Mary Pratt DeBardeleben Percy

Mary Pratt DeBardeleben Percy (born April 15, 1872; died 1952) was the daughter of Henry F. DeBardeleben and Ellen Pratt DeBardeleben and the wife of attorney Walker Percy.

Mary was one of seven children born to Henry DeBardeleben by his first wife, Ellen. She was the namesake of her father's second iron furnace, the Mary Pratt Furnace, constructed east of Sloss Furnaces in 1883.

She married Percy in 1888 and produced two children, LeRoy and Ellen. The family resided in the Westover House at 2217 Arlington Avenue. Her husband shot himself shortly after the birth of their grandson, novelist Walker Percy. There were rumors of infidelity on her part and a history of depression on his side of the family.

Mary died in 1952 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery.

References

• Samway, Patrick S. J. (December 22, 1997) "The union of the DeBardeleben and Percy families." Mississippi Quarterly