Sarah Jane STEWART, the first child of Daniel and Araminta STEWART, married John S. MARTIN in Shelby County Alabama on 23 MAY 1858. They had two children - Mary Gertrude MARTIN and John MARTIN. Mary Gertrude was born 9 APR 1856, about two years before her parents married. She was baptised along with her Aunt Emma, Sarah's younger sister, on 28 AUG 1859. John S. MARTIN's family lived next to the STEWARTS and the young couple set up housekeeping on a small property between the two families. John's brother, George Pierce MARTIN lived with them for a while.
Mary Gertrude probably spent a lot of time with the children of the STEWART family, many of whom were close to her in age. Her brother John is listed living with the STEWARTS on the 1870 census, though he is listed living with his own parents, as well.
Mary Gertrude's father, John S. MARTIN, served alongside her uncle William Wallace STEWART, her mother's younger brother, in the Civil War. He served in the 18th Regiment Alabama Infantry, Company I, the "Curry Guards." Some time before 1863 he was killed. His war record shows that his wife, Sarah Jane MARTIN, applied for a confederate penion. There is little else in his record. The younger John MARTIN, Mary Gertrude's brother, was born 15 JAN 1863. William Wallace STEWART was killed in the Battle of Jonesboro, 3 SEP 1864 and was buried in the Jonesboro Confederate Cemetery.
The STEWART family left Alabama around 1868. Mary Gertrude MARTIN's grandson, Garth LOONEY, remembers her telling him that she walked all the way from Alabama behind a covered wagon. The family settled in Hopkins County TX, near the Black Oak post office. Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah married Nathaniel CLIFTON. They had one child, Lula D. CLIFTON.
In 1878 both Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah and her grandmother Araminta died. No one knows what happened or where they are buried. There was a yellow fever epidemic that summer which hit Mississippi and New Orleans very hard. It's not known if it spread as far as East Texas. After these deaths many of the STEWARTS moved to Dallas County, to Mesquite and Grand Prairie. Sarah's children, Mary Gertrude, John, and Lula stayed in Hopkins County.
Shortly after her mother's death Mary Gertrude married Franklin P. KNIGHT. He was the son of James R. and Mary KNIGHT. James R. KNIGHT, born about 1825 in Tennessee, died on the way home from the Civil War. A man came by the KNIGHT house to tell Mary and her children that James had died. According to descendant Pat REGAN the man had some sweet potatoes in his hand. William KNIGHT, then about 6 years of age, was so hungry he could only think about the sweet potatoes, and not about the sad news of his father's death. Frank's mother Mary married Manning T. WOOD on 4 DEC 1865 in Hopkins County TX, and Frank lived with them. For some unknown reason William lived with the William DOWNING family in Lone Oak.
Franklin P. KNIGHT, SR. died 29 OCT 1879, before his son, Franklin P. KNIGHT, Jr., was born. In the 1880 Hopkins County TX census the 21-year-old widowed Mary is living with her 8-month-old son Franklin, her 11-year-old half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, and her 18-year-old brother John MARTIN. It must have been very hard times for this little family.
A few years later Mary Gertrude married James W. POTTS. or "Little Jim." They had one child, Susie Vera POTTS. Her father nicknamed her Hannah, but pronounced it "Hanner." She was known as Hannah all her life. Mary Gertrude's half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, married Joseph Richard POTTS on 20 Nov 1898. He was the brother of James W. POTTS. The family record states that Hannah POTTS married Kieffer Franklin LOONEY on 1 DEC 1907 but it may have been 1906 as their first child Avis Kate LOONEY was born 23 SEP 1907. Mary's son Franklin married his cousin (first, once removed) Kate Blanch RABE in 1909 in Dallas County. They had one daughter, Frankie Alline (pronounced "Al-een"), and one son, J.W. KNIGHT, who died a couple of month's after his first birthday. Frank was a school teacher.
In 1911 Mary Gertrude's cousin Doma RABE (Kate Blanch RABE KNIGHT's older sister) died in childbirth. A year later Doma's husband died of cancer, leaving six children orphaned. The children were separated and put on trains to live with different relatives. Doma's mother Lucy RABE took the baby Ira to live with her brother Alex in Dallas. One daughter, Ethel, came to live with Hannah and her family. Mary Gertrude cared for Ethel.
James William POTTS died 22 DEC 1925 and is buried next to his wife in Greenview Cemetery in Hopkins County. Mary Gertrude died about eight years later, at the age of 76, on 29 MAY 1932.
