Mary Frances (Coles) (1838 - 1917)

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

In 1838, in the year that Mary Frances (Coles) was born, on February 24th, Representatives William J. Graves (Kentucky) and Jonathan Cilley (Maine) fought a duel with rifles. They faced off at 94 yards. Cilley was hit on Graves' third try - in the femoral artery - and bled to death on the dueling field. The Panic of 1837 and Jackson's presidency had caused an extremely partisan Congress and the duel was a result.

In 1840, at the age of only 2 years old, Mary was alive when on July 23rd, Upper Canada and Lower Canada were merged by the British Parliament, creating the United Province of Canada. This area later became the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

In 1871, when she was 33 years old, on March 29th, Royal Albert Hall in London was officially opened by Queen Victoria. Construction had begun in 1867 and the hall was named after Queen Victoria's husband, who had died in 1861 - 10 years before.

In 1895, when she was 57 years old, on September 3rd, in Latrobe, PA, the first professional football game was played. The game was between the Latrobe YMCA and the Jeannette Athletic Club. Latrobe won 12 - 0.

In 1917, in the year of Mary Frances (Coles)'s passing, in April, the U.S. entered World War I, declaring war against Germany. President Wilson had previously declared neutrality in the war - a position supported by the majority of Americans - but after Germany declared that they would sink all ships trading with Great Britain and sunk U.S. ships, public opinion began to change. Then the Lusitania was sunk, killing 1,201 - including 128 Americans - and more U.S. ships were sunk. The U.S. could stand aside no longer.