Mary was the first white settler child in the area that became known as Okemos.

Mary Turner and Charlotte Bray were the first students in (Okemos). Three additional students have not been identified. Their teacher was Miss Samantha Worden.

Quoting from "How Okemos Began" by Ruth Stillman, "About two miles east (across from the Crest Drive-In Theater) was the cooper shop of Daniel Youngs where barrels were made...and it was in this same log building the first school was kept in 1844 by Miss Samantha Worden. She had five pupils and received one dollar per week salary and probably her keep. Among her pupils was the aforementioned Mary Turner and Charlotte Bray who walked the distance to and from school."