Mary Ann (Steggall) Riseley (1831 - 1912)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Mary Ann's lifetime.

In 1831, in the year that Mary Ann Steggall Riseley was born, on August 21st, in the United States, Nat Turner's slave rebellion broke out in Southampton County, Virginia. Rebel slaves, led by Nat Turner, killed from 55 to 65 people - the largest and deadliest slave uprising in U.S. history. The rebellion was suppressed after a few days and Virginia executed 56 slaves accused of being part of the rebellion although many were innocent. Nat Turner was captured on October 30th, tried, and hung on November 11th.

In 1843, she was merely 12 years old when on May 22nd, an estimated 700 to 1,000 pioneers set out from Missouri on the Oregon Trail. Called "The Great Migration of 1843", the wagon train often had to build roads or float down rivers.

In 1876, at the age of 45 years old, Mary Ann was alive when on August 1st, Colorado became the 38th U.S. state. Its nickname is the "Centennial State" because it was admitted just 28 days after the United States' centennial.

In 1895, when she was 64 years old, on May 18th, Italy's first motor race was held. The race was 58 miles long - from Turin to Asti and back. Five cars started but only three completed the race. It was won by Simone Federman who drove a Daimler Omnibus - his average speed was 9.6 mph.

In 1912, in the year of Mary Ann Steggall Riseley's passing, Arizona was admitted to the United States in February (on Valentine's Day). It became the 48th state in the Union. Previously a Spanish - then Mexican - territory, the U.S. paid $15 million dollars for the area in 1848. Arizona was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the United States.