Martha Florentha CHILDRESS

1880 - 1965  (84 years)

• Name	Martha Florentha CHILDRESS  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  	Daughter Zella claimed Martha's middle name was Floristhia.
  Nickname	Flora
  Alt. Birth Date	17 Oct 1879	, Anderson, Tennessee, USA   [5]
  	birth year has been written over so probably not good date
  Born	17 Oct 1880	Bearden, Knox, Tennessee, USA   [2, 3, 4, 6, 7]
  	Death certificate gives birth place as Bearden, Tennessee. Age 19 in 1900 census, b. Oct 1880 Age 31, 1910 census, 16 Apr 1878-15 Apr 1879
  		WILKERSON - Bible Hall Jackson Wilkerson family
  		Birth certification - Wilkerson Zella Wilkerson, 1908
  Gender	Female
  Alt. birth place	, Anderson, Tennessee, USA   [1]
  	on daughter Ethel's birth record, 1912
  Alt. Birth Place	17 Oct 1880	Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA
  	per her daughter, Zella
  Census	8 Jun 1900	, Anderson, Tennessee, USA   [8]
  	Elisha C. Childress household
  	Childress, Martha F., daughter, white, female, born October 1880, age 17, single, born Tennessee, father born Tennessee, mother born Tennessee, can read, write, speaks English.
  		1900 U.S. Census - Childress Tennessee. Anderson Co. - Elisha C. Childress
  Census	18 Apr 1910	Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA   [4]
  	Hall J. Wilkerson household
  	Wilkerson, Flora M., wife, female, white, age 31, marriage 1, married 6 years, had 3 children, all still living, born Tennessee, father born Tennessee, mother born Tennessee, speaks English, able to read & write.
  		1910 U.S. Census - Wilkerson Indiana. Delaware Co. - Hall J. Wilkerson
  Directory	1911/12	Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA   [9]
  	905 S. Center
  	Wilkerson Charles (Bertha M), repairs molds Ball Bros, bds 717 e 7th Wilkerson, Howell J (Flora), wks Kitselman Bros, h 905 s Center Wilkerson John (Cora L), machinist helper Ball Bros, h 717 e 7th Wilkerson Rufus H (Julia), wks Muncie Foundry & Machine Co, h 1419 e 1st
  Residence	13 May 1919	Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA   [10]
  	at death of her father, Elisha Childress
  Residence	20 May 1919	Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA   [11]
  	at the death of her sister, Alice Selonia
  Census	15 Jan 1920	Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA   [12]
  	Hall J. Wilkinson household
  	Wilkinson, Flora M., wife, female, white, age 39, married, able to read & write, born Tennessee, father born Tennessee, mother born Tennessee, house help
  		1920 U.S. Census - Wilkerson Indiana. Henry Co. - Hall J. Wilkinson
  Census	19 Apr 1930	Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA   [13]
  	Hall Wilkerson household
  	Wilkerson, Flora M., wife, female, white, age 59, married, age 24 at first marriage, able to read & write, born Tennessee, parents born Tennessee, speaks English, laundress at a laundry, working
  		1930 U.S. Census - Wilkerson Indiana. Henry Co. - Hall Wilkerson
  Census	29 Apr 1940	Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA   [14]
  	Homer Driver household
  	Wilkerson, Martha F., aunt-in-law, female, white, age 59, widow, finished grade 4, born Tennessee, 1935 Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, housework in private homes, worked 52 week, income $260, no other income.
  		1940 US Census - Childress Indiana. Delaware Co. - Homer Driver household
  Residence	9 May 1951	Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA   [5]
  	1411 Woodlawn Ave.
  Church Affiliation	1965	Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA   [15]
  	Garfield Baptist Church
  Died	27 Feb 1965	Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA   [3, 7, 16]
  		Death certificate - Childress Martha Flora (Childress) Johnson, 1965
  Buried	4 Mar 1965	Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA   [3, 17, 18]
  		Grave marker - Wilkerson Hall Jackson and Martha F. (Childress) Wilkerson
  Notes	TRADITION: According to Zella WILKERSON, her mother Martha F. CHILDRESS always said she quit school before finishing the fourth grade to help care for the other children when her mother died. Since Susan Jane WEAVER did not die until Martha F. was 20 years old, if this story is true Susan Jane would have been Martha's stepmother. None of this seems true since Elisha and Susan Jane were married in 1878 and Martha was born in 1880. Only Billie, a half-brother born in 1874, was younger than Martha. Henry Gipson died before Martha was born. When this tale was repeated to Mrs. Florence DANIEL Buckner, she said none of it was true. I have, however, a Jane Sunpur WEAVER, the widow of Fate WEAVER, listed as a wife of Elisha. I have no marriage date so not sure where she fits in. ___________________________________________________________________ SRF: 8 Sep 1984 - Martha had a child born out of wedlock at age 18 but the child died at 20 mo. On 4 Jan 1904 she had a 2nd child out of wedlock, just 6 months before she married Hall Jackson Wilkerson, a man 20 years older than she, and with a son only 9 months younger than Martha. Since it is not known how Hall's first marriage ended, the possibility of Hall being the father has been suggested to some of the half-brothers and sisters. All said no . . . that their father, Hall, resented the girl as they were growing up and 'picked' on her. Also, Martha took a trip to Tennessee in the late 50's or so and told family members upon her return that she had seen the girl's father while there. ___________________________________________________________________ SRF: 28 Jul 2002 ". . . This may be a secret. I was always told that Aunt Flora had Vinnie and Goldie before she was every (sic) married. You asked for anything I knew of the family. I hope it not a secret. If so it between me and you. No one never hear from me unless I should have to ans. I don't know if they (sic) true or not. . . " This is from a letter from Florence Daniel Buckner received 23 Nov 1984 by Shirley Richison Fields ______________________________________________________________________ Elmer's birth records says Martha has had 3 children but how many are still living is not given. Ethel's birth record says 4 children born to Martha and 4 still living. Zella was child no. 3 by Hall Jackson and Elisha Everet was the 4th. Everet's birth record says Martha has had 6 children [4 with Hall Jackson and 2 before Hall Jackson] with 5 still living [the 4 with Hall Jackson and Goldie as the 5th]. _____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
  Person ID	I572	richison
  Last Modified	28 Dec 2020

