Mary Levinson Block’s interment

Mary Levinson Block (1837-1916), Solomon Block’s wife, passed away 11 July 1916 in Chicago. Census records show this likely was ‘our’ Mary Block and she had a journey in death.

1. In 1900, one Lillie Block resided in Chicago and she was working as a music teacher- she had been born February 1866 in Arkansas.
2. In 1910 Mary  Block, Lillie and Georgia comprised a household on Calumet Ave. in Chicago: Mary Block (72, born abt 1838); Lillie C Block (44, born abt 1866) was working as a ‘piano teacher’ ‘at home’; Georgia Block (42 born abt 1868) was working as a ‘stenographer’ at a ‘publishing house’.
3. On the 1870 Census in Camden, Arkansas, Mary (born abt 1838) and Georgia (born abt 1868) appear however there is a daughter born the year of Lillie C. Block but the name was enumerated as ‘celestithia’ .
4. These names and birth dates are consistent with information on the 1880 Census of the Block family in New Orleans (Mary born abt 1838, Lillie c. born abt 1866 and Georgia born abt 1868).

Cemetery records show Mary Block’s ‘s remains were taken to Graceland Cemetery on Chicago’s North side (4001 N Clark St.) for storage on 12  July 1916 and were removed to Camden, Arkansas on 10 Dec 1916. At that time, the cemetery used an underground receiving vault for storage as burials could not be done when the ground was frozen (there were also delays in burial when families could not decide on a final resting place).

Since 1860, Graceland Cemetery has been the focus of architects and planners – so much so that it’s usually defined by its association with and final resting place of many members of the renowned style of the Chicago School of Architecture. Graceland also shines historically, having attracted many of Chicago’s most prominent families and some of the world’s most famous citizens. The list of famous, as well as infamous, Chicagoans is so impressive, we’re pleased to help you get to know many of them here on our website.