In theory, there may be a separate line of blood relatives out there that descends from Mary Maria. That's quite intriguing. If anyone has any information on the topic, please get in touch.
Meanwhile, here's the standard photo of Mary Maria (see below) that's been circulating. Born in 1851 (or 1850?) in Woburn, Mass., her first husband was Lowell Sylvester, who died in 1876 (although one account reports that he died in 1871, apparently from a hunting accident). They had one child.
Mary Maria remarried soon after -- anyone know the date of their marriage? With her second husband, Aaron Waite, she had three children, including my maternal grandfather, Sidney Clarendon Waite. When Mary Maria passed, she left three young children behind. That must have been quite burdensome for Aaron. I don't think he remarried, but perhaps someone knows otherwise.
Meanwhile, Mary Maria died in Hubbardston, Mass., at a relatively young age of roughly 40 years old. I'm guessing that she's 35 in the photo below, which equates with the year 1885. It appears to be a formal photo -- perhaps taken at a studio in Gardner or Worcester? In any case, her dress strikes me as a Sunday-best outfit that's typical for the late-19th century. One thing we know for sure: she was keen on buttons!
