. Dudley Devlin's regiment was involved in Sherman's Chickasaw Bayou and Chickasaw Bluffs Expeditions and the the fighting at Arkansas Post.

  The army was attempting to approach Vicksburg, which they eventually did, in capturing the city in July 1863.

Dudley Devlin sustained a leg injury in the bayou campaign leading up to the Vicksburg campaign. A total of 1177 were mustered into this infantry regiment. Of those men one officer and 27 enlisted men were killed in action or died of their wounds and three officers and 272 enlisted men died of disease for a total of 303 fatalities. Dudley Devlin was officially discharged in early 1863 due to his injuries. Many of his fellow soldiers succumbed to sickness those first 4 months of 1863 when they were camped at Young's Point, Louisiana. Dudley Devlin's discharge papers were from here. Devlin died a few years later at Bellevue, Iowa. It was this honorary discharge which allowed Mary his wife to receive a pension for so many years. He was not a young man when he served (in his late 40's). The continued pain and disabling effect of his leg injury hindered him until his death in performing duties on the farm. He is buried on a wooded hilltop on Daugherty's farm in Bellevue, Iowa about a mile west of the Mississippi River. Some of his fellow 31st regiment mates are buried in the cemetaries around and in Bellevue also.