(Page last updated Dec 16, 2023)
Martha is the daughter of Elias and Anne B [Gibbs] White. The Grand daughter
of Robert White Sr and Mildred 'Milly' Whitehead White, of Union Co SC.

She married Leroy R Alford about 1855 Bowie Co TX.

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Note: Martha & Leroy Alford were members of the Maud Methodist Church.
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They had the following children:

Mary Jane-----1856-1935--m. Annias S Bonham-------------1876
Sarah E---------1858-1873-m. Unkn.
Martha Susan-1859-1932-m.1.Taylor Lee 1877,2.Twy. Kettell 1921, 3.Wm Bartlett1922
John Lee-------1862-1939-m. Elizabeth Emily Russell--abt.-1884
James M-------1865-1866-m. Died 1yr old.
William Penn-1867-1896-m. Unkn.
Ida Lorena----1872-Unkn.m. George W Castleberry----abt 1887

Martha's siblings were:

Jerusha 1814-1904---------------m. Cooper Wilbanks---on 1830 Census of Elias's.
Sarah Ann 1818-1845------------m. Jeremiah Bobo-----1st cousin. on 1830 Census.
S. L or L. L. 1819-1848------------last poll tax 1848, TX---on 1830 Census of Elias's.
Benjamin 1820-1858-------------m. Polly Nix SC----------on 1850 Census TX.
Susan-----1822-1878-------------m. 1st-Sam Harlan SC -2nd Patrick Creed TX.
Hester----1824-1857-------------m. Jeremiah Bobo, 1st cousin SC, his 2nd marriage.
Robert ----1827-abt1859--------not married.
John G----1828-1863-------------m. Mary Whitus, abt. 1852 TX. (chg. from Whitehurst)
Mary C-----1832-1881------------m. 1st-Charles Y Tapp, TX. 2nd-Wm. F. Smith, TX
William----1834-1865------------m. 1st-Sarah Rames, 2nd-Mary Rames TX
Nathan----1836/38-d.bef1850-d.Possibly died on Journey to TX, in 1846.
Martha A.-1835-1903-------------m.Leroy Alford TX. 1855 TX.
Monroe----1840-bef.1860-------d.buried Creed Cemetery TX
Laura J.----1841-1899------------m. Lozen Landrum, abt 1865.

Martha was included in her father Elias, Estate Partition:

(This Estate record supports ""Proof of Marriage"" where no
marriage record is available, prior to the Bowie County
Court House Fire of 1889)

**START OF ELIAS'S ESTATE PARTITION**

"State of Texas
County of Bowie"

"We, the undersigned heirs at law of Elias White, deceased, of Bowie County, State of Texas, agree to the foregoing partition and distribution of the lands as if the same was made by order of court:

Lot 1 on map shall be the property of Mary Caroline Smith;
Lot 2 we assign to the heirs of John White;
Lot 3 we assign to Jane Landrum;
Lot 4 we assign to the heirs of Benj. White;
Lot 5 we assign to the heirs of WM. White;
Lot 6 & 7 we assign to the heirs of Jeremiah Bobo;
Lot 8 we assign to Martha Alford.

(reference is made to a plat, but the same does not appear of record)

"We assign the homestead to Susan Creed, and the reason for said distribution of Elias White estate, is that he in his natural lifetime had expressed a desire that his lands should be divided amongst his heirs in the manner specified above.

Signed:
Mrs. Susan Creed
Leroy Alford
Martha Alford
Jane Landrum
Jacob Roy
Evie Roy
Mrs. M. C. Smith

"The above names signors, acknowledged and signed this partition agreement as follows:

Signed and Acknowledged by Mrs. Susan Creed, window of P. Creed, deceased, before Lewis Alexander, District Clerk of Bowie County, Texas, on April 29, 1878.

Signed and acknowledged by Leroy Alford and wife Martha Alford, before A. G. Hoskins, County Clerk of Bowie County, Texas, on November 1, 1878.

Signed and acknowledged by Jane Landrum before A. G. Hoskins, County Clerk of Bowie County, Texas, November 1, 1878.

Signed and acknowledged by Jacob Roy and wife Evie Roy before A. G. Hoskins, County Clerk of Bowie County, Texas, November 1, 1878.

Signed and acknowledged by Mrs. M C. Smith before A. G. Hoskins, County Clerk of Bowie County, Texas, November 1, 1878.
**END of PARTITION**

==============================
OBITUARY: (Newspaper unknown)
Martha Ann White Alford
Died Feb 4,1903

God knows how to deliver his children. Wednesday, February 4 Mrs. Martha Alford was found dead in bed, her eyes closed as if in sleep. About twenty-eight or thirty years ago she found the Methodist Church with her husband and two daughters and has remained in the church and lived a true Christian life from that time. She was sixty-seven years old and the mother of seven children, four of whom she has lost besides her husband. After her husband's death Taylor Lee, her son-in-law, moved into her house to take care of her.

Last year two Mormon Elders came there and Mr. Lee allowed them to Preach in the house until he and his whole family were converted and became full-blooded Mormons. They tried to get the old lady to join them but she was to strong a Christian to be led off into heathenism. Though they told that if she would join them and be baptized they would afterward lay hands on her head and she would receive the holy ghost and would prophesy and whatever she prophesied would come to pass, also that if she would be baptized for her husband who was dead it would save him.

