Woodbury was born on June 20, 1865, in
South Berwick, Maine, United States. She was the first daughter born to schoolteacher Susan Marcia Bennett Oakes, who would inspire her to create
Moeder en dochter. After graduating from
Berwick Academy, she took painting lessons from
Charles Herbert Woodbury, whom she later married in 1890. The couple went to Holland on their honeymoon and lived there for a few years. ==Career==