Ocean Born Mary

Mary Wilson Wallace, better known as Ocean-Born Mary, is a folklore figure of New England. Born on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean on July 26, 1720, During the voyage to the United States, the ship (reputedly called the Wolf) was overtaken by pirates who threatened to loot the ship and sink it with all on board. When the pirate captain heard the cry of an infant, he went below to discover Mrs. Wilson holding her newborn daughter. The pirate captain told Mrs. Wilson that if she would do him the honor of naming the baby after his own mother Mary, he would spare the ship and depart peacefully. Mrs. Wilson agreed, and the pirates departed, but not before the pirate captain briefly returned to the Wolf with a bolt of green brocade silk, which he presented to Mrs. Wilson, stating that it was for little Mary's wedding gown. While Mary did in fact wear the brocade on her wedding day.