Surname Saturday – Ancestor #21 – Mary Elizabeth Eaton

One of my goals for 2012 is to use the Surname Saturday blogging prompt as a way to assure that I spend some time researching each of my family lines and that I have appropriate source citations for the genealogical facts related to my ancestors. I’ve decided to use my ahnentafel report and work back through the generations starting with my grandparents, writing a summary of each ancestor. If you discovered this post through a search engine and find one of your ancestors listed here, please leave a comment to let me know.

My paternal 2^nd great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth Eaton was born about 1817 in Missouri,[1] probably Washington County. Her parents were Absolem D. Eaton and Sarah Reeves.

On 9 August 1838, she married Howell B. Martindale in Bismarck, St. Francois County, Missouri.[2] The couple had nine, perhaps ten, children. The nine children for whom I have found records are: 

• William C. Martindale (1839[3]-1863[4])
• Lucinda J. Martindale (1841[5]-bef 1880)
• Ambrose B. Martindale (1844[6]-1918[7]) – my great-grandfather
• Permelia A. Martindale (1846[8]-1888[9])
• Sarah V. Martindale (1849[10]-1900[11])
• Howell B. Martindale (1852[12]-1889[13])
• Missouri Elizabeth Martindale (1853[14]-1943[15])
• James Austin Martindale (1856[16]-1892[17])
• Randolph B. Martindale (1859[18]-?)

In 2002, I received an email from Nedra Eaton Queen who said there was another son, Bridges Bruce Martindale, who was born about 1838. However, I have found no other evidence of this child.

According to a pedigree chart prepared by my aunt, Dorothy Belle (Spurlock) Magee, her husband died in 1866 near Waldron, in Scott County, Arkansas. I have been unable to locate a burial location or any other documentation regarding his death.

In 1870, Mary Elizabeth Martindale was enumerated in Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri.[19] Living with her were all her children except William (died during the Civil War) and Lucinda (married and living with her husband Samuel/Sampson Blankenship[20]. Also enumerated with the family was John Thompson, husband of daughter Sarah. Mary’s occupation was listed as keeping house; no values were given for either real or personal property. Her two oldest sons Ambrose and Howell (enumerated as Hart) worked in the zinc mines. The younger children (Missouri, James and Randolph) had attended school within the year. She was enumerated just two visits away from the family of James Forshee (another of my 2^nd great-grandparents); James’s daughter Sarah Belle would marry Ambrose Martindale in 1879.

According to email correspondent Nedra Eaton Queen, Mary died 11 January 1873 and is buried in Bismarck, St. Francois County, Missouri. I have been unable to verify this information.

Although I will continue to look for information about Mary, it is unlikely that there will be much to find in official records since it appears she did not own property. Perhaps newspapers from the area will provide further information. Or someday I will find a distant cousin who can tell me more about Mary Elizabeth Eaton Martindale and her life.

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[1] 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwelling 525, family 525, H. B. Martindale; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 421.

[2] "Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002," database and online images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Aug 2011), entry for Martindale and Eaton, 8 August 1838; citing Marriage Book A: 162.

[3] 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwelling 525, family 525, H. B. Martindale; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 421.

[4] Compiled service record, William C. Martindale, Co. G, 2 Mounted Rifles; Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Arkansas, Civil War; 109; digital images, "Civil War Service Records," Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 28 Jan 2011).

[5] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwell. 525, fam. 525, H. B. Martindale.

[6] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwell. 525, fam. 525, H. B. Martindale.

[7] Texas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate 41191 (1918), A. B. Martindale; digital image, Fold3.com, Texas Death Certificates (http://www.fold3.com/documents/19419207/texas_death_certificates/ : accessed 20 Apr 2010).

[8] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwell. 525, fam. 525, H. B. Martindale.

[9] "Washington County, MO Cemetery Burials," online transcription, Hopewell Cemetery, Washington Co., Missouri (http://www.mogenweb.org/washington/cemetery/wccem.html).

[10] 1850 U.S. census, pop. sch., Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 126 (stamped), dwell. 525, fam. 525, H. B. Martindale.

[11] "Washington County, MO Cemetery Burials".

[12] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Clear Creek Township, Sevier County, Arkansas, p. 122 (penned), dwell. 850, fam. 854, Howell B. Martindale.

[13] "Washington County, MO Cemetery Burials".

[14] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Clear Creek Township, Sevier County, Arkansas, p. 122 (penned), dwell. 850, fam. 854, Howell B. Martindale.

[15] St. Francois, Missouri, death certificate no. 35818 (1943), Missouri Elizabeth Jones; digital image, Missouri State Archives, Missouri Death Certificates (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/ : accessed 14 Jul 2010).

[16] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Clear Creek Township, Sevier County, Arkansas, p. 122 (penned), dwell. 850, fam. 854, Howell B. Martindale.

[17] Wayne County, Missouri Cemeteries (St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Genealogical Society, n.d.), 26.

[18] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Clear Creek Township, Sevier County, Arkansas, p. 122 (penned), dwell. 850, fam. 854, Howell B. Martindale.

[19] 1870 U.S. census, Washington, Missouri, population schedule, Concord Township, p. 67, dwelling 171, family 173, household of Mary E. Martindale; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Nov 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll M593_825

[20] 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri, p. 11 (penned), dwelling 73, family 73, Sampson Blankenship; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 Jul 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 825.

© 2012 Denise Spurlock