Silas Preston and Florence Stafford nee Allen

140.  Silas Preston "Pres" Stafford ⁴ (William¹, Robert² Benjamin²) was born in September 1871 in Indiana.¹ He was the son of Grant S. and Miranda Stafford nee Fultz.  Pres Stafford is the name he used commonly according to his granddaughter, Geraldine Callahan.²  Pres Stafford died in 1921 in Morgan County and was buried in Centerton Cemetery.³ He married Florence Allen on the 10 March 1895.⁴ In 1900, Preston and Florence J. Stafford lived in Clay Township with their two sons, Rex and Teddy.  Rex was 4 years old and Teddy was 2 years.¹ The 1910 census taker recorded that Florence was the mother of 7 children, but only 5 were living.⁵  The two children who died were apparently twins named Berle and Merle Stafford, who died on 18 November 1906 and were buried in Centerton Cemetery.⁶  All of the children's birthplaces were listed as Indiana.  The family continued to live in Morgan County and were recorded there again by the 1920 census taker.⁷  This record shows the addition of four more children: Wayne, Leonard, Ada and Edith.  The 1920 census indicates that the Preston Stafford owned his farm.  According to census records it is likely that they lived in Morgan County all of their lives.  Research in the Morgan Deed Records is needed to determine when the purchased their farm and when they sold it.  If the owned the farm in 1921 when Preston Stafford died, it is probable that probate records might provide some additional information about the family.

A photograph of the cemetery marker for Silas Preston and Florence J. Stafford indicates that they died in 1921 and 1928 respectively.³  The marker is in Centerton Cemetery, which is also in Clay Township in Morgan County, Indiana.  They probably died in Morgan County, Indiana.  Preceding them in death was their eldest child, Rex Stafford.  A marker in Centerton Cemetery for this boy indicates he was only 16 years old when he died.⁸ The family tradition is that he was struck by a train and was killed.¹⁰

Suggestions for additional research:

• Need marriage record for Silas Preston Stafford and Florence Allen

• Deed records

• Probate research

i.

Rex Stafford

b. January 1896; d. 19 January 1912; burial in Centerton Cemetery, Morgan County, Indiana

ii.

Ted Stafford

b. 16 June 1897 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 15 November 1960 in Chetopa, Labette County, Kansas; buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Chetopa, Labette County, Kansas; married 1) Melvina Anderson on _____; 2) Edith Maybelle Moore on 11 March 1942

iii.

Opal Stafford

b. 01 August 1900 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 11 November 1963

iv.

Alice Stafford

b. 06 March 1904 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 01 June 1983; married Rev. Herman Myrick on 15 September 1924 in Morgan County, Indiana

v.

Merle Stafford

b. and d. 18 November 1906 in Morgan County, Indiana; buried in Centerton Cemetery.

vi.

Berle Stafford

b. and d. 18 November 1906 in Morgan County, Indiana; buried in Centerton Cemetery.

vii.

Bertha Stafford

b. about 1908 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. [?]

viii.

Wayne Stafford

b. about 1912 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. December 1980; buried in Centerton Cemetery, Morgan County, Indiana

ix.

Leonard Stafford

b. about 1915 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 04 September 1975; buried in Centerton Cemetery, Morgan County, Indiana

x.

Ada Stafford

b. 12 January 1916 in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 22 November 1967 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; buried in Washington Park East Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana

xi.

Edith Stafford

b. 07 November 1918; d. 1978 in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana