Woman of the Century/Marea Wood Jefferis

JEFFERIS, Mrs. Marea Wood, poet, born in Providence, R. I. She is a direct descendant of Elder William Brewster, of Mayflower fame. Her father, Dr. J. F. B. Flagg. was the author of a book on anaesthetics written about forty years ago, and to him belongs the credit of making practical in the United States the use of anaesthetics in the practice of medicine. Her paternal grandfather, Dr. Josiah Foster Flagg, was a pioneer in the practice of dental surgery in this country. Mrs. Jefferis received a thorough education and showed literary MAREA WOOD JEFFERIS. talent early, although she published but few of the poems of earlier years. She has been twice married. Her first husband was Thomas Wood, a leading iron manufacturer of Pennsylvania. One son by her first marriage, William Brewster Wood, survives. Her second husband is Professor William Walter Jefferis, the well-known scientist and mineralogist. She has published one volume of verse, entitled "Faded, and Other Poems" (Philadelphia, 1891), which she brought out at her own expense, and the proceeds of the sale of which she devoted to charity. It is a volume in memory of her daughter, who died young, and who was greatly interested in charitable work among the sick and poor children of Philadelphia. Mrs. Jefferis has done much charitable work. She has resided in Philadelphia since her early childhood.