Martha Bradley~Civil War Widow

Martha J. Brown was born January 1839 in Mississippi. In late 1849, early 1850 her parents, John R. and Elizabeth Pigford Brown moved to Anderson County, Texas.¹ 

1850 Census, Anderson County, Texas

Her parents died suddenly leaving her and five (5) young siblings homeless and without a caretaker.

There’s a gap here (1850-1854) that have not been successfully documented. On 15 May 1854, Martha J. Brown married Andrew J. Bradley.
 
Lauderdale Republican Newspaper Issue of 16 May 1854 "Miss Martha Brown married to Andrew J. Bradley on 15 May". I do not find this marriage record in Lauderdale County, MS. [Source: Emma Lou Price]

I don’t know if Martha’s parents were dead at this time but I suspect that they were and that Martha and Andrew took care of the children at least for a short time. At the time of her marriage Martha was just 15 years old. As the oldest child, did she marry to care for the children or was it just coincidence.

By 1859, her sister, Nancy Adelaide Brown, age 17, marries Asa Boswell on 29 June 1859 in Lauderdale, County, Mississippi.²

Though I have found  no court record of guardianship for these children, I do know that by 1860 the other 4 siblings were split up with two of them with a uncle in Arkansas and two with a Uncle in Mississippi.  
Meanwhile Andrew and Martha are raising a family of their own. Their first born, a son, called John Thomas Bradley was born on 23 February 1855. The following year they had added another son, William Warren Bradley.

After two sons, along comes Olive Elizabeth Bradley on 7 December 1857.

By 1860, the four younger siblings of Martha has been dispersed to their Uncles. ^{3 4}

Timothy D. Brown was living with his Uncle Epps Rivers Brown, a brother to John R. Brown in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas.

Enoch Timothy Brown was living with his Uncle Alfred D. Pigford, a brother to Elizabeth Pigford Brown in Lauderdale County, Mississippi.

Mary Catherine “Kate” Brown was living with his Uncle Epps Rivers Brown, a brother to John R. Brown in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas.

Mississippi Lurenia Brown was living with his Uncle Alfred D. Pigford, a brother to Elizabeth Pigford Brown in Lauderdale County, Mississippi.

In 1861, we have the start of the Civil War. Andrew remains at home until   June 1863 at which time he enlisted into the 22nd Alabama.⁵

Meanwhile, another daughter has joined the family, little Martha A. “Mattie Bradley, born 27 Oct 1862. Andrew joins the 22nd Alabama in June 1863 and a year later on 20 June 1863 Andrew dies.⁶  I have the cause of death as “measles” but I don’t have a source document for this information.  

This is a lot of tragedy in one person life, loss of parents just a few years earlier, now the loss of her husband. There is no evidence showing that Martha ever re-married after the death of her husband Andrew. She raised her four (4) children on her own and through some difficult times.

While living in Alabama, she applied for a Widow’s Civil War Pension (3901). Alabama shows this pension transferred to Mississippi.⁷ In 1900 she was living with her brother, Enoch Timothy Pigford and his family in Lauderdale, Mississippi.⁸

It is not known when she died but most likely occurred between 1905 and 1910. On 19 July 1905 Martha J. Bradley had to certify to the court that she was a pensioner.



In the 1910 census, she is missing from the Enoch Timothy Pigford home. ⁹

If you have any information on Martha’s parents  or on Martha and her family, I would love to correspond with you about this family.





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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Anderson County, Texas, population schedule, Anderson County, Texas, Page 15B, Line 12,, Dwelling 101, Family 101, Household of John R. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ); citing National Archives Microfilm M432_908.
[2] Asa Boswell & Nancy A. Brown, (29 June 1859), Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935: ; Chancery Court, , Mississippi.
[3] 1860 U. S. Census, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, population schedule, Marion, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, Page: 261, Line 13,, Dwelling 131; Family 130, Household of A. D. PIGFORD; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 5 September 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_585.
[4] 1860 U. S. Census, Union County, Arkansas, population schedule, Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, Page 316B, Line 17, Family/Dwelling 703/651, Household of Epps R. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 24 July 2011); citing NARA publication Roll: M653_51.
[5] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 11 August 2013), entry for Andrew S. Bradley, Private; 22nd Regiment, Alabama Infantry; Confederate.
[6] Confederate Pension Applications, microfilm publication Mississippi Confederate pension applications (Jackson, Mississippi: Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 1905), Mrs. Martha J. Bradley, nee Brown, widow of Andrew S. Bradley, Co. E, 21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry, 2 pages.
[7]  Ibid.
[8] 1900 U. S. Census, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, population schedule, Hurricane Creek, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, enumeration district (ED) #28, Page 307B, Line 62, Dwelling 144, family 144; Timothy BROWN, Household of Timothy BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 7 August 2011); citing NARA publication T623_815.
[9] 1910 U. S. Census, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, population schedule, Hurricane Creek, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, enumeration district (ED) #0061, Page: 301B; Line 98, Dwelling 215, Family 220, Household of Enoch T. BROWN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 7 August 2011); citing NARA publication T624_746.