Southampton County-Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Pretlow, Mary D., 1959 

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MARY DENSON PRETLOW

MARY D. PRETLOW DIES, WAS FORMER LIBRARIAN

   NORFOLK - Funeral services for Miss Mary Denson Pretlow, Norfolk City 
librarian from 1917 to 1947, will be conducted at the graveside in Beechwood 
Cemetery, Southampton County, Thursday at 4 p.m.  The body will be taken from 
the H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments to the cemetery.

   Miss Pretlow, a member of a widely known Virginia family, died in a Norfolk 
hospital Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. after having been in failing health for some 
time.

   A native of Southampton County, Miss Pretlow was born on Marle Hill 
Plantation, and was the daughter of the late Joshua and Mrs. Ann Elizabeth 
Butler Pretlow.  Her father's ancestors had resided on the plantation for 300 
years.  Her mother was a native of Petersburg.

   Miss Pretlow resided at 521 Raleigh Ave.

   Her earliest education was obtained in her father's home under governesses. 
She later attended several private schools and graduated from the Episcopal 
Institute in Winchester.  Then she enrolled in the Library Training Class of 
the New York Public Library.

   Upon completing the course, Miss Pretlow was placed in charge of branch 
libraries in the New York area.  In 1909 she became a librarian in St. Louis. 
She supervised two branches of the St. Louis library system until 1917 when 
she succeeded William Henry Sargeant as Norfolk city librarian.

   The Sargeant Memorial Room at the main library was established collection, 
relates to early Norfolk and Virginia history.

   She retired in May 1947, and was succeeded by John A. Norton, former 
assistant librarian of Providence, R.I.  After her retirement, Miss Pretlow 
continued to reside in Norfolk.

   Miss Pretlow was a Democrat and was active for many years in Norfolk 
political circles.  In 1949 she was named to the Democratic State Central 
Committee.

   She was a member of the Council of Thirty Tidewater Women, the Assn. for 
the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and the Woman's Council for 
Interracial Co-operation.  She was also a member of the Norfolk World War II 
History Committee, the Woman's Club of Norfolk, the Norfolk Society of Arts 
and the Order of Cape Henry 1607.

   She was also one of the founders of the Norfolk Little Theatre and a member 
of the grup that organized the Norfolk Forum.

   Surviving are one sister, Mrs. John D. Abbitt of Norfolk; three nieces, 
Mrs. Harvey Lindsey of Norfolk, Mrs. Frances H. Kales of York, Pa., and Mrs. 
Sidney F. Pollard of Portsmouth and six nephews, Pretlow Darden of Norfolk, 
Colgate W. Darden, Jr. of Charlottesville, Joshua Pretlow of Chuckatuck, 
William T. Woodley of Beechwood, Southampton County, John D. Abbitt, Jr. of 
Franklin and William Henry Abbitt of Richmond.


Mary Denson PRETLOW, of Norfolk, retired librarian, 
Southampton Co. native, d. 16 Jun 1959, Norfolk, age 83, 
interred in "Jerico" ("Beechwood") Cemetery*, Jun 1959, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Jun 1959 

*This Beechwood plantation is now called Jerico.  Also known as Marle Hill, 
   it was the home of Governor Colgate W. Darden, Jr.  Her parents and 
   paternal grandparents are also buried there. 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Vol. 3 (III- 43-47): 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/miscvol3.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/p634m1ob.txt