Mary Ellison Baars, née Dunwody, was the wife of Henry Baars.
| Mary Ellison Baars | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 10, 1855 |
| Died | 1923 |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
| Spouse | Henry Baars |
| Parents | John Franklin and Annie Bryan Dunwody |
| Children | John Ernest Baars Theo Dunwody Baars Annie Ellison Henry Baars, Jr. Four more died in infancy |
Henry and Mary Ellison met after the Civil War, as Henry was re-establishing his company's office in Savannah, Georgia. They were married, and in 1870 Henry elected to move to Pensacola, where lumbering prospects seemed far better. From 1871 forward, fortune smiled upon the Baars. They had eight children, four of whom survived infancy.
Throughout their married life, Henry and Mary Ellison Baars enjoyed a unique "game". On gift giving occasions, he would ask her what she wanted, and she would respond: "Just buy me a piece of land." Baars did, and eventually Mary Ellison's holdings exceeded 6000 acres, all in the path of the city's growth. At one time, the Baars built a mansion on the city's perimeter. Mary Ellison intended to develop the surrounding area with vacation homes for wealthy northerners; however, the plan was scrapped when economic conditions soured, and the area was eventually developed as the Cordova Park neighborhood.
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