Mary was a sister of Valentine Miller's wife, Anna Schumacher.

She died of blood poisoning from a darning needle.

To treat her blood poisoning, they went to the barn yard and got fresh cow manure to use as a poultice. Ferdinand Leitner told Cecilia Lippold the red marks ran up to the shoulder. He went by horse and buggy to St. Charles, Iowa to get the doctor. Lippold IA0060- My Mothers Ancestors by Cecilia Lippold Barenberg