The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IN THE EARLY 18TH CENTURY IN WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA,
THERE WERE SOME WEALTHY FAMILIES WHO OWNED LARGE
PLANTATIONS. ONE OF THESE PLANTATIONS WAS THE SHIRLEY
PLANTATION OWNED BY THE CARTER FAMILY. ONE OF THE
LADIES OF THIS PLANTATION SUSPECTED HER HUSBAND OF
HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH A WOMAN WHO WAS VISITING A
NEIGHBORING PLANTATION. HER NAME WAS MARY WILLING,
A MEMBER OF A PROMINANT PHILADELPHIA FAMILY. MR.
CARTER WOULD ALWAYS SAY HE WAS GOING OVER TO THE
NEIGHBORING PLANTATION TO PLAY CARDS. ONE EVENING,
MRS. CARTER, WHILE SEARCHING IN A LARGE WARDROBE
CABINET FOR A LETTER FROM MARY TO MR. CARTER, WHICH WOULD
PROVE MR. CARTER'S GUILT, TOPPLED THE CABINET ON HER AND
SHE DIED. SOON AFTER, MR. CARTER MARRIED MARY WILLING.
THIS RESULTED INTO A SCANDAL IN WHICH MARY WILLING
CAME TO BE CALLED "WILLING MARY" BY THE TOWNSPEOPLE AND
PLANTATION OWNERS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Date learned: 10-14-1971