1859 Birth:2221 Birth year of 1859 estimated based on age (1 year) in 1860 census enumeration; birth place of Washington Township, Johnson County, Iowa assumed given parents residence there in 1860.

1860 U.S. Census:2221 Marion enumerated in the household of her parents Stillman and Melinda Morey in Washington Township, Johnson County, Iowa as a female, age 1, born in Iowa. Siblings enumerated were Samantha, age 14; Calvin, age 11; Virgil, age 8; and George, age 4.

1873 Prairie Fire Tragedy:2442, p. 51-52. In 1873 a prairie fire took the lives of Melinda Morey, Marion's mother, and siblings Ruth, age 11, Stilman, age 9, and Minnie, age 7, and two children Samantha Morey and her husband J. W. Beeney.