Mason Pressly - From Reverend To Physician

Mason Pressly's (3rd) wife was Mary Almy Richmond.  Her biography is featured in my Richmond & Connected Lineages blog.  It was my interest in the Richmond family* found in the Joshua Richmond Bailey, Richmond Family book, that led to Mason Pressly.  *My family's entry in the book

A search for Mason Pressly found this site, Bovina (NY) History, that introduced me to the interesting aspect of Mary Almy Richmond's husband, Mason Pressly.  He changed professions; from the ministry to osteopathy.

Mr. Pressly was a co-founder of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  See a photo of Dr. Pressly here at Amazon.com.  From  "The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary History of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine: A Condensed Record of the Courage, Convictions, and the Transcending Determination of the Early Osteopathic Pioneers, and those who have since Carried on their Concept of Better Healing and Health Care":

Of such magnitude was the Rev. Dr. Mason Wiley Pressly, a fiery Presbyterian minister from Coddle Creek, N. C. with degrees from Erskine College and Princeton Theological Seminary along with honors m literary composition and oratory. He was about to spouse osteopathic therapeutics as a second profession. Dr. Pressly at age 39 would receive his D.O. degree shortly after making the compact with his younger partner, Oscar John Snyder, who at 31 would finish a year later at the Northern Institute of Osteopathy with the class of 1899. 

Note: As a reverend, Mason Pressley's Decoration Day oration at Hamilton, Ohio, praising Union soldiers was not well received in his southern home. 

Doctor Mason Pressly, who was born on 24 July in 1859 in Coddle Creek, North Carolina, was living on Spring Garden Street in Philadelphia with his first wife and family in 1900.

United States Census, 1900

residence: Philadelphia city, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 Mason Pressly M

spouse C Annie Pressly F

child Mason Pressly M

child A Frederick Pressly M

child H Carrie Pressly F

child S Martha Pressly F

E Maggie Caboy F

A death notice was published in the Charlotte [NC] Observer on 20 September 1904, for Mrs. Annie Worth Pressly, who died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She was a niece of the late Governor Worth.

According to the New York Times, Dr. Pressly discovered a new disease.

New York, Marriages, 1686-1980

groom's name: Mason Wylie Pressly

bride's name: Olive Rupertus [Olive in the 1900 census here]

marriage date: 18 Jan 1905

marriage place: Manhattan, New York, New York

groom's father's name: J E Pressly

groom's mother's name: Martha Herrord [Sherrod?]

bride's father's name: John H. Rupertus

bride's mother's name: Annie Mceuen

Olive Rupertus was a 1904 graduate of the Osteopathic College in Philadelphia, PA.

United States Census, 1910
residence: Clementon, Camden, New Jersey
  Mason W Pressley M 45y
spouse Olive Pressley F 29y
child Jeanne R Pressley F 4y
child Veatrice Pressley F 1y 2m
child Caroline H Pressley F 21y
child Martha Pressley F 18y
Angeline Mayfield F 17y

The Philadelphia Inquirer published a death notice for Olive Pressly on 27 December 1910.

California, Death Index, 1940-1997

name: Mason W Pressly

event date: 24 Jan 1942

event place: Los Angeles, California, United States

birth date: 23 Jul 1859

birthplace: North Carolina

gender: Male

father: Pressly

mother: Sherard

WHO'S WHO IN CALIFORNIA 

PRESSLY, Mason Wylie, clergyman, author; b. Coddle Creek. Cabar- 
rus Co.. N.C.. July 24. 1859; s. John Ebenezer (D.D.) and Martha (Sherrard) m. Annie Clarkson Worth, of Asheville, N.C.,Dec. 21. 1884; children— Mason Wylie Jr., Fred Arthur (dec), Caroline 

Hall, Martha Sherrard; 

m. 2nd. Mary Richmond, of La Jolla. Calif., Jan. 20,1924. 

Democrat. Address: 204-12 Coast Blvd.. Richmond Court-by-the-sea. La Jolla.