Mary, who was called Polly, was 5 feet 5 inches tall and about 125-135 pounds. She had long, thick brown hair. As a girl she wore her hair parted in the center and pulled back from her face with tendrils of curls framing her face. She was considered an attractive girl and had a lovely singing voice. Her voice was still strong when she was 60. She was full of stamina.
Polly met her husband in Illinois where she was attending school. He was a stonemason on the railroad being built near Murphysboro, Illinois. After a 6 month courtship they married in Murphysboro, Illinois, in March of 1866.
After spending about 3 weeks with her parents, they moved to Centerville, Missouri, and then to Iron Mountain, Missouri, to prospect and blast ore. After about a year in this work they returned to the Black River area near Bunker, Missouri, to farm.
She was skilled at making medicines from plants an herbs. Her brother Lorenzo also had this gift. She loved children and flowers. Mary could entertain the children for hours with stories her grandmother (unsure which grandmother but most likely Ownby) had told her of Indian uprisings and the battles at the forts.
Information for this biography was taken from the book "A Journey Through Time with the Owensby Family of North Carolina, Tennessee and the Midwest" by Emma Sue Owensby Davenport.
Mary, who was called Polly, was 5 feet 5 inches tall and about 125-135 pounds. She had long, thick brown hair. As a girl she wore her hair parted in the center and pulled back from her face with tendrils of curls framing her face. She was considered an attractive girl and had a lovely singing voice. Her voice was still strong when she was 60. She was full of stamina.
Polly met her husband in Illinois where she was attending school. He was a stonemason on the railroad being built near Murphysboro, Illinois. After a 6 month courtship they married in Murphysboro, Illinois, in March of 1866.
After spending about 3 weeks with her parents, they moved to Centerville, Missouri, and then to Iron Mountain, Missouri, to prospect and blast ore. After about a year in this work they returned to the Black River area near Bunker, Missouri, to farm.
She was skilled at making medicines from plants an herbs. Her brother Lorenzo also had this gift. She loved children and flowers. Mary could entertain the children for hours with stories her grandmother (unsure which grandmother but most likely Ownby) had told her of Indian uprisings and the battles at the forts.
Information for this biography was taken from the book "A Journey Through Time with the Owensby Family of North Carolina, Tennessee and the Midwest" by Emma Sue Owensby Davenport.
Family Members
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Mary Elizabeth Corcoran McDuffee
1866–1943
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James Corcoran
1868–1868
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Martha Clementine "Tina" Corcoran Reno
1871–1945
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William Edward Corcran
1873–1961
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Clara Corcran
1875–1879
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Michael Corcran
1878–1879
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Ida Ann Corcoran Reno - Hanson
1880–1971
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John T Corcoran
1883–1966
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Edith Frances Corcoran Lutzenberger
1888–1975
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