  
  

  Father	14 Elisha CHILDRESS,   b. 4 Oct 1854, , Knox, Tennessee, USA ,   d. 13 May 1919, NE of Panola, Woodford, Illinois, USA  (Age 64 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Susannah Jane WEAVER,   b. 8 Jul 1861, prob , Anderson, Tennessee, USA ,   d. 14 May 1900, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA  (Age 38 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F342	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Children	1. 7.1 Vivien CHILDRESS,   b. 14 Feb 1898, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA ,   d. 13 Oct 1899, prob , Knox, Tennessee, USA  (Age 1 years)  [Birth] + 2. 7.2 Goldie Zeona CHILDRESS,   b. 4 Jan 1904, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA ,   d. 22 Nov 1959, Mishawaka, St. Joseph, Indiana, USA  (Age 55 years)  [Birth]
  Last Modified	4 Oct 2007
  Family ID	F341	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Hall Jackson WILKERSON,   b. 26 Dec 1860, , Union, Tennessee, USA ,   d. 26 Dec 1934, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA  (Age 74 years)
  Married	29 Jul 1904	Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA   [19, 20]
  		Marriage license and return - Wilkerson Wilkerson-Childress marriage, 1904
  		Marriage bond - Wilkerson Wilkerson-Childress marriage
  Notes	8 Sep 1984 When Hall md Martha married, he was 43 or 44 and she was 24. She had given birth to an illegimate daughter about 6 months before they married, but family tradition says the child was not Hall's. At the time of this second marriage for Hall, his bride was only 9 months older than his oldest son. Hall oldest son had already been married for a year or two, and his next oldest got married just 6 days before Hall and Martha. ----------------------------
  Children	+ 1. 6.5 Elmer WILKERSON,   b. 27 Sep 1906, Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA ,   d. 13 Mar 1964, Downey, Los Angeles, California, USA  (Age 57 years)  [Birth] + 2. Zella Beatrice WILKERSON,   b. 6 Nov 1908, Progress, Delaware, Indiana, USA ,   d. 13 Oct 1992, Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA  (Age 83 years)  [Birth] + 3. 6.7 Ethel Samantha WILKERSON,   b. 6 Apr 1912, Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA ,   d. 19 May 2000, Wilkinson, Hancock, Indiana, USA  (Age 88 years)  [Birth] + 4. 6.8 Elisha Everet WILKERSON,   b. 27 Jun 1915, Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA ,   d. 19 Apr 1968, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA  (Age 52 years)  [Birth]
  Photos		Martha Florentha (Childress) and Hall Jackson Wilkerson, 1927 Photo courtesy of Dan Richison
  Last Modified	15 May 2017
  Family ID	F188	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 3	Ira Lester JOHNSON,   b. 5 Jun 1874, Washington, Daviess, Indiana, USA ,   d. 5 May 1963, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA  (Age 88 years)
  Marriage License	9 May 1951	, Marion, Indiana, USA   [5, 21]
  Married	12 May 1951	, Marion, Indiana, USA   [21]
  		Marriage license application - Childress Ira L. Johnson-Martha F. Wilkerson, 1951
  		Marriage return - Childress Ira L. Johnson-Martha F. Childress, 1951
  Photos		Martha Florentha Childess, Danny, and Ira Lester Johnson Grandma & Grandpa Johnson w/grandson Danny Photo courtesy of Dan Richison
  Last Modified	21 Jan 2014
  Family ID	F2270	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Alt. Birth Date - birth year has been written over so probably not good date - 17 Oct 1879 - , Anderson, Tennessee, USA Alt. birth place - on daughter Ethel's birth record, 1912 - - , Anderson, Tennessee, USA Alt. Birth Place - per her daughter, Zella - 17 Oct 1880 - Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA Census - Elisha C. Childress household - 8 Jun 1900 - , Anderson, Tennessee, USA Married - 29 Jul 1904 - Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA Census - Hall J. Wilkerson household - 18 Apr 1910 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA Directory - 905 S. Center - 1911/12 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA Residence - at death of her father, Elisha Childress - 13 May 1919 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA Residence - at the death of her sister, Alice Selonia - 20 May 1919 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA Census - Hall J. Wilkinson household - 15 Jan 1920 - Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA Census - Hall Wilkerson household - 19 Apr 1930 - Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA Census - Homer Driver household - 29 Apr 1940 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, USA Residence - 1411 Woodlawn Ave. - 9 May 1951 - Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA Church Affiliation - Garfield Baptist Church - 1965 - Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA Died - 27 Feb 1965 - Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, USA Buried - 4 Mar 1965 - Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Childress, Martha F. Photo courtesy of Nancy Snellenberger, Martha's granddaughter
  		Martha Florentha (Childress) and Hall Jackson Wilkerson, 1927 Photo courtesy of Dan Richison
  		Martha Florentha Childess, Danny, and Ira Lester Johnson Grandma & Grandpa Johnson w/grandson Danny Photo courtesy of Dan Richison
  		Martha Florentha (Childress) Wilkerson Photo courtesy of Cathy Wilkerson
  		Hall Jackson and Martha Florentha (Childress) Wilkerson, 1927

