1. Mary Bullman Sands was an American singer of old traditional ballads during the early part of the 20th century.
10 Facts About Mary Sands
1. 2.
Mary Sands was known locally as "Singing Mary" due to her singing talent and extensive knowledge of the words and melodies of many old-time traditional songs that had been passed down through previous generations.
3.
Mary Sands nee Bullman was born on April 8,1872, in the Laurel section of Madison County, North Carolina.
4.
Mary Sands's parents were John Wesley Bullman and Rosannah Shelton.
5.
Mary Sands had a twin sister, Martha Bullman, who died while in her twenties.
6.
In 1892, Mary Bullman married James Monroe Sands, who had moved to Madison County from Danville, Virginia.
7.
When Cecil Sharp came to Madison County in 1916 as part of his project to collect old English ballads, Mary Sands was 44 years old and was eight and a half months pregnant with her tenth child.
8.
Mary Sands was a lifelong resident of Madison County, except for brief stays with her children during the latter part of her life as her health began to fail.
9.
Mary Sands died April 2,1949, due to complications following a stroke, just a few days short of her 77th birthday.
10.
Mary Sands was buried in the Walnut Methodist Church Cemetery, Walnut, North Carolina.