Notes for Mary Louise MCCARTHY

Descendants of
Captain Robert Brown
1809 – 1894

Notes for Mary Louise MCCARTHY

The genealogy that was developed by Louise and her granddaughter Eileen Rothwell Richardson says her name was Louise Mary. aka Mary Louise, Louise M., M. Louise. Her birth cirtificate and the social security death index for her says Mary Louise so that is what I have used. In any case she went by Louise. Most of the other sources have it as Louise Mary , . Data I have received from her notes and from Eileen Rothwell Richardson list her as Louise Mary.

More About LOUISE MARY MCCARTHY:
Event 1: 8 August, 1914, Awarded, Grammar Grade Certificate
Fact 2:19 June, 1908, Graduated, High School
Fact 3: 20 May, 1912, Bachelor of Arts, Leland Stanford Junior University

Source 2-FWB 3rd
I have entered my notes on Aunt Louise, then an article from the Sunday Advertiser on May 12, 1957 reporting on the Rothwell's 40th wedding annaversary.

Like her sisters Mary Louise McCarthy Rothwell was first and foremost a lady. She went by Louise. She was determined, always actively involved in at least two major projects, always had the best of motives for her family, community or Hawaii, and was almost always misunderstood. Part of the misunderstanding came from her being very aggressive, and partly because it seemed like she assumed that she was always right. This was at least partly justified because she was well organized, smart and never forgot a name or fact that she had ever learned. She was a walking encyclopedia on the historical period in which she lived and had a good mind for business--especially business in the islands. A rule she, and I think all the McCarthy clan, followed was to buy things made locally.

She graduated from Stanford and taught at Roosevelt High School. I think she taught English and History. She was active in school organizations, hospital organizations, the Daughters of Hawaii, the "old ladies club" next to the Outrigger Canoe Club, and numerous other organizations.

With nothing escaping her mind, she had lots of stories of old Hawaii in the horse-and-buggy days and about the early governments and conflicts after the monarchy was overthrown. Since she was only 10 when the islands were annexed to the United States a lot of the stories must have been ones that she heard from her parents. She always intended to write up the stories and the history of her time. As far as I know she never did---probably too busy.

All of the McCarthy sisters were justly proud of the fact that their father had been a staunch supporter of the Hawaiian monarchy to the extent that he risked his life and was pretty much banished from political life for awhile. Then he recovered from that unpopular position among his haole compatriots to the extent that he become governor under the United States. Louise carried this pride further than the others. This was probably because she had been more involved in her father's political life than her sisters. Her sister Eileen was too shy to participate in the political life and her other sisters were on the outside islands. Governor McCarthy had a fatal political flaw, he could remember everything about a person except their name (that is a charicteristic I inherited). He needed help badly. And there was Louise who couldn't forget a name if she wanted to. So, in all the governor's official reception lines, the first McCarthy anyone met was Louise, then the Governor, then his wife. Louise would greet the person then whisper his or her name in her father's ear, and he would take it from there with a friendly little remark that showed he knew and appreciated the person.

One of her best memories was when the Prince of Wales visited Hawaii and she danced with him. It was while her father was governor.

She loved gardening--flowers. Even though she had a regular yardman she spent hours per week in her garden. Her gardens were beautiful and included just about every kind of Hawaiian flower that ever existed.

When Bruce and I came to live with her family after our parents died, she sought to change the course of our lives. It looked to her like our main ambition was to break surfing records and make the football & track teams at Roosevelt High (mainly true & I still don't think bad!). Her ambition for us (and everyone else she was associated with) was that we would be extremely successful in adult life. That led to aptitude tests and changing our school from Roosevelt for me and Robert Lewis Stevenson for Bruce to St. Louis. Then the next year Bruce went to St. Martin's. She also determined that the money that she would be getting from our estate wouldn't cover our expenses. This was all laid our for our review and input--she was definitely a planner/organizer. The conclusion was that we needed to contribute some money to our upkeep. Thus, the paper routes and other jobs. The combination of losing our parents and the changes she implemented defiantly made us mature a lot faster than we had planned.

She hated contact sports--because she was afraid we would get hurt. She discouraged football and encouraged crew, sailing, boating & diving. She didn't have much choice on the boating because her husband, uncle Guy, needed us on his boat.

She had a strong sense about how bad wars are and what happened to the young men who had to fight them. If we kidded around like we were shooting someone, she put an impassioned stop to it immediately and definitely!! Maybe that is what kept me from shooting my best friend in the army when we were playing around with what we thought were unloaded rifles.

Rothwells Wed 40 Years

It was a gay group of kamaainas who gathered at the Pacific Heights home of Mr. And Mrs. Guy N. Rothwell Tuesday afternoon t toast the Rothwells on the occasion of their 40th wedding anniversary.

Among the guests were many who had been present at the wedding of the popular island couple May 7, 1917, including Mrs. Vilas Bgaird, who had caught the bride's bouquet 40 years ago.

MR. AND MRS. ROTHWELL had asked 100 guests to join them during the cocktail hour and for the buffet supper which followed. Celebration with their parents were their Rothwells' three sons and their wives, Mr. And Mrs. Frank N. Rothwell, Mr. And Mrs. Robert M. Rothwell and Mr. And Mrs. Guy N. Rothwell Jr.

Maj. (USA) and Mrs. John Russelll Lloyd (Mary Lou Rothwell), their son-in-law and daughter, were unable to come from their station at Ft. Bragg, N. C., for the occasion, but they telephoned greetings.

THE WEDDING of the Miss Louise McCarthy, daughter of the late Governor and Mrs. Charles J. McCarthy, was held at the bride's home with Father Valentine performing the service.

Best man was the late Charles Skinner Davis, and the bride was attended by two of her four sisters, Eileen McCarthy was maid of honor and Margaret (Mrs. O.B. Steven) was bridesmaid.

Her other two sisters are Pearl (the late Mrs. Frank Burns) and Virginia (Mrs. O. B. Lightfoot).

Mrs. Steven lives in California and Mrs. Lightfoot in Seattle and neither was able to come to Honolulu for the celebration. Miss McCarthy, who lives in Honolulu, was unable to attend because of illness.

MRS. ROTHWELL wore a frock of beige lace complemented with leis at the party Tuesday afternoon, and her husband, who has been a practicing architect in Honolulu for 35 years, also wore leis. He is the son of the late Mr. And Mrs. John G. Rothwell, kamaaina residents.

Dozens of flower arrangements from friends decorated the hosts' Pacific Heights home for the occasion.

Mr. And Mrs. Rothwell have 12 grandchildren, the two sons and four daughters of Mr. And Mrs. Frank Rothwell, the three daughters and one son of Mr. And Mrs. Robert Rothwell, and the two sons of Major and Mrs. Lloyd.

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