Nancy Maria Donaldson was born in New York State on December 28, 1794. While specific details about her early life, family, and education are scarce, her birthplace suggests exposure to the burgeoning industrial and innovative spirit of early America. The details of her childhood remain an enigma, but it is reasonable to assume she had access to basic domestic knowledge, which would have prepared her for her most famous invention.

Details about Nancy's life between her birth and 1843 are largely undocumented. It is presumed she lived a relatively ordinary life for a woman of her time, potentially engaged in domestic tasks and potentially assisting her husband in family related affairs. She would have likely been a homemaker who was accustomed to preparing homemade foods, including custards and frozen treats using less efficient methods. It's plausible that the inefficiencies of these older methods prompted her to look for a better process.