The computer-generated transcript of this page:
Mrs. Thrall's obituary, dated July 7, 1897, mentions only
the barest facts about this woman. At her, death she was about
sixty five years old and widowed. Her only sibling, a brother,
preceded her in death as did an infant child. Her husband had made his fortune in a grocery firm in New York City and Middletown. She had donated the land and money for what came to be known as Thrali Hospital and Thrall Park in the early 1890's
while she yet lived. In the prose of the day the writer of Mrs.
Thrall's obituary explained, "she had a naturally bright and sunny disposition, and was surrounded by friends, who always were
pleased to have her visit them... Possessed of ample means she
could not enjoy them as she might have, had not disease laid its stern hand upon her.". Her estate at her death was estimated at
between $200,000 and $250,000.**
It was actually in the Codicil of Mrs. Thrall's W111 executed on or about June 26, 1897, that $30,000 was provided for
the construction of a public library building on City owned land.
This generous act which resulted in a public 11brary which was in
use for more than ninety years had unexpected financial and legal
consequences st111 being felt today. The pertinent part of the
Codicil provides that: