Mary Ramsey Wood
Encyclopedia
Mary Ramsey Wood was an American
pioneer
known as the "Mother Queen of Oregon." She was reported to be the oldest living person in the United States
when she died at the supposed age of 120, and it is said she traveled to the Oregon Territory
across the Oregon Trail
at the age of 66. There is evidence this age claim was inaccurate or exaggerated, however, and she may have been 96 when she died.
At the time of her death, Mary Ramsey was reported to have been born on May 20, 1787 on a farm near Knoxville, Tennessee
. The child of brick maker Richard Ramsey and his wife, Kate, Mary grew up in Tennessee
. Her parents were born in England
and immigrated to North America
after they were married. In the American Colonies
they settled in Tennessee and raised ten children. Mary was the sixth child. Her mother was reported to have lived to the age of 110, while her father lived to be a few years younger. Richard built the first brick home in Knoxville, and the family was wealthy and owned slaves. In her early years she danced with General Andrew Jackson
, for whom her father fought in the War of 1812
.
At the age of 12, Mary joined the Methodist
church, and at 17 married Jacob Lemons in Tennessee in 1804. The couple would raise four children on their farm in that state. The children were Mary Jane Lemons, Isaac Lemons, Nancy Lemons Bullock, and Mrs. Catherine B. Reynolds. In 1837, the family moved to Alabama
followed by Georgia
the next year. In 1839 Jacob died, and Mary moved to Missouri
in 1849.
In 1852, Lemons moved to the Oregon Territory
with her youngest daughter Catherine. She rode horseback the entire journey at the age of 66, and the family brought 12 slaves with them to Oregon. She named her horse Martha Washington Pioneer. The family arrived in Oregon in 1853 after following the Barlow Road
into Oregon City
, and settled in Washington County
at Hillsboro
in the Tualatin Valley
. She married John Wood on May 28, 1854, in Hillsboro. He built the first frame hotel in Hillsboro, in which Mary tended bar at the in-house saloon.
Around 1865, the couple sold the hotel to Mary’s daughter Catherine, and John Wood died in the 1870s. Mary then served as postmaster before retiring to her daughter’s residence. In 1879, she suffered from typhoid fever and lost the sight in her left eye. In 1904, she testified in a trial concerning a 40-year-old land deed, where she was noted for having a "keen" memory. In 1907, Wood was crowned as the "Mother Queen" of Oregon by former Oregon Senator George Henry Williams
and the president of the Oregon Pioneer Association, J. D. Lee.
Still according to contemporary obituaries, Mary Ramsey Wood died at the age of 120 on January 1, 1908, at five o’clock in the morning. At the time of her death she was thought to be the oldest living person in the United States. She was also referred to as the "oldest Methodist in the world". She was buried at the Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
. The Hillsboro Civic Center
was built at the former site of Wood's hotel, and there is an informational plaque in the plaza of the center about Wood. In 2005, it was proposed that a fountain at the civic center be named for Wood.
January 1, 2008 was named Mary Ramsey Wood Day by the City of Hillsboro. Local historian James Andrew Long advocated for this recognition of Wood.
Had she truly lived to age 120, as claimed, Mary Ramsey Wood would have been the world's oldest person
and would still hold the record as "oldest American on record" even today. She does not, however; that distinction, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, belongs to Sarah Knauss
, who died at age 119.
There is a Mary Wood listed in the 1880 Hillsboro census, however, whose age is stated as 69 years old. This age would place her date of birth in 1811, making her 96 years old at the time of her death.
The 1880 census
listing includes the following matching points: this "Mary Wood" was born in Tennessee; had both parents born in England; and had a daughter named "Catherine". There is no other "Mary Wood" living in Hillsboro, Oregon recorded in the 1880 census.
The 1900 census
also lists a Mary Wood in Hillsboro, again with several details that strongly suggest she is the same woman. She was listed as having been born in May 1809, which would have made her 98 at the time of her death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
known as the "Mother Queen of Oregon." She was reported to be the oldest living person in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when she died at the supposed age of 120, and it is said she traveled to the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
across the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
at the age of 66. There is evidence this age claim was inaccurate or exaggerated, however, and she may have been 96 when she died.
