Finding Martha Smith - A Case Study and Connecting the Dots

Finding Martha Smith – A Case Study

My 2x great grandfather, Francis Marion Smith, had 3 sisters: Martha, Dorcas and Hannah. The only piece of documentation I had was the 1850 US Federal Census in Pine Twp., Warren county, Indiana. Dated 11 September 1850.

According to the 1850 Census, Martha was 12 years old. I do the math and find she was born abt 1838. Francis Marion was not on this census because he was not born until 1 Sept 1853 in Rainsville, Warren, Indiana.

The next logical thing to look at would be the 1860 US Federal Census for Joseph Smith.

29 July 1860 is the census date.

I see Jossph Smth age 44 and Ferry man (do they mean farrier another term for blacksmith?)

WAIT! What happened to Mary? His wife. I guess may be died and he remarried a woman with 2 children. There is Hannah 10 years older and a small child named Mary. I figured Martha would not be there as she would be 22 years old. WAIT! Where is Francis? He would have been 6 years old. He is not with his father?

So now I look for a Francis or Frank Smith age 6 in 1860. I did find something interesting. A census in Springfield, Sangamon, IL dated 19 July 1860.

Here I find a Martha age 22 born in Indiana and there is a Francis Smith age 6. I never heard that Martha was married, remember I knew nothing about her. This is where is gets interesting. I think it is time to look up Robert Whist, Machinist born in Germany.

 

In Logan, Fountain, Indiana 1850 Census dated 30 September 1850 I do find a Robert Whist.

Here I do find a Robert Whist who was a machinist from Germany. Fountain and Warren counties are not very big and they are close in proximity. It is another clue.

I knew Francis (Frank) was living with his other sister Dorcas in Indiana in 1870. The next clue I found when I really looked at the 1900 US Census dated 6 June 1900, Frank was living in Stockland, Iroquois, IL with his then 3^rd wife Minnie and I see there is a sister, Martha in the household and it says wd. I do believe that is short for widowed.

Ok, now I am feeling confident that Martha Smith did marry. I will see if there is a marriage record.

I find a marriage registration for Robert Whist and Martha Smith dated 30 September 1857 in Fountain county, Indiana. I feel confident that this is my Martha Smith, but I do need more proof.

I was able to find a death date for Martha Whist in the Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, Index, 1916-1947. Martha Whist born 23 Sept 1838 in Indiana died 28 Sept 1916 and buried in the Greenwood Cemetery. The parents were Joseph Smith and Rebecca Best. Wait, mother was Mary Ann Best. I was able to get a copy of the death certificate film # 1530824 which was digitized at Family Search. The informant was one of her sons, he probably didn’t know her mother’s name. I filed this information away in my folder.

Recently, I went on Ancestry to further pursue Martha and I found on Find A Grave the headstone for Martha and Robert Whist and a transcription of her obituary.

"Mrs. Martha Whist, widow of Robert Whist, died at 8 oclock Monday evening at her home, 1044 N. Morgan street, following a stroke of paralysis. She was seventy eight years old last Saturday. She had lived in Decatur for a long time and had many friends.
Mrs.Whist was born at Ranesville, Ind, Sept, 23, 1838. She was a member of Grace Methodist church and also of the Womans Relief Corps.
She is survived by two sons, C. F. Whist of Decatur and R. F. Whist of Mattoon. She also leaves a brother, Frank Smith of Washington and a sister, Mrs. Pindie Gates of Peru, Ind.
The funeral will be held at 3 oclock Thursday afternoon at Grace Methodist church. The interment will be in Greenwood."

(from the Daily Review Newspaper in Decatur, Illinois)

The obituary says she leaves a brother, Frank Smith of Washington. Yes, Frank Smith and his wife Minnie did move to Washington. They lived in Colfax to be exact. The last proof is this next piece from the Journal Gazette in Mattoon, IL. November 26, 1913.

I rest my case. This is Martha Smith daughter of Joseph and Mary Smith and sister to Francis Marion Smith.

I connect the dots with a sister, Mrs. Pindie Gates of Peru, Indiana.