The good old woman would only reply: "I do not believe your docrine." They could not humbug her. To show what kind of people they have beguiled and go into their church, they sent one of them down to the Creed Graveyard with the measure of the box. They lost it before he got their. A girl ask him if they were going to hold an inquest over Grandma; he said, 'I guess so, if the Elders come.' She told him it didn't take Elders for that and asked who would hold the services at the grave. 'If the Elders come they will, if not we won't have any,' he replied. About two o'clock they drove up to the graveyard with the corpse. They opened the coffin to let the people see her, then after a short while they closed and lowered it and had sang and prayed then the Elder said: 'We have come together to pay our last respects to this woman who has lived a moral life'. Then he read the latter part the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians and said a few words about the glory of the sun, moon and stars and then dropped everything that is pertaining to a funeral.'
End

Census Records:

UNION DIST. SOUTH CAROLINA
1840 CENSUS Page: 198
Elias White
Males: 2110201000000
Femls: 1121001000000
Read as follows:
Free White Males, 2 under 5, 1 5-10, 1 10-15, 2 20-30, 1 40-50
2 - under 5 = Nathan, Monroe
1 - bet 5 - 10 = William
1 - bet 10-15 = Robert, John G
2 - bet 20-30 = Benjamin (he married 1840 so could be LL/SL?)
1 - bet 40-50 = Elias
Free White Females, 1 under 5, 1 5-10, 2 10-15, 1 15-20, 1 40-50,
1 under 5 = Laura
1 bet 5-10 = Martha
2 bet 10-15 = Mary, Hester
1 bet 15-20 = Susan
1 bet 40-50 = Anne
* 1 deaf under 14 Robert, with 4 engaged in agriculture.
**Jerusha not on 1840, she married Cooper Wilbanks Jan 1834**
**Sarah Ann White Bobo not on 1840, she married 1841, Jeremiah Bobo,
---may have been living on her own or in another household?**

1850 Census 8th District Bowie Co TX, 14th Day of Sep.
70-70
Elias White 52--M Farmer 2960acres born SC
Ann----------49--F--------------------------born SC
John G -----52?-M--Farm Labor--------born SC deaf--Error? TWIN OF ELIAS? or mistake?
Robert------23--M--Farm Labor--------born SC
William-----16--M-------------------------born SC
Martha------15--F-------------------------born SC
Monroe-----09--M-------------------------born SC
Jane---------07--F-------------------------born SC

1860 Fed Census Bowie Co TX on cd image 11b
Leroy Alford-----26yrs old Farmer born LA
Martha A---------21--- wife------------------SC
Mary J------------03----dau------------------TX
Sarah E-----------02----dau------------------TX
Martha S----------6mo dau------------------TX
**Living in same household are:
M. C. White--------16 Nephew--Farmlab-SC
(this would be Marion C White, son of Ben J White died
1858. Marion was born in SC, listed as farm labour)
Martha A was Marion's Aunt, sister of Ben White, MC's dad.
Enoch Stringfellow 31-Farm lab and living with Leroy Alford's family.

1860 Agricultural Census Neighborhood
Bowie County Texas:
Leroy
Note: Only 5 Fields of this census transcribed;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13 Alford (son in laws of Elias White)
Leroy Alford (son in laws of Elias White)
1. Leroy Alford
2. Improved land----------75---acres
3. Unimproved land------725 acres
4. Cash Value of Farm----1600
5. Val. Of Farm equip------40
13. Val. Of Live Stock------747

1870 Fed Census Bowie Co TX Precinct 3
Alford, Leroy R---44 male white farmer born LA
Martha A-----------38 Fem white keeping house born SC
Mary L--------------13 fem white-----All Children born TX
Sarah E-------------12 fem white
Martha S-----------09 fem white
John L--------------08 male white
Also living in the same household:
WHITE, MARTHA E 14 FEM WHITE--born TX---(Niece of Martha A)
(Martha E is the daughter of William M White killed
by Lozen Landrum, brother in law, in 1865)

1880 Fed Census Bowie Co TX Precinct 3
ALFORD, LEROY W-M-52 FARMER LA
MARTHA----------W--F-42?--WIFE--SC
JOHN L------------W-M-18---SON---TX
WILLIAM----------W--M-12---SON---TX
IDA L---------------W--F-08---DAU---TX
Mary L and Martha S, are married, Sarah's fate
is unknown, she either married or died before
the 1880 census, cannot find a marriage record.

1882-1883 Bowie County Planters and Farmers
Where post office is not given, the address is understood to be Boston, the
county seat.
Key to Bowie County (Planters and Farmers)
Number of acres, taxable valuation from list in Austin.
County seat given as address only by Boston Court House.
A $1000 $1500 B $1500 $2000 C $2000 $3000 D $3000 $4000
E $4000 $5000 F $5000 10,000 G $10,000 $20,000 H $20,000 and up
Leroy Alford, 2611 E.

1900 Bowie Co census bowie co web site page 07-42a Prec #2
South of T&P RR
760-7??
Alford, John W? (L) head w--m-Mar-1862-38 M 20-----TX GA SC
Emily E----------------wife--w--f Feb--1863 37 M 20 1 1 TX LA GA
Chester A--------------son--w--m Nov-1885 14 S----------TX TX TX
NOTE: Next door
Lee, Taylor head w m July 1848 51 M 21----MS NC SC farmer
Mary S -------wife w f--May 1860 40 f--21 9 7 TX GA-SC
Wm L----------son w m Jan 1880 20 s-----------TX MS TX
Marion--------son w m Feb 1882 18 s-----------TX MS TX
Nona----------dau w f-- Apr 1884 16 s-----------TX MS TX
Robert E------son w m Aug 1886 13 s-----------TX MS TX
Cato-----------son w m Oct--1898 01 s-----------TX MS TX
Living in same household:
Alford, Mrs Martha Mother-in-law w f Sep 1837 62 wd 0 1 1 SC SC SC

The Creed Cemetery is on Private Property, so abide by the Texas laws for visiting such cemeteries.