Mary Dixon was born in Killingly, Connecticut. Details of her early life are scarce, but it's known that she grew up in a time of significant social and political change in the American colonies. This environment likely fostered a sense of ingenuity and self-reliance in her, characteristics that would later serve her well in her inventive pursuits.

While documented details are limited, this period encompassed Mary's formative years where she likely learned essential domestic skills, including sewing, weaving, and other textile arts common to women of her time. These skills and experiences would later serve as the foundation for her invention.