This article, found in the Daily Argus News, does well to describe this robust and active woman: "In the person of Mrs. H. E. Buermeyer New York has a woman who comes as near being an all-around athlete as any of her sex. She is the wife of the ex-champion amateur heavy-weight boxer, Harry Buermeyer. She is but five feet tall, but of so compact frame that she weighs 136 pounds. At mountain climbing Mrs. Buermeyer is spry as an Alpine fraulein. She has overcome the Storm King, Hunter, Slide and other mountains, having, but lately returned from a three days' pedestrian tour through the Catskills. She is a long distance skater, and on her "safety" bicycle a days' journey on rough roads, up and down hills, is but a small moment to her. When she rides or drives, the horse knows his master is hold of the reins. She handles a pair of sculls with such skill power and masculine action that but for her dress she would be taken for one of the sterner sex when in the boat. She is as adept in the canoe as a Canadian Indian, and though Mr. Buermeyer's abilities as a swimmer are well known he yeilds the palm to his wife. She is a powerful swimmer, with an easy, graceful style, and remains out in the bay by the hour. She was quite a record at lifting weights, and has negotiated 625 pounds on several occasions, something remarkable for a woman of her physique. As might be expected, Mrs. Buermeyer is full of animal spirits and is one of the joliest little women under the sun. She does not know what illness is, brings home an appetite that would be creditable to a hod carrier, has cheeks that would put a rose to blush and is one of nature's most beautiful productions - a healthy, happy woman. 
Much has been written and much can be found about the remarkable life of Henry (Harry) Ernest Buermeyer. This website includes his autobiography, a photograph from 1861 and material referring to his immediate family. Harry lived a long and healthy life, much of which can be attributed to his love for physical activity. An article written in 1923 refers to the two founding members of the New York Athletic Club, (Father) Bill Curtis and Harry Buermeyer. An excerpt reads:
"His friend and contemporary, Mr. Buermeyer, was also a great sprinter and a great lifter. I believe this gentleman died a year or two ago, in Brooklyn, at the age of 84, and it was said that even when he was 80 he would practice regularly with a 100-lb. bar-bell. The use of bar-bells did not seem to affect either the speed, the health, or the heart strength of these two men." Harry Buermeyer was 37 when he finally settled down and married Mary Carroll in New York on January 20th, 1876. Mary was a celebrated athlete in her own right. Her athletic abilities were recognized and admired and often written about. 
As president of the ladies' division of the Fresh Air Club, Mrs. Buermeyer often accompanies the members of the club on their pedestrian tours, and can turn off thirty miles over the rough roads at a 31/2-mile-an-hour gait with as little discomfort as the average city woman can climb three flights of stairs. She can, and has when occasion arose, increased the pace to four miles an hour for several hours, performances that would break up 90 out of every 100 men, who got fatigued if, perchance, they walk to and from their offices.