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		Death certificate - Childress Goldie Zeona (Childress) Stratton, 1959
  		Death certificate - Wilkerson Hall Jackson Wilkerson, 1934
  		Death certificate - Wilkerson Zella Beatrice (Wilkerson) Rosenbarger, 1992
  		Birth certificate - Wilkerson Zella Wilkerson, 1908
  		Birth certificate - Wilkerson Ethel Samantha Wilkerson, 1912
  		Birth certificate - Wilkerson Elisha Everet Wilkerson, 1915

  
  

• Sources

  [S1857] Births, 11 Sep 2012. Delaware County Department of Health, uncertified birth record, book CH-11:79, registered no. 145, Ethel Samantha Wilkinson (1912). Delaware County Health Department Vital Records Division, Muncie, Indiana. [S1857] Births, 11 Sep 2012. Delaware County Department of Health, uncertified birth record, books CH-9:15 and H-16:23, registered nos. 371 and 21, Elmer Wilkinson (1906). Delaware County Health Department Vital Records Division, Muncie, Indiana. [S1869] Deaths, 19 Nov 2016. "Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 July 2016); Martha Flora Johnson (27 February 1965), Certificate of Death no. 65-009775, Marion County; citing Death Certificates, 1900-2011, microfilm, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis. [S45] 1910 U.S. Census, 30 Jul 2008. 1910 U.S. Census, Delaware County, Indiana, pop. sch , Center Twp., 6th Ward, city of Muncie, ED 38, sheet 4B, 700 East Seventh Street, dwell. 83, fam. 87; Hall J. Wilkerson, digital image, Ancestry (https://ancestry.com: 30 July 2008); NARA microfilm T624, roll 346. R000152 [S1901] Marriage, 18 Jan 2014. Marion County, Indiana, Marriage License Application no. 559264 (1951), Johnson-Wilkerson; Marion County Clerk's Office, Marriage License Division, Indianapolis. [S1564] Bible , 30 Mar 2011. Wilkerson Bible Records, 1860-1938, loose "Family Record" pages from unknown Bible; photocopies made by Phyllis Jean (Wilkerson) Carney, [address for private use,] California, 1985. The Bible apparently originated with Hall Jackson Wilkerson whose birth is the earliest entry; events are not in chronological order and are written in several different hands. Some entries were recognized as the handwriting of Zella (Wilkerson) Richison but most appear to have been written by Goldie Z. Childress at some later date. There are many misspellings and grammatical errors throughout. It appears to have passed from Hall Jackson's wife, Martha Florentha (Childress) Wilkerson to her son Elmer Wilkerson and then to his son, Ronald Jackson. Photocopies held by Shirley Richison Fields, (Avon, IN 46123). [S1869] Deaths, 30 May 2011. Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 65-009775, Martha Flora Johnson (1965); State Registrar, Vital Records Section, Indianapolis. [S1832] 1900 U.S. Census, 24 Aug 2010. 1900 U.S. Census, Anderson County, Tennessee, pop. sch., 1st Civil District, enumeration district (ED) 1, sheet 3B, dwelling 54, family 55, Elisha C. Childress household; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 June 1900); citing NARA microfilm T623, roll 1557. [S1886] City/County Directories, 9 Jul 2013. "U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989," digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 July 2013); Charles Emerson, comp. Emerson's Muncie Directory, 1911-1912, (Muncie, Indiana: Central Printing Company, n.d.) 838, "Wilkerson." [S1854] Obituary. "Elisha Childress" obituary, El Paso (Illinois) Journal, 15 May 1919; courtesy of David Fever. [S1854] Obituary, 26 Mar 2012. "Death of Shiloh Lady, Mrs. C. M. Daniel," obituary, El Paso (Illinois) Journal, 22 May 1919; courtesy of David Fever. [S238] 1920 U.S. Census, 25 Jul 2008. 