Mary Dixon was born in Killingly, Connecticut, to John Dixon and Janet Kennedy. Her birth marked the beginning of a life that would eventually lead to innovation and recognition, albeit belated.

While specific details are scarce, Mary likely received a basic education typical for women of her time, which would have included reading, writing, and domestic skills necessary for managing a household. Details about her family life and upbringing in Killingly are limited but suggest a moderately comfortable life within a farming community.

Mary Dixon married Isaac Kies, with whom she would later raise a family. Isaac's occupation and family details are not extensively recorded, but marriage marked an important transition in Mary's life, beginning her role as a wife and, later, a mother.

During this period, Mary and Isaac Kies had children. Raising her family was a central part of Mary's life, and the demands of household management and child-rearing likely fostered her resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, qualities that would later contribute to her invention.