Mary Slatter was born in the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Whitechapel in London, England, on November 10, 1869. She was the youngest child of John Slatter (1837-1901) from Oxford, England and Mary Shehen Slatter (1837-1889) from London, England. Her five older siblings were: Thomas John Slatter, Albert William Slatter, John Daniel Slatter, Henry Arthur Slatter, and Adelaide Mary Ann Slatter.
Mary's father was a cook when he first married Mary's mother in 1859. He struggled to get and keep work, working as a porter, and then a laborer. He was in and out of the family's life, leaving them in grinding poverty. Over the course of several years, Mary and her siblings spent occasional nights in workhouses when their mother couldn't feed or care for them. Mary's mother became increasingly despondent over the situation and finally was committed to an asylum, where she died of tuberculosis in 1889 at the age of 52.
In their early teens, Mary's brothers Albert, John, and Henry were sent to a training ship anchored in London's Thames River, with the goal of teaching them skills for military careers. The three excelled in music and all became respected military bandmasters in Canada. Meanwhile, Mary and her sister Adelaide were educated at Forest Gate School in Whitechapel, a school for pauper children. After leaving school, Mary eked out a living as a servant.
In 1888, Mary's father left England and settled in Toledo, Ohio, supporting himself as a wallpaper cleaner. Mary came to America in 1895, as did her sister Adelaide. Mary Slatter became the wife of James Edgar Wood (1871-1939) at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Toledo, Ohio, on September 21, 1898. She automatically became a U.S. citizen upon her marriage. Not long afterward, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where James continued his homebuilding business.
Mary and James had four children together: Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), Wallis Walter Wood (1905-1957), John Andrew Wood (1908-1980), and Theodore William Wood (1910-1968). A loving and supportive mother, Mary introduced her sons to music with an upright piano and lessons on violin and trumpet. Sadly, she died of heart problems at age 55 on April 24, 1925. James buried her in Highland Park Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mary Slatter was born in the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Whitechapel in London, England, on November 10, 1869. She was the youngest child of John Slatter (1837-1901) from Oxford, England and Mary Shehen Slatter (1837-1889) from London, England. Her five older siblings were: Thomas John Slatter, Albert William Slatter, John Daniel Slatter, Henry Arthur Slatter, and Adelaide Mary Ann Slatter.
Mary's father was a cook when he first married Mary's mother in 1859. He struggled to get and keep work, working as a porter, and then a laborer. He was in and out of the family's life, leaving them in grinding poverty. Over the course of several years, Mary and her siblings spent occasional nights in workhouses when their mother couldn't feed or care for them. Mary's mother became increasingly despondent over the situation and finally was committed to an asylum, where she died of tuberculosis in 1889 at the age of 52.
In their early teens, Mary's brothers Albert, John, and Henry were sent to a training ship anchored in London's Thames River, with the goal of teaching them skills for military careers. The three excelled in music and all became respected military bandmasters in Canada. Meanwhile, Mary and her sister Adelaide were educated at Forest Gate School in Whitechapel, a school for pauper children. After leaving school, Mary eked out a living as a servant.
In 1888, Mary's father left England and settled in Toledo, Ohio, supporting himself as a wallpaper cleaner. Mary came to America in 1895, as did her sister Adelaide. Mary Slatter became the wife of James Edgar Wood (1871-1939) at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Toledo, Ohio, on September 21, 1898. She automatically became a U.S. citizen upon her marriage. Not long afterward, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where James continued his homebuilding business.
Mary and James had four children together: Edgar James Wood (1903-1986), Wallis Walter Wood (1905-1957), John Andrew Wood (1908-1980), and Theodore William Wood (1910-1968). A loving and supportive mother, Mary introduced her sons to music with an upright piano and lessons on violin and trumpet. Sadly, she died of heart problems at age 55 on April 24, 1925. James buried her in Highland Park Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.
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