At age 3, after the death of her mother, she and her brother George were sent to live with their paternal grandparents in Manlius, NY. After or about the time of her grandmother's death in 1875, she was sent to live with an adult cousin in OH. Per the 1880 census, she was still with this cousin, Ada Campbell Nichols, in OH where her surname shows as Hormood in index. She also was ill with measles at the time of the census.

25 Dec 1884: MARRIAGES: Dumble-Wormood. On Christmas night, at the residence of Dr. C. J. Nichols, uncle [note: incorrect in today's vernacular. He was her cousin's husband] of the bride, on S. East St., by Rev. O W. Waldron, Mr. Marion M. Dumble and Miss Gertrude E. Wormood, of Dubuque, Iowa. [unknown Columbus, OH newspaper]