Garth LOONEY, Mary Gertrude's grandson, told me that he remembers sitting in his grandmother's lap, and that there wasn't much of it. As she aged Mary Gertrude kept on growing. An old photo shows Mary Gertrude, or "Toodie," happily playing with her smiling granddaughter Alline. Her hair, parted in the middle and pulled tight into a bun, is the same as it is in a photo of the POTTS family taken in 1883.
Mary Gertrude probably spent a lot of time with the children of the STEWART family, many of whom were close to her in age. Her brother John is listed living with the STEWARTS on the 1870 census, though he is listed living with his own parents, as well.
Mary Gertrude's father, John S. MARTIN, served alongside her uncle William Wallace STEWART, her mother's younger brother, in the Civil War. He served in the 18th Regiment Alabama Infantry, Company I, the "Curry Guards." Some time before 1863 he was killed. His war record shows that his wife, Sarah Jane MARTIN, applied for a confederate penion. There is little else in his record. The younger John MARTIN, Mary Gertrude's brother, was born 15 JAN 1863. William Wallace STEWART was killed in the Battle of Jonesboro, 3 SEP 1864 and was buried in the Jonesboro Confederate Cemetery.
The STEWART family left Alabama around 1868. Mary Gertrude MARTIN's grandson, Garth LOONEY, remembers her telling him that she walked all the way from Alabama behind a covered wagon. The family settled in Hopkins County TX, near the Black Oak post office. Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah married Nathaniel CLIFTON. They had one child, Lula D. CLIFTON.
In 1878 both Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah and her grandmother Araminta died. No one knows what happened or where they are buried. There was a yellow fever epidemic that summer which hit Mississippi and New Orleans very hard. It's not known if it spread as far as East Texas. After these deaths many of the STEWARTS moved to Dallas County, to Mesquite and Grand Prairie. Sarah's children, Mary Gertrude, John, and Lula stayed in Hopkins County.
Shortly after her mother's death Mary Gertrude married Franklin P. KNIGHT. He was the son of James R. and Mary KNIGHT. James R. KNIGHT, born about 1825 in Tennessee, died on the way home from the Civil War. A man came by the KNIGHT house to tell Mary and her children that James had died. According to descendant Pat REGAN the man had some sweet potatoes in his hand. William KNIGHT, then about 6 years of age, was so hungry he could only think about the sweet potatoes, and not about the sad news of his father's death. Frank's mother Mary married Manning T. WOOD on 4 DEC 1865 in Hopkins County TX, and Frank lived with them. For some unknown reason William lived with the William DOWNING family in Lone Oak.
Franklin P. KNIGHT, SR. died 29 OCT 1879, before his son, Franklin P. KNIGHT, Jr., was born. In the 1880 Hopkins County TX census the 21-year-old widowed Mary is living with her 8-month-old son Franklin, her 11-year-old half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, and her 18-year-old brother John MARTIN. It must have been very hard times for this little family.
A few years later Mary Gertrude married James W. POTTS. or "Little Jim." They had one child, Susie Vera POTTS. Her father nicknamed her Hannah, but pronounced it "Hanner." She was known as Hannah all her life. Mary Gertrude's half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, married Joseph Richard POTTS on 20 Nov 1898. He was the brother of James W. POTTS. The family record states that Hannah POTTS married Kieffer Franklin LOONEY on 1 DEC 1907 but it may have been 1906 as their first child Avis Kate LOONEY was born 23 SEP 1907. Mary's son Franklin married his cousin (first, once removed) Kate Blanch RABE in 1909 in Dallas County. They had one daughter, Frankie Alline (pronounced "Al-een"), and one son, J.W. KNIGHT, who died a couple of month's after his first birthday. Frank was a school teacher.
In 1911 Mary Gertrude's cousin Doma RABE (Kate Blanch RABE KNIGHT's older sister) died in childbirth. A year later Doma's husband died of cancer, leaving six children orphaned. The children were separated and put on trains to live with different relatives. Doma's mother Lucy RABE took the baby Ira to live with her brother Alex in Dallas. One daughter, Ethel, came to live with Hannah and her family. Mary Gertrude cared for Ethel.
James William POTTS died 22 DEC 1925 and is buried next to his wife in Greenview Cemetery in Hopkins County. Mary Gertrude died about eight years later, at the age of 76, on 29 MAY 1932.
Garth LOONEY, Mary Gertrude's grandson, told me that he remembers sitting in his grandmother's lap, and that there wasn't much of it. As she aged Mary Gertrude kept on growing. An old photo shows Mary Gertrude, or "Toodie," happily playing with her smiling granddaughter Alline. Her hair, parted in the middle and pulled tight into a bun, is the same as it is in a photo of the POTTS family taken in 1883.