1920 U.S. Census, Henry County, Indiana, population schedule, Wayne township, Ward 3, town of Knightstown, enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 2B, dwelling 211, family 13, Hall J. Wilkinson household, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 25 July 2008); NARA microfilm T625, Roll 438. [S1831] 1930 U.S. Census, 20 Mar 2011. 1930 U.S. census, Henry County, Indiana, population schedule, Wayne Twp., Knightstown, enumeration district (ED) 33-38, sheet no. 15A, dwelling 429, family 435, Hall Wilkerson, digital image, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2 Dec 2007); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 593. [S1904] 1940 U.S. Census, 21 Jun 2012. 1940 U. S. census, Delaware County, Indiana, population schedule, Center township, city of Muncie, enumeration district (ED) 18-37, sheet 26B, family 570, Homer Driver, digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T627-1038. [S772] Interview: Wilkerson, Zella Beatrice, (by Shirley Richison Fields, 1969 through 1991. Information directly entered into genealogy software for later verification. Mrs. Rosenbarger, the mother of Shirley Richison Fields, is now deceased.). [S1854] Obituary, 11 May 2015. "Death Notices: Johnson," obituary, Indianapolis Star, 1 March 1965; digital image, Indiana State Library, Indiana Division, Indianapolis. Two images received via e-mail from Leigh Anne Johnson, Librarian, 20 February 2014. [S1869] Deaths, 1 Mar 1965. Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 65-009775, Martha Flora Johnson (1965); State Registrar, Vital Records Section, Indianapolis. [S1310] Find A Grave, 18 Apr 2004. Find A Grave, database and images, (http://findagrave.com : accessed 18 April 2004); memorial for Hall Jackson Wilkerson (1860-1934), Memorial no. 8,650,630; citing Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana; the photograph by Mary Louise Reynolds is materially informative and provides a legible image of the inscribed data. [S1564] Bible , 30 Mar 2011. Wilkerson Bible Records, 1860-1938, loose "Family Record" pages from unknown Bible; photocopies made by Phyllis Jean (Wilkerson) Carney, [address for private use,] California, 1985. The Bible apparently originated with Hall Jackson Wilkerson whose birth is the earliest entry; events are not in chronological order and are written in several different hands. Some entries were recognized as the handwriting of Zella (Wilkerson) Richison but most appear to have been written by Goldie Z. Childress at some later date. There are many misspellings and grammatical errors throughout. It appears to have passed from Hall Jackson's wife, Martha Florentha (Childress) Wilkerson to her son Elmer Wilkerson and then to his son, Ronald Jackson. Photocopies held by Shirley Richison Fields, (Avon, IN 46123). [S1901] Marriage, 20 Feb 2014. Knox County, Tennessee, certified copy of marriage license and return no. 501; Hall Jackson Wilkerson and Flora Childress, 1904; Knox County Archives, Knoxville. [S1901] Marriage, 18 Jan 2014. Marion County, Indiana, marriage license and return (1951), Johnson-Wilkerson; Marion County Clerk's Office, Marriage License Division, Indianapolis.