My great grandmother, Martha Jones, my paternal grandfather's mother seems to be even more difficult than my great-grandmother Fannie.
Oral History
1. My aunt, Martha Edith Jones, was named after both of her grandmothers.
2. My dad always said that Mary Williams who reared my granddad and who dad and my aunts and uncles called grandmother wasn’t really my granddad’s Mom. Dad always suspected that Mary Williams was my granddad’s aunt.
3. On occasion, dad mentions that he thinks granddad had some siblings.
What I know and have discovered through the years
1. On my grandparents’ marriage license, granddad lists his mother as Martha and she was still living when my grandparents were married (Dec. 27 1914). No father was listed and we have never known who his father was or could possibly be.
2. On the 1900 census, Hamilton, Martin, North Carolina, there are three families listed for dwelling, 110.
Family 121, General Williams and his wife, Mary E.
Family 122, Je* Williams (female), age 70, is listed as head. With her is Joseph Williams, age 16, listed as her son and Clansy Jones, boarder, and Leter Jones, boarder.
Family 123, Martha Jones, head
3. I’m fairly confident in stating that (1) this is the Mary E Williams that reared my granddad (granddad’s death certificate list General Williams as his father and Mary Elizabeth Jones as his mother. My grandmother was the informant on granddad’s death certificate), (2) Clansy is my granddad, Claudius, and (3) the Martha listed is my great-grandmother.
Headaches, Frustrations and Questions
1. Where were Mary and Martha between 1880 and 1900? Based on the 1900 census, Mary was been born abt. 1872 and Martha was born abt. 1877. To date, I’ve not been able to locate either of them on the 1880 census. I've also never been able to locate them or granddad on the 1910 census.
2. What happened to my great-grandmother after 1914? I’ve not located her on the 1920 or 1930 census. Did she marry?
3. Who is Leter Jones? Is it possible that my grandfather had a twin? On the 1900 census both are listed as being born in 1892 with granddad being born in July and Leter being born in August.
Any suggestions in tracking down great grandmom would be greatly appreciated.