Sarah Jane STEWART, the first child of Daniel and Araminta STEWART, married John S. MARTIN in Shelby County Alabama on 23 MAY 1858. They had two children - Mary Gertrude MARTIN and John MARTIN. Mary Gertrude was born 9 APR 1856, about two years before her parents married. She was baptised along with her Aunt Emma, Sarah's younger sister, on 28 AUG 1859. John S. MARTIN's family lived next to the STEWARTS and the young couple set up housekeeping on a small property between the two families. John's brother, George Pierce MARTIN lived with them for a while.
Mary Gertrude probably spent a lot of time with the children of the STEWART family, many of whom were close to her in age. Her brother John is listed living with the STEWARTS on the 1870 census, though he is listed living with his own parents, as well.
Mary Gertrude's father, John S. MARTIN, served alongside her uncle William Wallace STEWART, her mother's younger brother, in the Civil War. He served in the 18th Regiment Alabama Infantry, Company I, the "Curry Guards." Some time before 1863 he was killed. His war record shows that his wife, Sarah Jane MARTIN, applied for a confederate penion. There is little else in his record. The younger John MARTIN, Mary Gertrude's brother, was born 15 JAN 1863. William Wallace STEWART was killed in the Battle of Jonesboro, 3 SEP 1864 and was buried in the Jonesboro Confederate Cemetery.
The STEWART family left Alabama around 1868. Mary Gertrude MARTIN's grandson, Garth LOONEY, remembers her telling him that she walked all the way from Alabama behind a covered wagon. The family settled in Hopkins County TX, near the Black Oak post office. Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah married Nathaniel CLIFTON. They had one child, Lula D. CLIFTON.
In 1878 both Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah and her grandmother Araminta died. No one knows what happened or where they are buried. There was a yellow fever epidemic that summer which hit Mississippi and New Orleans very hard. It's not known if it spread as far as East Texas. After these deaths many of the STEWARTS moved to Dallas County, to Mesquite and Grand Prairie. Sarah's children, Mary Gertrude, John, and Lula stayed in Hopkins County.
Shortly after her mother's death Mary Gertrude married Franklin P. KNIGHT. He was the son of James R. and Mary KNIGHT. James R. KNIGHT, born about 1825 in Tennessee, died on the way home from the Civil War. A man came by the KNIGHT house to tell Mary and her children that James had died. According to descendant Pat REGAN the man had some sweet potatoes in his hand. William KNIGHT, then about 6 years of age, was so hungry he could only think about the sweet potatoes, and not about the sad news of his father's death. Frank's mother Mary married Manning T. WOOD on 4 DEC 1865 in Hopkins County TX, and Frank lived with them. For some unknown reason William lived with the William DOWNING family in Lone Oak.
Franklin P. KNIGHT, SR. died 29 OCT 1879, before his son, Franklin P. KNIGHT, Jr., was born. In the 1880 Hopkins County TX census the 21-year-old widowed Mary is living with her 8-month-old son Franklin, her 11-year-old half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, and her 18-year-old brother John MARTIN. It must have been very hard times for this little family.
A few years later Mary Gertrude married James W. POTTS. or "Little Jim." They had one child, Susie Vera POTTS. Her father nicknamed her Hannah, but pronounced it "Hanner." She was known as Hannah all her life. Mary Gertrude's half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, married Joseph Richard POTTS on 20 Nov 1898. He was the brother of James W. POTTS. The family record states that Hannah POTTS married Kieffer Franklin LOONEY on 1 DEC 1907 but it may have been 1906 as their first child Avis Kate LOONEY was born 23 SEP 1907. Mary's son Franklin married his cousin (first, once removed) Kate Blanch RABE in 1909 in Dallas County. They had one daughter, Frankie Alline (pronounced "Al-een"), and one son, J.W. KNIGHT, who died a couple of month's after his first birthday. Frank was a school teacher.
In 1911 Mary Gertrude's cousin Doma RABE (Kate Blanch RABE KNIGHT's older sister) died in childbirth. A year later Doma's husband died of cancer, leaving six children orphaned. The children were separated and put on trains to live with different relatives. Doma's mother Lucy RABE took the baby Ira to live with her brother Alex in Dallas. One daughter, Ethel, came to live with Hannah and her family. Mary Gertrude cared for Ethel.
James William POTTS died 22 DEC 1925 and is buried next to his wife in Greenview Cemetery in Hopkins County. Mary Gertrude died about eight years later, at the age of 76, on 29 MAY 1932.
