After watching so many episodes it strikes me that of all the many unmarried women who’ve traversed the Ponderosa, almost none have (Living) mothers. The only ladies that come to mind are Abigail Jones and the Baltimore lady. Two others are the mother/daughter pair in Abner Willoughby and the lovely Regina Rossi of Big Shadow on the Land, although neither were  central female  figures in the episodes. Almost all the others are in the company of often domineering and/or overly protective male relatives (fathers, brothers, uncles).

 I suppose the struggle for independence of these women creates a tension necessary for the plot line, but would a benign maternal figure have so over burdened a script? Just musing…

Yes, I've noticed this before as well.  But, I also think that many of the boys and young men who come into contact with the Cs have fathers and, again, are motherless.  DD obvs had something against mums! 

The mothers probably died young from being overworked and wearing those corseted dresses.

1 hour ago, BlueLake said:

The mothers probably died young from being overworked and wearing those corseted dresses.

 

Overwork and lack of decent medical care I suspect. Corsets weren't damaging the way pop culture, and the drawn advertisements of the period, has told us they were. Tight-lacing wasn't the norm. High class ladies who lunched tight-laced and experienced the effects associated with it. 

Clearly, having a mother makes you too average for the likes of the Ponderosa and it's inhabitants