Priscilla Stafford and Family

56.  Priscilla Stafford ⁴ (William¹, Robert² Benjamin²) Priscilla Stafford was born in June 1859 in Morgan County, Indiana to Benjamin and Susan M. Stafford.¹  She died in 1949 which is supportive of the information in her brother, Grant Stafford's obituary² and the enumeration for her in the 1930 census.³  Priscilla married Jeremiah McKinley on 04 January 1879 in Morgan County, Indiana.⁴  They lived either all or most of their lives in Morgan County. There are two census enumerations, 1880 and 1920, that do not seem to contain Priscilla and Jeremiah's household.  However, this is unlikely and it is probably more likely that they were found due to the indexing.  The first census listing Priscilla Stafford is the 1860 census, which also lists a twin brother, Garrett Stafford, with Priscilla in their father, Benjamin's household in Clay Township.¹  Garrett and Priscilla were 9 months old in 1860, which does correspond with the month and year of birth recorded by the 1900 census taker.⁵  By the time the 1870 census was taken, Priscilla's twin apparently had died.⁶  No cemetery marker has been located marking his grave.  The expected place of his burial is William's Cemetery near Martinsville where Benjamin and the rest of his family are buried.⁷

The census records for this couple indicate that Jeremiah was 11 years older than Priscilla.  He made a living for the family by farming and in 1900 Jeremiah owned his own farm.⁵  By then, they were the parents of 6 children, but only 4 were still living and all four were with Jeremiah and Priscilla.  By 1910 the couple had lost another child.  This census⁸ states they had 6 children, but only 3 were living.  They also were now living on a rented farm.  Deed research for years between 1900 and 1910 might provide more information about their financial affairs.  

The last available census listing this couple is the 1930 census.⁹  They are still in Clay Township, but are living in the town of Brooklyn on Main Street.  Their son Fred is 38 years old and is still living in their household.  According to the Morgan County cemetery transcriptions, Jeremiah McKinley died in 1934 and is buried in Centerton Cemetery.¹⁰

Suggestions for additional research:

• Make an effort to find Priscilla and Jeremiah McKinley in 1880 and 1920 censuses.

• Obtain a copy of their marriage record from Morgan County.

• Land record research is needed.

• Obtain death certificate for Jeremiah McKinley (1934) and Priscilla McKinley (1949).  Both apparently died in Morgan County, Indiana.

i.

Oscar McKinley

b. 13 September 1887; d. 21 September 1969; married 1) Gertrude Portis; 2) 

ii.

Frederic "Freddie" McKinley

b. March 1890; d. [?]

iii.

Ozella McKinley

b. June 1894; d.  ; married John R. McCracker

iv.

Child McKinley

b. [?]; d. before 1900

v.

Child McKinley

b. [?]; d. before 1900

vi.

Infant son McKinley

b. May 1900; d. before 1910