Catherine Olivia Meily Brice
Catherine Olivia Meily was born in Mansfield Aug 16, 1840. Her father John Henry Meily and several other Meilys including his brother Samuel moved to the region from Lebanon, PA around 1836. Samuel and John were coverlet weavers and had learned this skill from their father Emanuel. Olivia's mother was Catherine Fisher. Olivia's father moved his family to Lima in 1842. This Meily family stayed in Lima, where her father continued his weaving and later succeeded in several other business ventures. He is credited with starting the first foundry there. Olivia was the oldest of twelve and was particularly close with her four sisters throughout her life. She was usually called by her nickname which was variously spelled "Liv", "Leve", or "Live". Precociously bright, she passed the state exam to teach school when she was only 14. Her first beau was a captain in the Ohio Voluntary Infantry from Allen County, Martin Armstrong, who was killed April 16, 1862. Following his death, Olivia prepared herself further for a career in teaching. She entered the Western Female Seminary in Oxford in 1864 where she graduated at the head of her class in 1866. She maintained close ties with this institution for the rest of her life, eventually becoming its first woman trustee. Western is now a part of Miami University. After graduation, Olivia taught high school in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was a teacher until her marriage in Sept. 1869 to Calvin S. Brice, a lawyer, graduate of Miami University, and veteran of the Civil War. Calvin became an exceptionally successful businessman in the railroad building era andmade lots of money. He also served in the United States Senate from 1891 to 1897. Calvin and Olivia had five children, Stewart Meily, Kirkpatrick, John, Helen, and Kate. The Brices maintained a lavish lifestyle, leasing or owning homes in Washington, DC, Newport, RI, and New York City. They also traveled extensively. In June 1896, Mrs. Brice and her daughters Kate and Helen were introduced to thePrincess and Prince of Wales and many other Lords and Ladies including Mrs. Randolph Churchill when they visited London. Mrs. Brice returned to Mansfield from time to time, and attended the funeral of John Kerk Meily in Nov. 1891. She died in New York City Dec. 15 of 1900, at her home on 5th Avenue, two years precisely after the death of her husband Calvin. Services were held in New York, then her body was transported via railroad back to Lima OH where she was buried near Calvin in the Woodlawn Cemetery.
Written and submitted by Sally Meeting, with help from Anna Selfridge of the Allen County Museum (Lima, Ohio)