John Robert and Naoma Stafford nee Gobble

47. John Robert Stafford ⁴ (William¹, Robert² Benjamin²) was born about 17 July 1837 in Morgan County, Indiana¹ to Benjamin and his second wife, Margaret Price.²  He died in Morgan County, Indiana on 22 August 1899.¹ At the age of 20, John married Naoma Gobble, who was only 16 years old. They were married in Morgan County on 20 March 1858.³ Their daughter, Mary Jane, was born in Indiana and then shortly after her birth, John and Naoma headed west to Warren County, Iowa.⁴  John was listed as a farmer in Allen Township.  No value was listed for real estate property and only $100 was the value placed on this young couple's personal property.  The reason for their return to Morgan County, Indiana is unknown, but the 1870 record listed the place of birth of their 2 year old son, Charles as Indiana.⁵  It is interesting to note that John and Naoma Stafford lived in the same neighborhood as William and Rebecca Reeves.  Rebecca Reeves nee Stafford was a first cousin to John Stafford.  Also, in that neighborhood, listed only four households after John and Naoma were Grant S. and Miranda Stafford.  Grant S. was also a brother to John Stafford.⁵

John and Naoma apparently remained in Morgan County the rest of their lives.  They are enumerated in Clay Township in 1880 and Naoma is listed as a widow there in 1900.  By 1880, there are no children living in their household, but they are living in the neighborhood of John's father, Benjamin and his brother, William and their families.⁵

Naoma continued to live in Morgan County after John's death.  In 1900, she and daughter Estelle lived in Clay Township.⁶ Again we find there are other Stafford relatives in the same neighborhood.  In 1900, the census lists John's nephew, Preston Stafford and his wife, Florence, and son, Rex, living in the next household.⁷ This census record indicates that Naoma owned her home and that she was a widow, which agrees with the information on John's cemetery marker that he died in 1899.

Naoma continued to live in Morgan County and had moved to Martinsville by 1910.  She apparently worked as a domestic at a hotel in Martinsville.  By this time she was 66 years old and live alone.⁸  According to the date on her cemetery marker at the Williams Cemetery located at 65 William Mary Drive at Martinsville, she lived until 1928, but this has not been documented.⁹

Suggestions for additional research:

• Land records 

• Probate records for John Robert Stafford, who apparently died in August 1899 in Morgan County with land.

• Follow children forward

Mary Jane Stafford

b. 1859 in Indiana;⁴ d. [?]

Charles Stafford

b. 1868 in Indiana;⁵ d. [?] 

Estelle Stafford

b. August 1881 in Indiana;⁶ d. [?]

John Robert and Naoma Stafford nee Gobble

Census

• 1850 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; in father's household

• 1860 - Carlisle, Allen Township, Warren County, Iowa

• 1870 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; same page as William Reeves

• 1880 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana; same page as Benjamin Stafford

• 1900 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana

• 1910 - Martinsville, Washington Township, Morgan County, Indiana

• 1920 - Did not find in Indiana

Marriage Records

• John Stafford & Oma Gobble marriage record (02 April 1858), Morgan County, Indiana  

Newspaper clipping

• Obituary for brother, William M. H. Stafford, published 16 January 1900 - lists his sister, Mrs. Nancy Jane Mills of Brazil, Indiana.

Land Patents 

• Have not researched in land patents

Deed Records

• Have not researched in deed records 

Death and burial

• John R. Stafford is buried at the Williams Cemetery on William Mary Drive, Martinsville, Indiana

• Naoma Stafford died in 1928 in Morgan County, Indiana and is buried in the Williams Cemetery on William Mary Drive, Martinsville, Indiana.

Will

• Have not researched will records