Birth place/father link from Jay Wright

Mary Matilda was the first of four children of Simon Bolivar Hanna, Sr. and Matilda Hight Hanna. She was born on April 11, 1850 in Delphi, Carroll, Indiana.

By 1855 Mary Matilda's family had moved to Polk County, Iowa. Her mother died in late 1855, and her father remarried in early 1856.

In the 1870 Federal census Mary Matilda's parents and younger siblings had moved to Jasper County, Missouri. She was married to William Columbus Rupert on April 1, 1871 in Carthage, Missouri.

The couple lived in various towns in Missouri before traveling through Kansas on their way to Oregon, which Mary decided against continuing in 1883 after the birth of their sixth child. They returned to Missouri for some years, and finally moved to Galena, Kansas by 1900. They lived in various places in the NE Oklahoma Territory before moving to Sapulpa, Oklahoma in about 1907 where they remained.

They became the parents of 16 children between 1872 and 1894: Clarence Columbus (1872-1950); Jay Burton (1874-1954); Mont Bolivar (1876-1959); Mattie Mae (1878-1961); Hallie Helene (1880-1965); Frank William (1883-1960); Golden Maud (1885-1918); Fred Bruce (1887-1939); Earl and Pearl (twins) (1889-1890); Ruby, Ray and Roy (triplets) (1891-1891); Jessie Margaret (twin)(1893-1959); Theodosia Agnes (twin)(1893-1981); and Katherine Ethel (1894-1983).

Mary Matilda and "Will" celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 1, 1921 at their home, 316 South Elm. Rev. H. L. Snider performed the ceremony, and they repeated their vows of 50 years ago. A large gathering of family and friends, many from out of town, came to celebrate with them. The Sapulpa Herald newspaper reported the event in a large article on April 2, 1921.

Mary Matilda died from senility on November 17, 1928 at her daughter, Mattie's home in Sapulpa, just four years after her beloved Will passed away. (Oklahoma Death Certificate #1858).

Survivors included 10 children, 33 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Four half-siblings also survived: Martha Ann "Hattie" Hanna Swigart (1857-1950), Knox County, Illinois; Laura Isabel "Belle" Hanna Barlow (1859-1947), Baxter Springs, Kansas; Simon Bolivar Hanna, Jr.(1861-1953), Duenwig, Missouri; and Emma Ellen Hanna Meade (1863-1947), Aurora, Missouri, along with two nephews: Mont Christy Hanna (1895-1979), Sapulpa, Oklahoma and Mark Ariles Hanna (1899-1990), Bixby, Oklahoma.

Mary Matilda's funeral was held at the First Christian Church in Sapulpa. Seven of her surviving children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren, attended. The Rev. C. B. James officiated. Buffington Funeral Home had the arrangements. She was buried beside her husband in South Heights Cemetery.