Obituary of Mary Center (Argus Newspaper, September 5, 1857, page 3, column 1):

  "At her residence in Marion County August 26 of pneumonia Mrs. Mary Center aged nearly 70 years. Mrs. Center was born in Pennsylvania and in early life moved to Ohio, and shortly after made a profession of religion and connected herself with the M.E. Church in which she has lived a consistant and pious member striving to do good when ever an opportunity offered. She Imigrated to this country in 1845 and has resided here ever since that time. She approached the Jordan of Death calm and unterrified and with the fullest assurance that beyond it was a happy home and friends to bid her welcome. She looked not upon Death as a calamity but as a passport to a better and more exalted condition of life."
  "Oh fleeting spirit, wandering fire
  That long has warmed that tender breast
  Must though no more that spirit inspire
  And be no more a cheerful guest."
      W.R.D.


MARY ANN FETTER was born in Pennsylvania about 1789, but moved with her parents to Ohio when she was very young. Her parents are unknown, but Mary was evidently of Dutch or German extraction as some of her grandchildren recalled that she spoke with a very decided accent.

On 12 December 1813 in Franklin County, Ohio, Mary Fetter wed Ebenezer Center of New York. Together they had more than 10 children, although the exact number of offspring is unknown. Daughter Rachael (b. 1819 in Ohio) was said to be the only black-haired girl in a group of 7 daughters. In addition to Rachael, there was Mary Center (b. abt 1805 in Onondaga County, New York), Barbara Ellen Center (b. abt 1810 in New York), and Lucy Center (b. abt 1830 in Edgar County, Illinois); however, the names of the other three daughters are not known. There were at least four boys, too — Willard (b. abt 1806 in New York), Thomas Morris Center (b. abt 1812 in Fairfield County, Ohio), Samuel Center (b. abt 1824 in Edgar County, Illinois), and Jonathan Ebenezer Center (b. abt 1826 in Edgar County, Illinois). Mary and Willard and some of the other unknown children may have come from a previous marriage.

Soon after Mary and Ebenezer wed, the family moved from Ohio to Edgar County, Illinois, where they remained for a number of years. Several of the younger children were born there, and it was in Edgar County, Illinois that Ebenezer died on 11 Feb 1835.

Although a number of the older children remained in Illinois, the widow Mary Center moved with some of the younger children to Independence, Missouri. They remained in Missouri for a few years, but were discouraged by lack of markets, low farm prices and malaria. They decided to make the trip west to Oregon, and on 11 May 1845, Mary left Independence, Missouri in the great wagon train of 1845. Mary rode in the wagon belonging to Theophilus Powell (her daughter Rachael's husband), along with her youngest daughter Lucy, who was a cripple. Her sons Samuel and Jonathan journeyed west as well, but they rode in different wagons.

Mary settled on a Donation Land Claim of 320 acres up in the Waldo Hills adjoining the claims of her son, Samuel Center, and her son-in-law, Theophilus Powell. Her claim was Number 79, dated Feb. 1st 1854. In her papers she said she had resided continually on the claim since Dec. 30, 1845. Mary signed all papers with a mark, "x."

Mary remained on her claim in Waldo Hills, Oregon, until her death on 26 Aug 1857. She was buried in the Powell family burial plot on Theophilus Powell's donation land claim in Waldo Hills. Her burial location was referred to as being in the "Powell Cemetery, Marion Co. Oregon," according to Marion County Cemetery Records, Vol 1 by Daraleen Wade — although only four people are known to be buried in this little plot. Theophilus Powell was buried there after he died on 20 Jan 1861, as was a little girl who died of scarlet fever, and a fourth person who is unknown. For many years the little graveyard was enclosed by a white picket fence. Inside the fence there was, reportedly, a large tree, a boulder, and a spring — but the picket fence is no more and the exact grave location is now unknown.

Because the gravesite is now lost, a descendant of Theophilus Powell placed a memorial stone for him near the spot where his wife Rachael is buried, in Rock Creek Cemetery near Needy, Oregon. This has created a bit of confusion regarding Mary's burial location and so it is sometimes erroneously reported that Mary Fetter Center was also buried in Rock Creek Cemetery — but that is untrue.

Probate Records for Mary indicate the following:

CENTRE, Mary Ann, File # 204. Intestate. Died on or about 10 Aug 1856. Wm. Waldo, Adm 07 Jan 1861. Heirs: Jonathan Centre, about 30, Oregon; Samuel Centre, about 40, Oregon; Rachael Powell, about 37, Oregon; Thomas Morris Centre, about 43, Missouri; heirs of Barbara Ellen Mapes, Missouri.

[Note there is a discrepant death date between the transcribed probate records and the published obituary.]