Ocean Born Mary: The Legend of Ocean Born Mary

Ocean Born Mary Legend

Ocean Born Mary Legend is based in Londonderry, NH

Ocean Born Mary was born at sea to James and Elizabeth Wilson on July 28, 1720. She was on a ship filled with immigrants that was intercepted by pirates. One of the pirates promised not to harm anyone if the Wilsons named their new baby girl after his mother or his wife (depending on the version of the legend).

Mary got older and moved to Londonderry NH. She married James Wallace in 1742, wearing a silk gown that was given to her the day of her birth by the privateer.

Some versions of the Legend of Ocean Born Mary take the legend a little further and state that the pirate returned two decades later to claim Mary after her husband died. Other versions of the legend state that Mary’s husband lived to be 81 years old.

The house above is the Ocean Born Mary House in Henniker NH. Although it is known as the “Ocean Born Mary House,” there is no connection to the red-haired baby who was born on a ship and named after a pirates mother that later became known as Ocean Born Mary.