A Little Treasure: Darling Mary Mulkey

Mary Nell Mulkey was born 9 July 1924 in Tennessee to Paul H. Mulkey (d. 1956) of North Carolina and Ethel Ross (d. 1960) of Georgia. This little darling only lived 4 years, 3 months, and 7 days. Her death being caused by a bacterial infection of Diphtheria. From Wikipedia -

In the 1920s, there were an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 cases of diphtheria per year in the United States, causing 13,000 to 15,000 deaths per year. Children represented a large majority of these cases and fatalities.

Mary Mulkey was laid to rest in the Harmony Church Graveyard at Blue Ridge, Fannin County, Georgia. Her parents joined her years later. The tombstone placed for Mary is topped with a lamb – a symbol of innocence and purity – and an extended epitaph was added to the back.

Darling
Mary Nell
Dau. of Mr. & Mrs. P. H. Mulkey
July 9, 1924
Oct 16, 1928

We had a little treasure once
She was our joy and pride
We loved her ah perhaps too well
For soon she slept and died
All is dark within our dwelling
Lonely are our hearts today
For the one we loved so dearly
Has forever passed away.

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