Mary Stafford and husbands

53.  Mary Stafford ⁴ (William¹, Robert² Benjamin²) was born about 1855 in Morgan County, Indiana.^1,2 She was the eldest child of Benjamin and and his 3rd wife, Susan Stafford nee Fry.  She has 6 full siblings and 9 half-siblings.²  The only information collected so far for Mary is the information in the census records listing her in her parents home.^1,3 In 1860, she is listed as a 5-year-old girl, born in Indiana and she is enumerated between Grant, who is 11 years old and James, who is 3 years old.  The youngest children in the 1860 household are Garrett and Priscilla Stafford, who appear to be twins born within the year.²    The 1870 census taker, wrote that Mary Stafford was 14 years old, she attended school and at that time was the eldest child in the home with 5 children listed younger than she.  By 1880, she is not living in her parents household, but that census shows the Edward and Mary Parson household, immediately after Benjamin and Susan Stafford's household.^4,5 In addition, the online Indiana marriage database provided by Ancestry.com lists a marriage record for Edward Parson and Mary Stafford, who married in Morgan County, Indiana on 04 June 1873.⁶  There is a discrepancy for the surname of Mary's husband in these records and the biography by Noah Majors, who lists his surname as Passor.²  Research in original records would probably help to resolve this discrepancy.  In addition to this discrepancy there is evidence in her half-brother, Grant Stafford's obituary, indicating that she married more than one time.  By 1911, when Grant Stafford died, he had only four sisters surviving him.  They were Mrs. Sylvester McKinley of Centerton; Mrs. Matthew Russell of Martinsville; Mrs. Clay Gooch, who was Emeline Stafford;⁷ and Mrs. Matthew Marrick of Arkansas.  According to Noah Majors, Priscilla Stafford married a McKinley² leaving only Mrs. Russell or Mrs. Marrick to be Mary Stafford.  Using the Ancestry online Indiana Marriage Database 1800 to 1841, a search was conducted producing the following results:

• Mary Stafford married Edward Parson on 04 June 1873 in Morgan County, Indiana⁶

• Mary Parsons married David W. Bunch on 19 April 1896 in Morgan County, Indiana⁸

• Mary Bunch married James M. [Matthew?] Russell on 30 July 1904 in Morgan County, Indiana

Although, these are not original or photocopies of the original records, this database does give the citations for the original records.  These records are needed to confirm these marriages.  The census records support the marriages listed above.  In 1880, Edward and Mary Parsons are enumerated in the household immediately following Benjamin and Susan M. Stafford, in Clay Township in Morgan County, Indiana.^4,5 They do not have any children in their household.  In 1900, no record could be found for this couple or either of them by themselves, but there is a record for D. W. and Mary Bunch.  They were married just four years prior to the 1900 and no children are listed in their household.  The census taker recorded that Mary Bunch had not had any children.  Mary's age was 44 years, which is the age she is expected to be in 1900 since the month of her birth was July.⁹  David W. Bunch was listed as a farmer, who farmed his own land.  Their 1900 census record is between the households of two of Mary's step-nephews, Charles Doyle and his brother Thomas Doyle.  They were the step-son's of her older brother Frances Marion Stafford.⁹  

As expected there is no household for a David Bunch with a wife fitting Mary's statistics in 1910.  However, there is a James M. Russell household in Martinsville and his wife's name is Mary.¹⁰  This woman's age is 54 and her place of birth is Indiana.  These data match those of Mary Stafford.  This census taker recorded that Mary had one child, who was no longer living.  No information has been found about this child. In the 1910 household, James Russell's son, Millard R. Russell lives them.  It is likely that he is James' son from a previous marriage.  No research has been done on James M. Russell.  Combining the information in the census and marriage records provides fairly strong evidence that this is the story of Mary Stafford's life and that they are the woman listed in Grant Stafford's obituary, Mrs. Matthew Russell of Martinsville.

Continuing to research Mr. and Mrs. James M. Russell in the census records, we find them living with a brother-in-law named William F. Northern.  A closer look at that record indicates that the relationship is probably on Mr. Russell's side since, Martha Myrick, who is a sister to Mary also lives in this household and is listed as a boarder.  The reason that they are all living with William Northern is not apparent from the census record.  Northern is listed as a single man, 58 years of age, whose occupation was farmer.  Another person living in the household, was his cousin, Charles T. Northern, a single, 14 year old teen, who was listed as a farmer.  James M. Russell is described as a farmer, partner so it is possible that the Northerns and the Russells owned the land together.  As expected, James M. Russell's first wife was a Lucy E. Northern, who was probably a sister to William Northern.  The marriage between Lucy E. Northern and James M. Russell, took place in Morgan County, Indiana on 09 September 1882.

It would be helpful to find additional biographical information for Mary Stafford, perhaps her obituary would give more information about her life and the child she had, who died prior to 1900. Mary died some time between 1920¹⁰ and 1930.  No census record was found for Mary Russell in 1930.  

Suggestions for additional research:

• Obtain copies of marriage records for Mary Stafford, Mary Parsons and Mary Bunch.

• Look for death certificate for Mary Russell.

• Try to determine her date of death and then if found look for obituary for her.

i.

Infant Child

b. [?]; d. [?]