Oregon pioneer
This section is based mainly on two 1908 obituaries for Mary Ramsey Wood. Those obituaries were likely mistaken about her being born in 1787, as described below; thus, many of the age-related facts may be inaccurate.At the time of her death, Mary Ramsey was reported to have been born on May 20, 1787 on a farm near Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. The child of brick maker Richard Ramsey and his wife, Kate, Mary grew up in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Her parents were born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and immigrated to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
after they were married. In the American Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
they settled in Tennessee and raised ten children. Mary was the sixth child. Her mother was reported to have lived to the age of 110, while her father lived to be a few years younger. Richard built the first brick home in Knoxville, and the family was wealthy and owned slaves. In her early years she danced with General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, for whom her father fought in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
At the age of 12, Mary joined the Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church, and at 17 married Jacob Lemons in Tennessee in 1804. The couple would raise four children on their farm in that state. The children were Mary Jane Lemons, Isaac Lemons, Nancy Lemons Bullock, and Mrs. Catherine B. Reynolds. In 1837, the family moved to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
followed by Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
the next year. In 1839 Jacob died, and Mary moved to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in 1849.
In 1852, Lemons moved to the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
with her youngest daughter Catherine. She rode horseback the entire journey at the age of 66, and the family brought 12 slaves with them to Oregon. She named her horse Martha Washington Pioneer. The family arrived in Oregon in 1853 after following the Barlow Road
Barlow Road
The Barlow Road is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon. It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon, and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail...
into Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
, and settled in Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
at Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
in the Tualatin Valley
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon in the United States. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
. She married John Wood on May 28, 1854, in Hillsboro. He built the first frame hotel in Hillsboro, in which Mary tended bar at the in-house saloon.
Around 1865, the couple sold the hotel to Mary’s daughter Catherine, and John Wood died in the 1870s. Mary then served as postmaster before retiring to her daughter’s residence. In 1879, she suffered from typhoid fever and lost the sight in her left eye. In 1904, she testified in a trial concerning a 40-year-old land deed, where she was noted for having a "keen" memory. In 1907, Wood was crowned as the "Mother Queen" of Oregon by former Oregon Senator George Henry Williams
George Henry Williams
George Henry Williams was an American judge and politician. He served as Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, was the 32nd Attorney General of the United States, and served one term in the United States Senate...
and the president of the Oregon Pioneer Association, J. D. Lee.
Still according to contemporary obituaries, Mary Ramsey Wood died at the age of 120 on January 1, 1908, at five o’clock in the morning. At the time of her death she was thought to be the oldest living person in the United States. She was also referred to as the "oldest Methodist in the world". She was buried at the Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
The Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery is in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Located at the west end of the town along the Tualatin Valley Highway and adjacent to Dairy Creek. The cemetery comprises three formerly private cemeteries...
. The Hillsboro Civic Center
Hillsboro Civic Center
The Hillsboro Civic Center is a government-built, mixed-use development in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. The development includes the city hall for the county seat of Washington County, located west of Portland, Oregon. Covering , the Civic Center has a total of over in the complex...
was built at the former site of Wood's hotel, and there is an informational plaque in the plaza of the center about Wood. In 2005, it was proposed that a fountain at the civic center be named for Wood.
January 1, 2008 was named Mary Ramsey Wood Day by the City of Hillsboro. Local historian James Andrew Long advocated for this recognition of Wood.
Longevity claim
The claim that Mary Ramsey Wood lived to 120, though long accepted as correct, now appears to be incorrect.Had she truly lived to age 120, as claimed, Mary Ramsey Wood would have been the world's oldest person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
and would still hold the record as "oldest American on record" even today. She does not, however; that distinction, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, belongs to Sarah Knauss
Sarah Knauss
Sarah DeRemer Knauss was an American supercentenarian considered the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records from April 16, 1998, the date of the death of 117-year-old Canadian Marie-Louise Meilleur, until her own death...
, who died at age 119.
There is a Mary Wood listed in the 1880 Hillsboro census, however, whose age is stated as 69 years old. This age would place her date of birth in 1811, making her 96 years old at the time of her death.
The 1880 census
United States Census, 1880
The United States Census of 1880 was the tenth United States Census conducted by the Census Bureau during June 1880. It was the first time that women were permitted to be enumerators...
listing includes the following matching points: this "Mary Wood" was born in Tennessee; had both parents born in England; and had a daughter named "Catherine". There is no other "Mary Wood" living in Hillsboro, Oregon recorded in the 1880 census.
The 1900 census
United States Census, 1900
The Twelfth United States Census, conducted by the Census Office on June 1, 1900, determined the resident population of the United States to be 76,212,168, an increase of 21.0 percent over the 62,979,766 persons enumerated during the 1890 Census....
also lists a Mary Wood in Hillsboro, again with several details that strongly suggest she is the same woman. She was listed as having been born in May 1809, which would have made her 98 at the time of her death.
External links
- Lemons Family: Pioneer Family of the Month December 1997/January 1998 from End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive center, with photo of Wood
- Image of postcard of Wood circa 1906, "sold for her benefit"
- "On This Day in Oregon" May 20 listing featuring Mary Ramsey Lemons Wood
- Transactions of the Annual Reunion - Oregon Pioneer Association