Garth LOONEY, Mary Gertrude's grandson, told me that he remembers sitting in his grandmother's lap, and that there wasn't much of it. As she aged Mary Gertrude kept on growing. An old photo shows Mary Gertrude, or "Toodie," happily playing with her smiling granddaughter Alline. Her hair, parted in the middle and pulled tight into a bun, is the same as it is in a photo of the POTTS family taken in 1883.
Mary Gertrude probably spent a lot of time with the children of the STEWART family, many of whom were close to her in age. Her brother John is listed living with the STEWARTS on the 1870 census, though he is listed living with his own parents, as well.
Mary Gertrude's father, John S. MARTIN, served alongside her uncle William Wallace STEWART, her mother's younger brother, in the Civil War. He served in the 18th Regiment Alabama Infantry, Company I, the "Curry Guards." Some time before 1863 he was killed. His war record shows that his wife, Sarah Jane MARTIN, applied for a confederate penion. There is little else in his record. The younger John MARTIN, Mary Gertrude's brother, was born 15 JAN 1863. William Wallace STEWART was killed in the Battle of Jonesboro, 3 SEP 1864 and was buried in the Jonesboro Confederate Cemetery.
The STEWART family left Alabama around 1868. Mary Gertrude MARTIN's grandson, Garth LOONEY, remembers her telling him that she walked all the way from Alabama behind a covered wagon. The family settled in Hopkins County TX, near the Black Oak post office. Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah married Nathaniel CLIFTON. They had one child, Lula D. CLIFTON.
In 1878 both Mary Gertrude's mother Sarah and her grandmother Araminta died. No one knows what happened or where they are buried. There was a yellow fever epidemic that summer which hit Mississippi and New Orleans very hard. It's not known if it spread as far as East Texas. After these deaths many of the STEWARTS moved to Dallas County, to Mesquite and Grand Prairie. Sarah's children, Mary Gertrude, John, and Lula stayed in Hopkins County.
Shortly after her mother's death Mary Gertrude married Franklin P. KNIGHT. He was the son of James R. and Mary KNIGHT. James R. KNIGHT, born about 1825 in Tennessee, died on the way home from the Civil War. A man came by the KNIGHT house to tell Mary and her children that James had died. According to descendant Pat REGAN the man had some sweet potatoes in his hand. William KNIGHT, then about 6 years of age, was so hungry he could only think about the sweet potatoes, and not about the sad news of his father's death. Frank's mother Mary married Manning T. WOOD on 4 DEC 1865 in Hopkins County TX, and Frank lived with them. For some unknown reason William lived with the William DOWNING family in Lone Oak.
Franklin P. KNIGHT, SR. died 29 OCT 1879, before his son, Franklin P. KNIGHT, Jr., was born. In the 1880 Hopkins County TX census the 21-year-old widowed Mary is living with her 8-month-old son Franklin, her 11-year-old half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, and her 18-year-old brother John MARTIN. It must have been very hard times for this little family.
A few years later Mary Gertrude married James W. POTTS. or "Little Jim." They had one child, Susie Vera POTTS. Her father nicknamed her Hannah, but pronounced it "Hanner." She was known as Hannah all her life. Mary Gertrude's half sister Lula D. CLIFTON, married Joseph Richard POTTS on 20 Nov 1898. He was the brother of James W. POTTS. The family record states that Hannah POTTS married Kieffer Franklin LOONEY on 1 DEC 1907 but it may have been 1906 as their first child Avis Kate LOONEY was born 23 SEP 1907. Mary's son Franklin married his cousin (first, once removed) Kate Blanch RABE in 1909 in Dallas County. They had one daughter, Frankie Alline (pronounced "Al-een"), and one son, J.W. KNIGHT, who died a couple of month's after his first birthday. Frank was a school teacher.
In 1911 Mary Gertrude's cousin Doma RABE (Kate Blanch RABE KNIGHT's older sister) died in childbirth. A year later Doma's husband died of cancer, leaving six children orphaned. The children were separated and put on trains to live with different relatives. Doma's mother Lucy RABE took the baby Ira to live with her brother Alex in Dallas. One daughter, Ethel, came to live with Hannah and her family. Mary Gertrude cared for Ethel.
James William POTTS died 22 DEC 1925 and is buried next to his wife in Greenview Cemetery in Hopkins County. Mary Gertrude died about eight years later, at the age of 76, on 29 MAY 1932.
Garth LOONEY, Mary Gertrude's grandson, told me that he remembers sitting in his grandmother's lap, and that there wasn't much of it. As she aged Mary Gertrude kept on growing. An old photo shows Mary Gertrude, or "Toodie," happily playing with her smiling granddaughter Alline. Her hair, parted in the middle and pulled tight into a bun, is the same as it is in a photo of the POTTS family taken in 1883.
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