Martha J. Peters

I first encountered this Martha J. in the 1900 Census for Oak Bowery.   Martha J. was the first wife of Jim Peters (The 2nd Jim).    Martha stated to the Census taker that she was born, July, 1870.   By 1900, they had been married 14 years. That would mean that she had to have married him at 15. Martha reported that she had had seven (7) children total, but two were not living. This left them with two (2) sons and three (3) daughters living. Jim stated on the census that he was born in Georgia; his father’s birthplace was Georgia, and mother’s birthplace was South Carolina. Martha was born in Alabama, father was born in Alabama, mother came from Virginia.

Amazingly, by the next time the Census rolled around, Jim’s family looked very different.  He had been married for 7 years to another woman named Lula, but the children were the same with a new son and a new daughter added.

So, it is not known what happened to Martha J.

Just to satisfy my own curiosity, some great questions are:  What happened to Martha J?  Did she die during the period between 1900 and 1910?   Did they divorce?   It really looked to me like Jim had a penchant for YOUNGER women.  Did he become disenchanted with Martha J. and just put her away?  It would be really tragic to learn that she became ill and died leaving him to raise the five children, and he found a young wife who could help him keep house and take care of the kids.  Will we ever find out?